Compare · IA · IA
ZIP 50266 vs ZIP 52240
West Des Moines (IA), IA compared to Iowa City (IA), IA on twelve public-records dimensions sourced from EPA, FEMA, USDA, FBI, NCES, and county records. Each cell links to the per-ZIP topic page where the source citation and refresh cadence live.
Last verified 2026-09-24 · methodology
Verdict
On the 3 of 12 dimensions that carry measured values today, both sit in EPA Radon Zone 1; 2025 median air quality is Good in both (AQI 44 vs 37); neither water system reports a health-based violation in 3 years. zipradar names no overall winner: the other 9 dimensions are not populated yet, and these three are county-level indicators rather than address-level readings. Open either ZIP below for the source and refresh date behind each number.
Side by side
| Dimension | ZIP 50266 | ZIP 52240 |
|---|---|---|
| Water quality EPA SDWIS | Open water quality for 50266 → | Open water quality for 52240 → |
| Flood zone FEMA NFHL | Open flood zone for 50266 → | Open flood zone for 52240 → |
| Wildfire risk USDA Forest Service | Open wildfire risk for 50266 → | Open wildfire risk for 52240 → |
| Air quality EPA AirNow | Open air quality for 50266 → | Open air quality for 52240 → |
| Crime FBI UCR | Open crime for 50266 → | Open crime for 52240 → |
| Schools NCES Common Core | Open schools for 50266 → | Open schools for 52240 → |
| Radon EPA Radon Zones | Open radon for 50266 → | Open radon for 52240 → |
| Lead pipes EPA LCRR / RTI | Open lead pipes for 50266 → | Open lead pipes for 52240 → |
| Property tax County assessor | Open property tax for 50266 → | Open property tax for 52240 → |
| Deed activity County recorder | Open deed activity for 50266 → | Open deed activity for 52240 → |
| Zoning Municipal planning | Open zoning for 50266 → | Open zoning for 52240 → |
| Sex offender registry NSOPW (deep-link) | Open sex offender registry for 50266 → | Open sex offender registry for 52240 → |
Dimensions populate live as ingestion reaches each source. Every row will link to the primary regulator.
Iowa context
Radon Zone 1, agricultural water nitrates
Iowa is one of the highest-radon states in the US — uniformly Zone 1. Agricultural runoff drives EPA SDWIS nitrate violations in small rural systems and even Des Moines Water Works. Tornadoes peak April-June.
Read more on cross-ZIP comparisons
Editorial deep-dives that help when reading two places side-by-side — what each data layer actually proves, and what it doesn't.
Flood zones explained — what AE, X, and VE actually mean
Plain-English guide to FEMA flood-zone codes (A, AE, AH, V, VE, X, X-shaded). What the 1% and 0.2% annual-chance zones mean for your property and your insurance.
EPA Radon Zones — what 1, 2, and 3 mean and when you should test
EPA classifies every US county into Zone 1 (high), Zone 2 (moderate), or Zone 3 (low) for radon. Plain-English guide to the classifications and at-home testing.
EPA AQI categories explained — what 0–50 Good through 301–500 Hazardous mean
Plain-English guide to the six EPA Air Quality Index categories: 0–50 Good, 51–100 Moderate, 101–150 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, 151–200 Unhealthy, 201–300 Very Unhealthy, 301–500 Hazardous — what each level means and who is at risk.
FBI UCR and NIBRS — what crime statistics actually show (and don't)
The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program and its successor NIBRS aggregate crime data from local agencies. Plain-English guide to what gets reported, what doesn't, and how to read the numbers.
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