Windsor Heights, Iowa
Windsor Heights is a city of 5,143 people in Polk County, Iowa, founded in 1941.
Why visit Windsor Heights
Townapedia lists 52 museums and landmarks, 17 parks and trails, 74 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Drake University, AMC Classic Cobblestone 9, Thomas I. Stoner House and Allen Hazen Water Tower.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 14°F, and about 36 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Windsor Heights
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Windsor Heights
Windsor Heights is a city in Walnut Township, Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,252 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Windsor Heights, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do5
Drake University
School · 3.1 mi
Private university in Des Moines, Iowa
Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
School · 3.1 mi
Last Laugh Comedy Club
Cinema and theater · 1.4 mi
1701 25th Street, West Des Moines
Museums and landmarks52
Thomas I. Stoner House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
1030 56th Street, Des Moines
Allen Hazen Water Tower
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Water tower in Des Moines, Iowa
Anson O. Reynolds House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic house in Des Moines, Iowa
Ashby Manor Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Historic district in Des Moines, Iowa
Bryn Mawr Apartments
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Apartment building in Des Moines, Iowa
Byron and Ivan Boyd House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Des Moines, IA, listed on the NRHP in Iowa
Des Moines Art Center
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Art museum in Des Moines, Iowa
Dr. Richard and Paulina Stuart House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Drake University Campus Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic district in Iowa, United States
F. F. Odenweller-James P. and Nettie Morey House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic house in Des Moines, Iowa
Francis M. Kirkham House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Greek Orthodox Church of St. George
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Church building in Iowa, United States of America
40 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds17
5 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes74
Buffet City
Restaurant · Chinese, Mongolian Grill · 1.4 mi
8801 University Avenue, Clive
Su-Th 10:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 10:30-22:30
Eat Thai
Restaurant · Thai · 1.2 mi
1821 22nd Street, West Des Moines
Tu-Fr 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:00; Sa 12:00-14:30,16:00-20:00; Su 16:00-20:00
La Tropicana Mexican Market and Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.5 mi
2743 86th Street, Urbandale
Mo-Su 09:00-21:00
Mi Patria
Restaurant · Ecuadorian · 1.5 mi
1410 22nd Street, West Des Moines
Mo-Fr 11:00-21:00; Sa 11:00-15:00
Simon's
Diner · American · 0.9 mi
5800 Franklin Avenue, Des Moines
Mo-Th 17:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 17:00-22:00
Tom Archer's
Restaurant · Steak House, Pasta, Salad, Dessert, Supper Club · 1.4 mi
301 Ashworth Road, West Des Moins
Tu-Sa 16:00-22:00
Work In Progress
Bar and pub · 1.4 mi
301 Ashworth Road, West Des Moins
Su-Th 15:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 15:00-02:00
62 more on the map.
History
Windsor Heights incorporated as a city on July 19, 1941. It was named for nearby Windsor Elementary School in Des Moines; the school was named for early settler Henry Clay Windsor, whose family donated land for the school. In 1958 Windsor Heights annexed the neighboring community of Crestwood, which added roughly 1,300 people to the city and established the city's present boundaries.
On June 26, 2008, the United States Postal Service gave Windsor Heights its own ZIP code of 50324 that was scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2009. Before that, the city shared ZIP codes with neighboring portions of Des Moines and Urbandale.
From the History section of Windsor Heights, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship29
Cottage Grove Avenue Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
First Church of Christ, Scientist
Church · Christ Scientist · 1.5 mi
801 Grand Avenue, West Des Moines
Franklin Avenue Christian Church
Church · Churches Of Christ · 1.2 mi
1903 53rd Street
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 0.7 mi
1421 Buffalo Road
Northwest Community of Christ Church
Church · Christian Community · 1.4 mi
3003 62nd Street
Shopping11
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries52
Healthcare6
Family Medicine at Northwest
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.8 mi
6400 Hickman Road, Windsor Heights
Walnut Creek Pediatrics
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.0 mi
1271 8th Street, West Des Moines
Map of Windsor Heights
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 14°F | 1.1 in | 9.4 in |
| Feb | 36°F | 18°F | 1.3 in | 10.2 in |
| Mar | 49°F | 30°F | 2.2 in | 4.4 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 41°F | 4.0 in | 1.2 in |
| May | 72°F | 52°F | 5.2 in | 0.2 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 62°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 64°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 55°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 2.8 in | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 1.9 in | 2.7 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 20°F | 1.6 in | 7.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Des Moines Intl Ap Gsn 72546 (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Polk County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-09-01: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-05-24: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-05-14: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2020-08-17: Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Urbandale 4 mi northwest, about 7 min by car
- Clive 5 mi west, about 7 min by car
- West Des Moines 5 mi southwest, about 8 min by car
- Des Moines 6 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Johnston 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Grimes 7 mi northwest, about 11 min by car
- Saylorville 7 mi northeast, about 11 min by car
- Norwalk 8 mi south, about 13 min by car
- Waukee 9 mi west, about 14 min by car
- Ankeny 11 mi northeast, about 17 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Olmsted Family Farm Front, KatelynFoster22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Mahnke House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Middlesex Plat Des Moines, Smallbones, Public domain
- The James Sansom Carpenter House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Lampson P. Sherman House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The F.F. Odenweller-James P. And Nettie Morey House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The John P. Simmons House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Josiah Andrews House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Hilll McClelland Bell House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2701 Woodland Ave, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Plymouth Place, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- IThe Anson O. Reynolds House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Former Iowa Governor's Mansion DSM, Western Architect, Public domain
- 559 28th Street, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Salisbury House, back view from gardens, Jmaxschwerd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- WEST CHESTER, POLK COUNTY, IOWA, JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ashby Manor Homes, Goddesshanna, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Jay Norwood and Genevieve Pendleton Darling House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- HistoricValleyJunction, Iowahwyman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sylvan theater 2025 06 25, Awalker88, CC0
- KKG Gamma Theta, MHDU, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Boyd House - Side view, Goddesshanna, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bryan Mawr Apartments, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Des Moines Art Center, Nhandler at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Dr. Richard and Paulina Sturart House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alta Casa 3927 Ingersoll Avenue, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2707 Kingman Blvd, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Susie Turner Double House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Des Moines, Ben Siepmann (stgeorgedsm), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jordan House front enterance, Goddesshanna, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Trent-Beaver House, James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Stevenson House 2940 Cottage Grove Ave DM Iowa, C. A. Tucker, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Nellie And Thomas Knotts House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Linden Heights Historic District, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Norman Apartment Building, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Richard T.C. Lord and William V. Wilcox House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Professor Charles O. Denny House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 95KGGO Arena, Iowahwyman at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tailgating with the Iowa Chops fans before the preseason game. (2915828011), IAHilltopper, CC BY 2.0
- The Thomas Stoner House, Des Moines, IA, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 3.0
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