Dallas County Courthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Adel’s story
179 years in pictures
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1847Adel is settled
AdelIA
A town of 6,430, settled in 1847. Public schools that outperform most of Iowa.
Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
6,430
+67.1% since 2010
Typical home
$401K
+0.4% in a year
Household income
$95K
median
Median age
36.5
years
Jobs based here
2,065
A commuter town
What makes Adel stand out
The 3 things Adel does most differently from other towns.
A growing town
Adel has grown 67.1% since 2010
3,682 people in 2010; 6,430 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Adel’s report card
SchoolsABeats 89% of IA districtsHousing$401K67% above the IA typical homeCommute14 miHalf of commuters travel lessHealthA−Healthier than 81% of U.S. townsOutdoors1 miof trails · 4.5% conservedSafetyB+Less crime than 70% of U.S. townsClimate85°/12°Summer high · winter low · 25″ snowHazards64/100High risk of storm & flood damage
Now in Adel
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Adel is #5 of 143 in IA for “Fastest growing”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Adel’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →65°
Cloudy
H 73° · L 58°
Local news
All →- Des Moines Christian Girls Varsity Basketball @ A-D-Mmaxpreps.com · Jul 16
- Nevada Boys Varsity Basketball @ A-D-Mmaxpreps.com · Jul 14
- Benton Boys Varsity Basketball @ A-D-Mmaxpreps.com · Jul 14
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Adel. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Adel’s public schools outperform 89% of Iowa districts
The public schools Adel’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 89% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
ASchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meadow View Elementary | 2–4 | 520 | Not graded |
| Adel Elementary School | PK–1 | 403 | Not graded |
| ADM Middle School | 7–8 | 352 | A |
| ADM Senior High School | 9–12 | 666 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduationAll 4 schools →
Housing
A typical Adel home is worth about $401K
The typical Adel home is worth about $401,000, about the same as a year ago, 67% above the Iowa typical home.
$401KZillow home value
Typical home value
Adel$401K
Iowa$240K
Market temperature
54
days on market
99.8%
sale-to-list price
+0.4%
value change, 1 year
25
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Work & commute
About one in eight working residents works right in Adel
Most working residents leave Adel for work: only 12% work in town. The top destinations are West Des Moines (19%), Des Moines (17%) and Urbandale (7%). Half commute less than 14 miles.
12%work in town
Where working residents work
In Adel12%
West Des Moines19%
Des Moines17%
Urbandale7%
Waukee6%
14 mi
median commute distance
2,065
jobs based in Adel
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Adel beats the Iowa average on 9 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
A−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Iowa
9 better22 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Adel | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.7% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.9% | 6.6% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 74.6% | 77.8% |
Dallas County Hospital
16 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
86th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
4.5% of Adel is conserved land
0.8 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves.
4.5%conserved
4.5%
conserved · 155 of 3,445 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
#56
most conserved land in IA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kinnick-Feller Riverside Park | 0.4 mi | 23 |
| 2. Island Park | — | 51 |
| 3. Evans Park | — | 16 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 70% of U.S. towns
Adel reports less crime per resident than 70% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
B+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Adel1.3
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Adel9.4
Iowa12
U.S.15.5
70th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
64th
percentile among IA towns
9
violent crimes reported in 2025
65
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Adel has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 25 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
25″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–34°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 64% of U.S. communities.
64risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoes
11
paid flood claims since 1991
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
A commuter town
88% of working residents leave Adel for work
Where Adel’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,065jobs based in Adel
12%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
4 places in Adel on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Adel
City in Iowa, United States
Adel ( ay-DEL) is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Iowa, United States. It is located along the North Raccoon River. Its population was 6,153 at the time of the 2020 Census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1847
- Population
- 6,153
- Area
- 4.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 892 ft
- ZIP code
- 50003
- Area code
- 515
More about Adel
Still missing for Adel:archive photosupcoming events