James Norman Hall House · National Register of Historic Places
Colfax’s story
Colfax in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
ColfaxIA
A town of 2,210. Safer than 89% of U.S. towns.
Photo: Billwhittaker (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,210
+7.7% since 2010
Typical home
$192K
+3.8% in a year
Household income
$79K
median
Median age
33.1
years
Jobs based here
327
A commuter town
What makes Colfax stand out
The 3 things Colfax does most differently from other towns.
100 U.S. towns● Colfax
Safety
Safer than 89%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade A. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
100 U.S. towns● Colfax
Health
Healthier than 66%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than IA on 1 measures, worse on 0.
$192Ktypical home
Housing
$192K typical home
20% below the IA typical home
Up 3.8% in a year.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Colfax for work
Where Colfax’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
327jobs based in Colfax
5%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Colfax’s report card
SafetyALess crime than 89% of U.S. townsCommute21 miHalf of commuters travel lessClimate85°/12°Summer high · winter low · 29″ snowHealthB+Healthier than 66% of U.S. townsHousing$192K20% below the IA typical homeSchoolsB−Beats 45% of IA districtsHazards45/100Moderate risk of storm & flood damageOutdoors0 miof trails · 2.1% conserved
Now in Colfax
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Colfax? Is an A for safety right?
Your answer becomes a post in Colfax’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Colfax. Another town gets a different order.
Safety
Less crime per resident than 89% of U.S. towns
Colfax reports less crime per resident than 89% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
ASafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Colfax0.9
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Colfax2.2
Iowa12
U.S.15.5
89th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
85th
percentile among IA towns
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
5
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Colfax
Most working residents leave Colfax for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are Des Moines (24%), West Des Moines (6%) and Ankeny (6%). Half commute less than 21 miles.
5%work in town
Where working residents work
In Colfax5%
Des Moines24%
West Des Moines6%
Ankeny6%
Altoona5%
21 mi
median commute distance
327
jobs based in Colfax
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Colfax has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–33°
Spring39–60°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 17
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Health
Healthier than 66% of U.S. towns
Colfax beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
B+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better31 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Colfax | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5.7% | 6.6% |
Mercyone Newton Medical Center
9.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
65th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Housing
A typical Colfax home is worth about $192K
The typical Colfax home is worth about $192,000, up 3.8% in a year, 20% below the Iowa typical home.
$192KZillow home value
Typical home value
Colfax$192K
Iowa$240K
+3.8%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Schools
Colfax’s public schools outperform 45% of Iowa districts
The public schools Colfax’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 55% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colfax-Mingo Elementary School | PK–6 | 399 | B− |
| Colfax-Mingo Jr/Sr High School | 7–12 | 287 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduationAll 2 schools →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 45% of U.S. communities.
45risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
18
paid flood claims since 1984
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Outdoors
2.1% of Colfax is conserved land
0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.
2.1%conserved
2.1%
conserved · 37 of 1,778 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Schlosser Park | — | 16 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Landmarks
2 places in Colfax on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Colfax
City in Iowa, US
Colfax is a city in Jasper County, Iowa, United States. Colfax is located approximately 24 miles east of Des Moines. The town was founded in 1866, and was named after Schuyler Colfax, vice president under Ulysses S. Grant. The population was 2,255 at the time of the 2020 census. Newton is the county seat; both were named after Revolutionary War soldiers.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 2,255
- Area
- 2.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 801 ft
- ZIP code
- 50054