1907 · from Grinnell’s archive GrinnellIA
A town of 9,505, settled in 1854. Home to 18 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Wikimedia Commons
Population
9,505
+3.8% since 2010
Typical home
$218K
+7.2% in a year
Household income
$65K
median
Jobs based here
6,036
A job hub
What makes Grinnell stand out The 3 things Grinnell does most differently from other towns.
1907 · Grinnell, IA, 4th Ave. and Broad Sts · Wikimedia Commons
Grinnell’s story
172 years in pictures
10 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 18 places on the National Register.
Explore the history →
1907
From the archive · today’s picture 119 years ago in Grinnell Grinnell, IA, 4th Ave. and Broad Sts
Photo · Wikimedia Commons. A different picture from Grinnell’s archive appears here every day.
Do you remember this? Share a memory See all 10 archive items →
Residents weigh in
Grinnell is #9 of 143 in IA for “Shortest commute”. Fair?
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In the news: Cornell (IA) vs. Grinnell (Oct 24, 2026) Live Score → What’s a piece of Grinnell history most people don’t know? → How do you get to work from Grinnell? → What do families love about Grinnell’s schools? →
65° Mostly Clear Tonight L 51°
Upcoming events
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The data Ordered by what stands out in Grinnell. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About half of working residents work right in Grinnell 49% of Grinnell’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Des Moines (4%), Newton (3%) and Marshalltown (2%). Half commute less than 5 miles.
49% work in town
Where working residents work In Grinnell 49%
Des Moines 4%
Newton 3%
Marshalltown 2%
Cedar Rapids 2%
5 mi
median commute distance
6,036
jobs based in Grinnell
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Schools
Grinnell’s public schools outperform 71% of Iowa districts The public schools Grinnell’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 71% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
B+ School Grade
Outdoors
5.7% of Grinnell is conserved land 5.3 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves.
#18 for trails in IA
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below 5.7%
conserved · 207 of 3,639 acres
5.3 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
#38
most conserved land in IA
Biggest places to walk Trails Acres 1. Ahrens/Paschall Memorial Park 2.2 mi 80 2. Arbor Lake Park 0.8 mi 79 3. Central Park 0.3 mi 3
Health
Healthier than 64% of U.S. towns Grinnell tracks Iowa closely on all 32 CDC measures.
B Health Grade
32 measures vs. Iowa
Grinnell Regional Medical Center
0.7 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
62nd
percentile among IA towns
Natural hazards
Low risk, with tornadoes at the top Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 21% of U.S. communities.
21 risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
21 Low risk Lower Higher Tornadoes Inland flooding Strong wind
6
federal disasters paid out here
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers Grinnell has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 31 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
31″ snow a winter
Typical low → high °F Winter 15–32°
Spring 38–59°
Summer 61–82°
Fall 40–61°
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
Housing
A typical Grinnell home is worth about $218K The typical Grinnell home is worth about $218,000, up 7.2% in a year, 9% below the Iowa typical home.
$218K Zillow home value
Typical home value Grinnell $218K
Iowa $240K
+7.2%
value change, 1 year
Safety
Less crime per resident than 44% of U.S. towns Grinnell reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 56% report less.
C+ Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents Grinnell 3.1
Iowa 2.4
U.S. 3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents Grinnell 12.3
Iowa 12
U.S. 15.5
44th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
34th
percentile among IA towns
29
violent crimes reported in 2025
117
property crimes reported in 2025
College town
19% of Grinnell is in college
Landmarks 18 places in Grinnell on the National Register of Historic Places.
All landmarks → Famous people from Grinnell 23 notable people were born in Grinnell.
See all 23 →
Grinnell ( grin-EL) is a city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,564 at the time of the 2020 census. It is best known for being the home of Grinnell College, a liberal arts college.
From Wikipedia , licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Established 1854
Population 9,564
Area 5.5 sq mi
Elevation 1,014 ft
ZIP code 50112
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