Dirk Van Loon House · National Register of Historic Places
Pella’s story
179 years in pictures
20 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1847Pella is settled
PellaIA
A town of 10,720, settled in 1847. Home to 20 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Dmetz61753 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
10,720
+1.1% since 2010
Typical home
$360K
+2.2% in a year
Household income
$84K
median
Median age
35.2
years
Jobs based here
6,644
Balanced
What makes Pella stand out
The 3 things Pella does most differently from other towns.
Dirk Van Loon HouseHistory
Settled in 1847
20 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 179 years.
A+School Grade
Schools
#7 for schools in IA
of 139 towns
School Grade A+.
100 U.S. towns● Pella
Health
Healthier than 86%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than IA on 16 measures, worse on 0.
College town
15% of Pella is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Pella’s report card
SchoolsA+Beats 95% of IA districtsHealthAHealthier than 86% of U.S. townsCommute3 miHalf of commuters travel lessHousing$360K50% above the IA typical homeHazards15/100Very low risk of storm & flood damageSafetyB+Less crime than 73% of U.S. townsClimate85°/13°Summer high · winter low · 30″ snowOutdoors5 miof trails · 1.9% conserved
Now in Pella
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Pella is #3 of 143 in IA for “Fewest uninsured”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Pella’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Pella. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Pella’s public schools outperform 95% of Iowa districts
The public schools Pella’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 95% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
A+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Elementary School | PK–3 | 401 | B+ |
| Lincoln Elementary School | PK–3 | 254 | B+ |
| Pella Christian Grade School Private | PK–8 | 562 | |
| Jefferson Intermediate | 4–6 | 494 | A |
| Pella Middle School | 7–8 | 375 | A+ |
| Pella High School | 9–12 | 801 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduationAll 8 schools →
Health
Healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Pella beats the Iowa average on 16 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
AHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Iowa
16 better16 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Pella | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.7% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.1% | 6.4% |
Pella Regional Health Center
0.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
90th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About one in two working residents works right in Pella
41% of Pella’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Des Moines (5%), Oskaloosa (3%) and Knoxville (3%). Half commute less than 3 miles.
41%work in town
Where working residents work
In Pella41%
Des Moines5%
Oskaloosa3%
Knoxville3%
West Des Moines2%
3 mi
median commute distance
6,644
jobs based in Pella
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
A typical Pella home is worth about $360K
The typical Pella home is worth about $360,000, up 2.2% in a year, 50% above the Iowa typical home.
$360KZillow home value
Typical home value
Pella$360K
Iowa$240K
Market temperature
40
days on market
98.5%
sale-to-list price
+2.2%
value change, 1 year
19
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 15% of U.S. communities.
15risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves
1
paid flood claims since 2009
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 73% of U.S. towns
Pella reports less crime per resident than 73% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
B+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Pella0.8
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Pella4.5
Iowa12
U.S.15.5
73rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
66th
percentile among IA towns
9
violent crimes reported in 2025
50
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Pella has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 30 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–34°
Spring39–61°
Summer63–83°
Fall42–63°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Outdoors
1.9% of Pella is conserved land
4.6 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves.
1.9%conserved
1.9%
conserved · 110 of 5,938 acres
4.6 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Big Rock City Park | 2.3 mi | 56 |
| 2. West Market Park | 0.5 mi | 5 |
| 3. Caldwell Park | — | 20 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Landmarks
20 places in Pella on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Pella
City in Iowa, United States
Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States, with a population of 10,464 at the time of the 2020 U.S. census. Founded by immigrants from the Netherlands, it is forty miles southeast of Des Moines. Pella is the home of Central College, as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation and Vermeer Manufacturing Company.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1847
- Population
- 10,464
- Area
- 9.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 886 ft
- ZIP code
- 50219
- Area code
- 641