The Town FilesPolk County, Iowa
503,175 people. The median home is worth $262,100 (typical Iowa town: $156,300) and the median household earns $83,576.
Towns in Polk County
| Town | People | Median home | Income | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | 214,133 | $194,700 | $65,932 | 34.6 |
| West Des Moines | 68,723 | $309,000 | $86,594 | 36.0 |
| Ankeny | 67,887 | $331,000 | $108,198 | 33.6 |
| Urbandale | 45,580 | $335,500 | $112,795 | 39.2 |
| Johnston | 24,064 | $369,100 | $106,551 | 37.4 |
| Altoona | 19,565 | $274,600 | $86,114 | 36.1 |
| Clive | 18,601 | $401,100 | $132,121 | 37.4 |
| Grimes | 15,392 | $304,700 | $120,037 | 35.4 |
| Pleasant Hill | 10,147 | $295,100 | $90,508 | 39.5 |
| Bondurant | 7,365 | $318,800 | $135,674 | 32.4 |
| Polk City | 5,543 | $414,800 | $164,389 | 39.1 |
| Windsor Heights | 5,252 | $267,900 | $91,707 | 41.6 |
| Saylorville | 3,584 | $314,300 | $117,821 | 50.5 |
People and housing
| Polk County | Typical Iowa town | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $262,100 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $1,149 | $820 |
| Median household income | $83,576 | $69,254 |
| Median age | 36.2 | 40.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.3% | 9.3% |
Jobs and pay
317,845 jobs in 2024, average pay $72,557 a year.
Storms since 1996
NOAA recorded 2,144 storm events in Polk County from 1996 to 2026, with 9 deaths.
Federal disaster declarations
Polk County has been included in 21 FEMA declarations since 1953.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4942: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 14, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4779: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).