The Town FilesMitchellville, Iowa
City in Polk County · population 2,485 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $206,600
- Household income
- $81,172
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 37.6
Mitchellville is a city of 2,485 people in Polk County, Iowa. The median home is worth $206,600, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks easier by car than 93% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 84% of Iowa towns, quieter than 84% of Iowa towns.
How Mitchellville ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Mitchellville is worth $206,600, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $81,172, which is more affordable than 35% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $779 a month. 78.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mitchellville | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $206,600 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $779 | $820 |
| Median household income | $81,172 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.4% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Mitchellville
| People | Mitchellville | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.8% | 88.5% |
Weather in Mitchellville
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 12.8°F. About 36.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.2 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mitchellville since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on September 28, 1986 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 25, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 81 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 2, 1997.
Severe weather in Polk County since 1996
Polk County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Polk County
Polk County had 317,845 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,557 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Mitchellville itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Mitchellville
1 public school with 244 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchellville Elementary | PK-5 | 244 | 13.6 |
Towns near Mitchellville
- Bondurant, IA4.8 mi · 7,365 people · home $318,800
- Altoona, IA6.0 mi · 19,565 people · home $274,600
- Colfax, IA6.7 mi · 2,255 people · home $178,000
- Prairie City, IA8.4 mi · 1,700 people · home $190,600
- Pleasant Hill, IA8.7 mi · 10,147 people · home $295,100
- Elkhart, IA11.8 mi · 882 people · home $253,900
- Carlisle, IA12.2 mi · 4,160 people · home $234,300
- Ankeny, IA12.8 mi · 67,887 people · home $331,000
Mitchellville questions
Is Mitchellville, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mitchellville scores better for retirees than 84% of Iowa towns and quieter than 84%. 10.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.6).
How much does a house cost in Mitchellville?
The median owner-occupied home in Mitchellville is valued at $206,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,172, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $779 a month.
What is the weather like in Mitchellville?
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 12.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.6 inches of precipitation a year and 31.2 inches of snow.
Does Mitchellville get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mitchellville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on September 28, 1986. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)