Dallas Center, Casey, DeSoto, Dexter, Ogden, Perry, Shell Rock and Adel, Iowa. (0018.158), 1875
Dallas Center’s story
157 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1875.
- 1869Dallas Center is settled
Dallas CenterIA
Public schools that outperform most of Iowa. A town settled in 1869, now home to 2,042 people.
Photo: Mostly Iowa Edits · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
2,042
2025 Census estimate · +7.5% since 2020
Typical home
$313K
+1.6% in a year
Household income
$96K
median
Median age
41.1
years
Jobs based here
617
A commuter town
Is Dallas Center a good place to live?
The best of Dallas Center’s subject grades are an A for schools and an A− for incomes and civic life. 5.1% of working residents work locally in Dallas Center, where Iowa’s towns sit at 31% and U.S. towns at 8%. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 6 have a higher mean commuting time than Dallas Center. Dallas Center has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Dallas Center stand out
Where Dallas Center beats most towns.
Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Center Elementary | K–4 | 169 |
| Dallas Center-Grimes Middle School | 5–6 | 586 |
SchoolsA
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Dallas Center9.3
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical IA town7.5
Civic lifeA−
23% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Iowa town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
32 measures vs. Iowa
6 better25 too close to call1 worse
| Widest gap | Dallas Center | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.8% | 11.6% |
HealthA−
Healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
A growing town
Dallas Center has grown 26% since 2010
1,623 counted in 2010 and 1,901 in 2020; an estimated 2,042 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Dallas Center grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Dallas Center is from typical.
SchoolsIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →Jobs & income617 jobs based hereA−Open →HealthDallas County Hospital 11.8 miles awayA−Open →Hazard riskDrought tops the listB+Open →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.1 of 20; 5% of households have no car; 1.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailCOpen →History2 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life3.2 library visits per resident; 9.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Dallas Center: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Dallas Center, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterXenia RWD (Des Moines)No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Dallas Center’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDallas County Elections OfficeDallas County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2026
ZIP code5006350063 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Dallas Center.
SchoolsA
Dallas Center’s schools rank ahead of 88% of Iowa districts
Its public schools are run by the Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District. One of its 2 schools is below, with the reason it’s listed. 2 public schools serve Dallas Center, with 755 students in all.
88%of IA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Center-Grimes Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–6 | Grades 5–6 | 586 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
A smaller share of adults feel lonely in Dallas Center than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
Among adults 18 to 64 in Dallas Center, 5.8% have no health insurance. Against the Iowa average, Dallas Center comes out ahead on 6 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 1. Only 8 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Dallas Center.
76%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Dallas Center | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
6 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Dallas Center | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.8% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9% | 12% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 8.7% |
Dallas County Hospital
11.8 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Dallas Center has 0.7 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
Half the trips to work are shorter than 13 miles. The median household income for Dallas Center comes to $96,000. The top destinations are Des Moines (14%), West Des Moines (12%) and Urbandale (7%). 17% of workers work from home in the town.
5%work in town
| Dallas Center | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 17% | 8.5% | 11% |
| Median household income | $96,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Dallas Center5%
Des Moines14%
West Des Moines12%
Urbandale7%
Adel5%
13 mi
median commute distance
617
jobs based in Dallas Center
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 39% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B+
Homes in Dallas Center are worth about $313K, by Zillow’s estimate
The share of households in Dallas Center who live in a home they own: 83%. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 1.6%. The town’s rent at the middle of the market is $1,120 a month.
$313KZillow home value
| Dallas Center | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,120 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Dallas Center$313K
Iowa$237K
+1.6%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Dallas Center has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from drought
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 72% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Dallas Center after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2008. FEMA puts 36% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to drought, and 28% to inland flooding. Also worth knowing: since 2018, Dallas Center has seen 2 flood insurance claims paid out.
28risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingTornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 2018
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
Young adults are less common in Dallas Center than in Iowa
2,042 people lived in Dallas Center by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, 7.5% more than in 2020. Adults 18 to 34 are 14% of residents (23% statewide); people 65 and older are 22% of residents (18% statewide). Dallas Center: 26% of residents are under 18. Among adults 25 and older, 30% have a four-year degree or more, against 31% across Iowa.
41.1median age · IA 38.6
| Dallas Center | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 26% | 23% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 41.1 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 30% | 25% | 29% |
Dallas CenterIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school30%
Some college25%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.4 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women. Among residents 25 to 34, 68% are men (IA 51%).
| Dallas Center | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.4% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.4% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.8% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.1% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.4% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.7% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.8% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.4% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.9% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 29.9% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.2% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.1% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.2% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.7% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,000, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Dallas Center: four seasons and pleasant summers
The range runs from 12° on a January night to 85° on a July afternoon, with about 38 inches of snow a winter.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–33°
Spring39–60°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–62°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsC
0% of Dallas Center is conserved land
Count the trails in 1 park or preserve and they come to 1.2 miles. The density of trails in Dallas Center is 0.2 miles per square mile. This Iowa town has one park or preserve, 12 acres in all.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 3,446 acres
1.2 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Memorial Park | — | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 19 attractions →Casey's Center and 16 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Dallas Center. Close and well known come first.
20 mi Stadium & arenaCasey's Center
21 mi MuseumIowa State Capitol25 mi Theme parkAdventureland
17 mi MuseumDes Moines Art Center
18 mi Stadium & arenaDrake Stadium
29 mi Stadium & arenaHilton ColiseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Casey's Center: Iowahwyman at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Iowa State Capitol: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Des Moines Art Center: Nhandler at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Drake Stadium: U.S. Navy photo by James Woods, Public domain · Hilton Coliseum: Johannes Cater--Jaretac (talk) 15:14, 17 June 2009 (UTC), Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Dallas Center
19pages on Dallas Center
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Dallas Center
About 2 of every 100 Dallas Center residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Dallas Center for work
Where Dallas Center’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
617jobs based in Dallas Center
5%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Dallas Center
City in Iowa, United States
Dallas Center is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,901 during the 2020 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1869
- Area
- 5.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,070 ft
- ZIP code
- 50063
- Area code
- 515
Questions about Dallas Center
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Dallas Center, IA a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of Iowa.
Is Dallas Center, IA expensive?
Not for the area. That is 3.6 years of the area's median household income ($85,890 across the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
What is Dallas Center, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Paige Lowary and Walter D. Reed.