Granger Iowa 20090607 City Hall, 2009
Granger’s story
141 years in pictures
Census counts: 225 in 1910, 1,654 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1911 on.
- 1885Granger is settled
GrangerIA
A town of 2,179, settled in 1885.
Photo: Richc80 · CC BY 3.0
Population
2,179
2025 Census estimate · +27.7% since 2020
Typical home
$383K
+0.8% in a year
Household income
$112K
median
Median age
30.6
years
Jobs based here
920
Balanced
Is Granger a good place to live?
The best of Granger’s subject grades are an A for incomes, health, and schools; the weakest is a D for walkability. 35% of residents are under 18 in Granger, above both Iowa’s towns (23%) and U.S. towns (22%). On walkability, just 2 of Iowa’s 276 towns do worse. On the outdoors, just 13 of Iowa’s 276 towns do worse. Granger's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 82% of U.S. towns. Granger has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Granger stand out
Where Granger beats most towns.
A growing town
Granger has grown 70% since 2010
1,244 counted in 2010 and 1,654 in 2020; an estimated 2,179 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Granger grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Granger is from typical.
Jobs & income$112K median household incomeAOpen →HealthBroadlawns Medical Center 13.4 miles awayAOpen →SchoolsAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.8 of 20; 2% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 41% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →Cost of livingBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trailsC−Open →History2 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life4.5 library visits per resident; 6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market77 days on market–Open →Who lives here40% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 19 attractions →Casey's Center and 15 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Granger. Close and well known come first.
15 mi Stadium & arenaCasey's Center
16 mi MuseumIowa State Capitol18 mi Theme parkAdventureland
14 mi MuseumDes Moines Art Center
21 mi Stadium & arenaHilton Coliseum
14 mi Stadium & arenaDrake StadiumSources: 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 · Hilton Coliseum: Johannes Cater--Jaretac (talk) 15:14, 17 June 2009 (UTC), Public domain · Drake Stadium: U.S. Navy photo by James Woods, Public domain
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Granger: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Granger, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGranger Muni Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Granger’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 code5010950109 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 Granger.
HousingCost of living grade B
A typical Granger home is worth about $383K
The typical Granger home is worth about $383,000, up 0.8% in a year, 62% above the Iowa typical home. 81% of households own their home in Granger, above both the Iowa town median (70%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%). The median rent in Granger is $843 a month.
$383KZillow home value
| Granger | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 81% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $843 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Granger$383K
Iowa$237K
Market temperature
77
days on market
99.7%
sale-to-list price
+0.8%
value change, 1 year
9
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsA
On state tests, Granger’s schools beat 88% of Iowa districts
Its public schools are run by the Woodward-Granger Community School District. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
88%of IA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodward-Granger Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades 2–5 | Grades 2–5 | 349 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
HealthA
On CDC estimates, Granger is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Granger beats the Iowa average on 19 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 24% of Granger adults binge drink. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 3 have a lower share of adults who had a checkup this year than Granger.
90%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Granger | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 13% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 7.7% | 12% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
19 better10 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Granger | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with COPD | 4.2% | 6.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.6% | 12% |
| More binge drinkers | 23.9% | 20.5% |
VA Central Iowa Healthcare System
12.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
A smaller share of residents in Granger are 65 or older than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
9.1% of residents are 65 or older in Granger. Granger has grown 28% since 2020, to 2,179 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Granger’s median age is 30.6 years.
30.6median age · IA 38.6
| Granger | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 9.1% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 30.6 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 40% | 25% | 29% |
GrangerIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
24%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school24%
Some college21%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s32%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.8 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Granger | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 24% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.6% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.9% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 19.5% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.9% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 6.1% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 2.5% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.6% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.9% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.7% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.7% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 31.6% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,200, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
In Granger, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Granger has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 12° and about 38 inches of snow falls in a winter.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–33°
Spring39–60°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 19
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
A smaller share of working residents work locally in Granger than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
Jobs based in Granger grew to 920 in 2023, 712 more than in 2013. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 4 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Granger. The top destinations are Des Moines (21%), West Des Moines (17%) and Urbandale (10%).
2%work in town
| Granger | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 31% | 8% |
| Work from home | 19% | 8.5% | 11% |
| Median household income | $112,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 3.4% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Granger2%
Des Moines21%
West Des Moines17%
Urbandale10%
Ankeny7%
13 mi
median commute distance
920
jobs based in Granger
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 12% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Granger faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 59% of U.S. communities. Since 2007, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Granger.
41risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
2
paid flood claims since 2007
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,702 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Windcrest Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Granger
19pages on Granger
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Granger
Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Ankeny10 mi$20,270 tuitionDes Moines Area Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ankeny11.2 mi$5,790 in-state tuitionDrake UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Des Moines13.8 mi$52,130 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Granger residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Granger
City in Iowa, United States
Granger is a city in Dallas and Polk counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 1,654 at the time of the 2020 census, up 184% from 583 in 2000. 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)
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 889 ft
- ZIP code
- 50109
Questions about Granger
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Granger, IA expensive?
That is 4.5 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 Granger, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Eric Jones and Quinn Sypniewski.