Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Indianola grades B+ overall, ranked 62nd of 140 in Iowa, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Natural-hazard risk is low and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 85% of U.S. towns. It also does better than most on health: CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 74% of the country. Its lowest everyday mark is in safety: its police reported 23 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 73% of U.S. towns. A typical home there costs about $313K, 3.6 years of the Des Moines metro’s $86K median household income. Indianola’s property crime rate is 32.5 per 1,000 residents, above both the Iowa town median (7.2) and the median of U.S. towns (9.9). Indianola is home to Simpson College. Indianola's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 91% of U.S. towns.
Where Indianola beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Indianola is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 836 in 1860, 15,833 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1904 and 2 maps from 1931 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Indianola, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Indianola.
Indianola has colder winter nights than most of the country, though not than most of Iowa; it also has seen reported crime rise by about half.
8.8 miles of trail in 13 parks and preserves. The trail density in Indianola is 0.8 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Pickard Recreation Area, at 156 acres.
| Indianola | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.5% | 3.1% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Memorial Park | 0.5 mi | 15 |
| 2. Buxton Park | 0.5 mi | 6 |
| 3. Pickard Recreation Area | 0.2 mi | 156 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Indianola Community School District. Three of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianola Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 818 | A− |
| Indianola High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,165 | B− |
| Irving Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 395 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 83% of U.S. communities. Since 1980, 9 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Indianola.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical Indianola home is worth about $313,000, up 2.1% in a year, 32% above the Iowa typical home.
| Indianola | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $986 a month | $909 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 70% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
22% of adults binge drink in Indianola. Indianola beats the Iowa average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 12% of adults report frequent physical distress in Indianola.
| Indianola | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.8% | 12% | 12% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 18% | 19% |
| What stands out | Indianola | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.5% | 12% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.8% | 7.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Reported crimes rose from 330 to 556 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Property crime runs at 32.5 per 1,000 residents, about twice the Iowa rate, most of it theft.
Indianola reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 73% report less.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
January nights average 13.4°: colder than most of the country, but milder than 80% of Iowa places with climate records; July afternoons average 85.4°.
Indianola has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. Indianola’s January low is 13°F. About 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Indianola | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 13°F | 12°F | 22°F |
| July high | 85°F | 84°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in 5 of Indianola’s working residents works in town. 6.4% of Indianola residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Indianola grew to 5,502 in 2023, 402 more than in 2013.
| Indianola | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 22% | 31% | 8% |
| Work from home | 14% | 8.5% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Iowa average. Indianola has grown 6.3% since 2020, to 16,829 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 35% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
| Indianola | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 25% | 29% |
53% women, 47% men
About 90 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.9 points). Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women. Median age: women 38.0, men 35.2.
| Indianola | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.5% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.9% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 14.3% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.6% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.1% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.1% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.4% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.1% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.8% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.4% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 24% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.9% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.1% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.9% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Indianola. Close and well known come first.
16 mi Stadium & arenaCasey's Center
16 mi MuseumIowa State Capitol20 mi Theme parkAdventureland
11 mi Zoo & aquariumBlank Park Zoo
16 mi MuseumDes Moines Art Center
17 mi Stadium & arenaDrake StadiumCasey's Center: Iowahwyman at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Iowa State Capitol: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Blank Park Zoo: Lawrence Lansing, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Des Moines Art Center: Nhandler at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Drake Stadium: U.S. Navy photo by James Woods, Public domain
1 within 15 miles of the center of Indianola
About 12 of every 100 Indianola residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
3 places in Indianola on the National Register of Historic Places.
13 notable people were born in Indianola.
City in Iowa, United States
Indianola is a city in and the county seat of Warren County, Iowa, United States, located 19 miles (31 km) south of downtown Des Moines. The population was 15,833 at the time of the 2020 census. Indianola is home to the National Balloon Classic, a nine-day hot air balloon festival held annually in the summer, the Des Moines Metro Opera, a major American Summer Opera Festival, and Simpson College.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Indianola grades B+ overall, better than 71% of U.S. towns and #62 of 140 in Iowa. It grades B+ for health, C for safety and B+ for schools.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
13 notable people were born here, including Priscilla Lane and Rosemary Lane.
