Photo: Iowahwyman · CC BY-SA 3.0Living in Johnston, IA: what to set up and who to call
The closest public drop-off to Johnston is Metro Northwest Transfer Station, 3 miles out; the town decides whether residents may use it. Mediacom Xtream and Metronet both wire most of Johnston; 85% of addresses can get fiber.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Johnston, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Johnston.
Power comes from MidAmerican Energy
MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Johnston. Its homes paid an average of 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025, about $93 a month (its average across Iowa).
Start or move service: midamericanenergy.com · (888) 427-5632
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Johnston Municipal Water Supply
Johnston Municipal Water Supply supplies almost all of Johnston. It buys treated surface water (EPA lists Des Moines Water Works and Ciww (Dmww) as sellers) and serves 24,897 people in all.
No health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026, like 83% of the 3,525 systems serving 10,001–50,000 people.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2023–Dec 2025, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. IA7740011.
7 home internet providers serve Johnston
99% of 6,670 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 85% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediacom Xtream | Cable, Fiber | 95% | 1,000/50 |
| Metronet | Fiber | 89% | 5,120/5,120 |
| CenturyLink | DSL, Fiber | 76% | 140/20 |
| Quantum Fiber | Fiber | 14% | 2,000/1,000 |
| AT&T | Fixed wireless | 62% | 100/20 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 61% | 300/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
Trash day in Johnston is Monday or Tuesday, depending on your street
Pickup days, the drop-off and recycling in Johnston, from the town’s own site.
Your pickup week
- TrashEvery week, on your street’s day (Mon or Tue)
- Bulky itemsCall to book
Accepted at the curb
- Plastic bottles that are necked or have twist-top lids
- Margarine and yogurt tubs
- Aluminum items
- Hairspray, shampoo and conditioner bottles (take out the pumps)
- Medicine and vitamin bottles
- Milk, juice, water, and soda bottles
From cityofjohnston.com, the town’s official site, checked Oct 21, 2026. Rules change: the town’s page is the last word. .
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Johnston is in Johnston Community School District.
ASchool gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Sep 2026; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Johnston is in ZIP code 50131
ZIP codes where Johnston residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Johnston | ZIP’s residents in Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50131 | Johnston, IA | 100% | 98% |
A few homes fall in 50322, 50111, 50109.
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Johnston
Who supplies Johnston’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Johnston Municipal Water Supply (EPA ID IA7740011). It reported no health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026; 83% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2023–Dec 2025), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Johnston?
MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Johnston?
Mediacom Xtream, Metronet, CenturyLink, Quantum Fiber, AT&T, Verizon (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Johnston?
50131. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Johnston in?
Johnston Community School District.
How do I register to vote in Johnston?
In 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). Elections here are run by the Polk County Auditor. Check your registration at sos.iowa.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: Johnston’s own website (cityofjohnston.com), read Oct 21, 2026, pickup and drop-off facts extracted and checked against the page they came from.
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.