Central Iowa to move (1), 2024
Martensdale’s story
111 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1915Martensdale is settled
MartensdaleIA
A town of 426, settled in 1915.
Photo: PopePompus · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
426
2025 Census estimate · +0.2% since 2020
Typical home
$221K
+5.3% in a year
Household income
$58K
median
Median age
30.3
years
Jobs based here
148
A commuter town
Is Martensdale a good place to live?
No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a higher average trip to work than Martensdale. Martensdale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
426 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Nearby attractions
All 18 attractions →Casey's Center and 14 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Martensdale. Close and well known come first.
16 mi Stadium & arenaCasey's Center
17 mi MuseumIowa State Capitol23 mi Theme parkAdventureland
12 mi Zoo & aquariumBlank Park Zoo
15 mi MuseumDes Moines Art Center
17 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 · 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
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Martensdale: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Martensdale, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMartensdale Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Martensdale’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 hereWarren County AuditorWarren County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2026
ZIP code5016050160 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 Martensdale.
Work & commute
With only 0.7 jobs per working resident, most people in Martensdale work out of town
For most workers, Martensdale is a place to come home to: only 4% work in town. Jobs based in Martensdale grew to 148 in 2023, 92 more than in 2013. Its typical household income stands at $58,000, below both Iowa’s towns ($69,000) and U.S. towns ($80,000). The top destinations are Des Moines (27%), West Des Moines (13%) and Urbandale (8%).
4%work in town
| Martensdale | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.6% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 13% | 8.5% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Martensdale4%
Des Moines27%
West Des Moines13%
Urbandale8%
Indianola4%
16 mi
median commute distance
148
jobs based in Martensdale
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Martensdale’s kids attend
Its two schools are below. The public schools here belong to the Martensdale-St Marys Community School District. 2 public schools serve Martensdale, with 532 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martensdale Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 307 | A |
| Martensdale-St Marys Jr-Sr High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 225 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: low risk in Martensdale, mostly inland flooding
For Martensdale, the natural-hazard score from FEMA is 28 of 100. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2008. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 35% come from inland flooding and 28% from drought.
28risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Martensdale
Among 141 Iowa towns, just 10 have a higher midsummer high than Martensdale. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 13° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–35°
Spring39–61°
Summer63–84°
Fall41–64°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+0.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Martensdale is
In Martensdale, 9.6% of adults have diabetes, below both the Iowa town median (12%) and the median of U.S. towns (12%). For adults here, the share who binge drink is 22%.
| Martensdale | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.6% | 12% | 12% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 18% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
6 better26 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Martensdale | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.5% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9% | 12% |
Madison County Health Care System
14.8 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
The typical home in Martensdale is valued at about $221K
Martensdale’s typical rent stands at $858 a month. Typical home values rose 5.3% in the year to September 2026.
$221KZillow home value
| Martensdale | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $858 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Martensdale$221K
Iowa$237K
+5.3%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Martensdale
17pages on Martensdale
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Martensdale
Simpson CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Indianola9.1 mi$47,656 tuitionDes Moines University-Osteopathic Medical CenterUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · West Des Moines12.3 mi
About 3 of every 100 Martensdale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Martensdale for work
Where Martensdale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
148jobs based in Martensdale
4%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Martensdale
City in Iowa, US
Martensdale is a city in Warren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 421 at the time of 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)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 830 ft
- ZIP code
- 50160
Questions about Martensdale
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Martensdale, IA a good place to live?
Martensdale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.