IA 316 north end, 2010
Runnells’s story
144 years in pictures
Census counts: 428 in 1910, 457 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1930 on.
- 1882Runnells is settled
RunnellsIA
A town of 461, settled in 1882.
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
Population
461
2025 Census estimate · +0% since 2020
Typical home
$437K
+5.2% in a year
Household income
$102K
median
Median age
39.6
years
Jobs based here
10
A commuter town
Is Runnells a good place to live?
Runnells’ typical journey to work is 33 minutes, against 19 minutes in Iowa’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a lower share of working residents who work in town than Runnells. Runnells has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
461 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Nearby attractions
All 21 attractions →Casey's Center and 15 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Runnells. Close and well known come first.
15 mi Stadium & arenaCasey's Center
14 mi MuseumIowa State Capitol12 mi Theme parkAdventureland
14 mi Zoo & aquariumBlank Park Zoo
17 mi MuseumDes Moines Art Center
16 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 Runnells: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Runnells, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDes Moines Water WorksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Runnells’ 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 herePolk County AuditorPolk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2026
ZIP code5023750237 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 Runnells.
Housing
Homes in Runnells are worth about $437K, by Zillow’s estimate
86% of Runnells households own their home, where Iowa’s towns sit at 70% and U.S. towns at 73%. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 5.2%.
$437KZillow home value
Typical home value
Runnells$437K
Iowa$237K
+5.2%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Runnells’s kids attend
Its one school is below. The Southeast Polk Community School District runs its public schools. Enrollment at Runnells’s public school: 260 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runnells ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 260 | A |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
Most of Runnells’ workers commute out: the town has 0.1 jobs for each of them
The top destinations are Des Moines (35%), West Des Moines (12%) and Ankeny (10%). For most workers, Runnells is a place to come home to: only 1% work in town. Runnells’ middle household income comes in at $102,000. The median commute is under 17 miles.
1%work in town
| Runnells | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $102,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Runnells1%
Des Moines35%
West Des Moines12%
Ankeny10%
Altoona6%
17 mi
median commute distance
10
jobs based in Runnells
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Top of a low hazard risk in Runnells: inland flooding
Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 72% of U.S. communities. 44% of Runnells’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 17%. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Runnells after 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
28risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
The climate in Runnells brings four seasons and pleasant summers
In July, afternoons reach 86°; in January, nights fall to 13°, and about 37 inches of snow falls in a winter.
37″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–34°
Spring40–61°
Summer63–84°
Fall42–63°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Iowa overall
Adults 35 to 64 are just over two in five residents (37% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 18% of residents (23% statewide). College graduates make up nearly a quarter of adults 25 and older, against 31% across Iowa. The median age in Runnells is 39.6 years.
39.6median age · IA 38.6
| Runnells | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 23% | 25% | 29% |
| Median age | 39.6 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
RunnellsIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school33%
Some college29%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate5%
Women and men · all residents
46% women, 54% men
About 118 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.8 points). Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women. Among residents 55 to 64, 68% are men (IA 50%).
| Runnells | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.1% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.2% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.5% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.6% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 17.5% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.1% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.8% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.1% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.5% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.6% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 29.2% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.7% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 5% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
Health
Runnells stands out in Iowa and nationally: a smaller share of its adults had a checkup this year
In Runnells, 31% of adults have high blood pressure. CDC measures, 32 in all: Runnells beats Iowa on 6 and trails on 2. Only 10 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Runnells.
| Runnells | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 20% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 78% | 79% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.3% | 12% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
6 better24 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Runnells | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.6% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.7% | 3.3% |
| Fewer adults getting a yearly checkup | 74.4% | 77.5% |
Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center
14.8 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Runnells
18pages on Runnells
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Runnells
Grand View UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Des Moines14.4 mi$34,762 tuitionSimpson CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Indianola14.8 mi$47,656 tuitionMercy College of Health SciencesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Des Moines14.8 mi$17,664 tuition
About 1 of every 100 Runnells residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Runnells for work
Where Runnells’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
10jobs based in Runnells
1%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Runnells
City in Iowa, United States
Runnells is a city in the southeastern corner of Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 457 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. Runnells has its own Post Office, located at 112 Brown Street.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1903
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 807 ft
- ZIP code
- 50237
Questions about Runnells
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Runnells, IA a good place to live?
Runnells has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.