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Runnells, IowaPhoto: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
The Runnells handbook

Living in Runnells, IA: what to set up and who to call

Every home in Runnells is in ZIP code 50237. Mediacom Xtream and CenturyLink wire most of Runnells, and 100% of addresses can get fiber.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Runnells, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Runnells.

Electricity

Power comes from MidAmerican Energy

MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Runnells. 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.

Drinking water · reported to EPA

Water comes from Des Moines Water Works

Des Moines Water Works supplies almost all of Runnells. It buys treated surface water (EPA lists Ciww (Dmww) as seller) and serves 246,055 people in all.

No health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026, like 86% of the 332 systems serving 100,001–250,000 people.

Lead, 90th percentile0.0 ppb
015 ppb action level20

The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2022–Dec 2024, 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. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. IA7727031.

Internet

5 home internet providers serve Runnells

100% of 195 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
Mediacom XtreamFiber100%2,000/1,000
CenturyLinkDSL94%10/1
NextlinkFixed wireless87%1,000/500
AT&TFixed wireless11%25/3
VerizonFixed wireless10%25/6

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Runnells’ trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Runnells.

Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Runnells kids go to
PK–5Runnells ElementarySoutheast Polk Community School District
6–7Southeast Polk Middle Schoolin Altoona
10–12Southeast Polk High Schoolin Pleasant Hill

Runnells is in Southeast Polk Community School District.

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

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.

ZIP codes & area codes

Runnells is in ZIP code 50237

ZIP codes where Runnells residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of RunnellsZIP’s residents in Runnells
50237Runnells, IA100%14%

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

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 Runnells

Who supplies Runnells’ drinking water, and has it had violations?

Des Moines Water Works (EPA ID IA7727031). It reported no health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026; 86% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2022–Dec 2024), against a 15 ppb action level.

Who provides electricity in Runnells?

MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).

What internet providers serve Runnells?

Mediacom Xtream, CenturyLink, Nextlink, AT&T, Verizon (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Runnells?

50237. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Runnells in?

Southeast Polk Community School District.

How do I register to vote in Runnells?

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: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • 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.