Grimes, Iowa Isn’t the Sleepy Town You Think It Is

If you still picture Grimes, Iowa as a quiet little town past Johnston with a couple of gas stations, that version is gone. Grimes is one of the most active growth stories in the Des Moines metro, and if you’re thinking about moving to central Iowa, it belongs on your list.

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In the video above, I break down how fast Grimes is growing, what’s being built there right now, and who the town is actually right for. Below is the written version, with extra detail and sources you can reference.

How Fast Grimes Is Actually Growing

Grimes roughly tripled in size over two decades. The city had 5,098 residents in 2000, 8,246 in 2010, and 15,392 in the 2020 Census. That’s an 87% jump in the 2010s alone.

A special census the city ran in 2025 counted 17,809 residents, which means more than 2,400 new neighbors since 2020. That’s about 16% growth in five years: slower than the 2010s boom, but still steady growth on top of a much bigger base.

Why that matters if you’re moving here: a growing town keeps adding homes, retail, restaurants, and services. You’re not buying into a place that’s finished, and that comes with both upsides and some construction noise.

What’s Being Built Right Now

The biggest piece of the story is the Hope District, a 200-acre mixed-use development along Highway 141. Per the brokerage that markets it, about 250,000 square feet of retail has been built, roughly 400 apartments were under construction as of 2025, and the developer’s total investment is expected to top $180 million.

What’s already there or on the way:

• A Hy-Vee grocery store and GrimesPlex, a 50-acre synthetic turf multi-sport complex
• A Tru by Hilton hotel, which has broken ground
• Plans for roughly 320 apartments and townhomes in a gated-style community on the north end of the district
• Restaurants, retail, and entertainment space planned around a town center

One honest note: those project figures come from the developer and its broker, who are promoting the district. Treat them as targets, not guarantees, and check the City of Grimes for current project status before making a decision based on a specific development.

Who Grimes Is Actually For

Homes and prices. Typical home values in Grimes are around $349,000 (Zillow, August 2026), and the median closed sale over the last six months was about $350,000. The middle half of recent sales landed between roughly $295,000 and $437,000. Different data sources calculate this differently, so you’ll see numbers from about $320,000 to $350,000 depending on where you look. The typical home here was built around 2008, so you’re mostly looking at newer construction and newer subdivisions.

Schools. Grimes is served by the Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District, which Niche ranks #27 among Iowa districts with an A- overall grade, and #7 in the Des Moines area. Dallas Center-Grimes High School ranked 98th of 340 Iowa high schools in 2024-25, up 18 spots from the year before. That’s a strong district, though not at the very top of the metro, and I’d rather tell you that than oversell it.

Who it fits:

• Families and move-up buyers who want newer homes and a growing local scene
• People who like having new shopping, dining, and a sports complex close by
• Buyers comfortable with a town that’s still being built out

Who might look elsewhere: if you want older, tree-lined, walkable neighborhoods, Grimes isn’t built around that. Most of the housing stock is newer subdivisions, and that’s a different feel than places like Urbandale or the older parts of the metro.

My Honest Take

Grimes used to be the budget-friendly alternative to Waukee and West Des Moines. That’s not really the case anymore. With typical values near $350,000, Grimes now sits in the same general price range as Waukee and Johnston, so price alone is no longer the reason to pick it.

The market is also fairly balanced right now: Zillow showed 103 homes for sale and a roughly 1% dip in typical values over the past year. For buyers, that means more room to negotiate and compare than in the frenzy of a few years ago.

So here’s how I’d frame the decision: don’t choose Grimes because it’s cheaper. Choose it if the new-construction options, the Hope District amenities, the Dallas Center-Grimes schools, and the feel of a growing town match what you want. If they do, it’s one of the more interesting places in the metro to buy right now.

Thinking About Moving to Grimes?

If you’re weighing Grimes against Waukee, Johnston, or another western suburb, that’s exactly the kind of decision I help people work through. I’m Jacob Simon, a Century 21 agent focused on the western Des Moines suburbs: Waukee, West Des Moines, Clive, Urbandale, Johnston, and Grimes.

Book a call with Jacob

Watch the video at the top of this page for the full walkthrough, and look for my other suburb breakdowns on the YouTube channel.

Sources

Figures are as of the dates noted and come from the pages below. Home-price and ranking numbers change often, so refresh them before you publish.

• U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Grimes city: 2020 Census population of 15,392
• Wikipedia, Grimes, Iowa: 2000 and 2010 Census populations (5,098 and 8,246)
• Ground News, Grimes special census: 17,809 residents, 2025 special census (secondary report, so confirm against the City of Grimes before publishing)
• Business Record, Grimes touts community growth in Hope District pitch: retail built, apartments under construction, $180M+ investment
• Business Record, Grimes’ Hope District continues to evolve: Tru by Hilton groundbreaking, 320 planned apartments and townhomes
• Zillow, Grimes home values: typical home value of $349,321, August 2026
• Resideline, Grimes housing market: $350,000 median sold price, six months through August 2026
• Niche, best school districts in the Des Moines area: district grade and rankings
• SchoolDigger, Dallas Center-Grimes High School: 98th of 340 statewide, 2024-25