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Living in
Indianola.
About
Life in Indianola
This county seat 20 minutes south of Des Moines offers small-town stability with genuine urban access—a meaningful trade-off for people tired of sprawl but not ready to fully embrace rural life. The cost of living is genuinely affordable: median home values sit around $237,500 with median household income at $75,453, meaning housing won't consume your entire paycheck, and rental options average $986 a month if you're not ready to buy. Summers get hot and humid—this is a true continental climate zone—and you'll experience real winter cold and spring rain, but outdoor recreation threads through weekends naturally: the Summerset Trail runs through town, there's the Buxton Park Arboretum for walks, and Summerset Winery if you're looking for a local afternoon outing.
Indianola at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.4%
Foreign-Born
1.1%
Broadband Internet
91.0%
of households
Population Growth
+6.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.1% foreign-born, most often from Vietnam
Who lives in Indianola: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Indianola, the largest foreign-born group is from Vietnam (41.2%), and 1.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.4%
of residents
65 and Older
18.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.8%
of households
Married Couples
45.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.38
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for IA
Rent, home values, and income in Indianola
In Indianola, home values are 14% above the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
13.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,685
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1979
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $313,138 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IA
Unemployment in Indianola and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Warren County, which includes Indianola, is close to the IA average.
Unemployment rate
Indianola: Warren County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Warren County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Indianola Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area
Commute21.8 min avg
How Indianola residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Indianola, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 57% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Indianola runs 57% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
140.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,266.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Indianola Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
36.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Warren County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Warren County, which includes Indianola, the most common type is hail, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Hail | None reported |
| 2024 | 31 | Hail | $219,000 |
| 2023 | 15 | Hail | $210,500 |
| 2022 | 12 | Drought | $20.0M |
| 2021 | 11 | Hail | None reported |
| 2020 | 13 | Hail | None reported |
| 2019 | 24 | Heavy Rain | $697,000 |
| 2018 | 16 | Heavy Rain | $425,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Warren County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Polk County, IA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 22 miles from Indianola) is typically good — 224 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
224
per year
Moderate Days
139
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Polk County, IA (22 mi away)
Climate84°F summers, 15°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Indianola has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and very cold winters (avg low 15°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/15°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
38.9"
Annual Snowfall
30.8"
Hot Days/Year
18
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
143
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
96
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 12°F | 0.91" |
| Feb | 36°F | 15°F | 1.42" |
| Mar | 50°F | 27°F | 1.94" |
| Apr | 62°F | 38°F | 3.88" |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 5.58" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 5.72" |
| Jul | 86°F | 64°F | 4.32" |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 3.90" |
| Sep | 78°F | 52°F | 3.86" |
| Oct | 65°F | 40°F | 3.02" |
| Nov | 50°F | 28°F | 1.85" |
| Dec | 37°F | 17°F | 1.40" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Indianola
Uninsured
1.5%
of residents
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Education15.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Indianola
Indianola's student/teacher ratio is 15.6:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 35.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
35.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Indianola
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,227 students · in-state tuition $48,988 · 67% graduate · median earnings $57,816 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Indianola
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Indianola
Indianola Public Library
207 N B St, Indianola
Cities Near Indianola
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Indianola?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Indianola FAQ
Is Indianola, Iowa affordable?⌄
Indianola's median rent is $986/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $75,453/year. Median home value is $237,500.
Is Indianola, Iowa safe?⌄
Indianola's violent crime rate was 140 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3267 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Indianola, Iowa?⌄
Warren County, which includes Indianola, has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Indianola, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Indianola is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $986/month and median household income is $75,453/year. The median home value is $237,500. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Indianola, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Indianola is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from