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Living in
Johnston.
About
Life in Johnston
Johnston is a community of 24,196 people in Iowa. The median household income is $106,551, median rent runs about $1,338 per month, and median home values are around $369,100. Unemployment is low at 3.2%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Johnston at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.2%
Foreign-Born
9.5%
Broadband Internet
93.2%
of households
Population Growth
+4.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.5% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Johnston: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Johnston, the largest foreign-born group is from India (24.0%), and 2.3% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
30.5%
of residents
65 and Older
15.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
38.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.1%
of households
Married Couples
57.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.61
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 38% above IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Johnston
In Johnston, rent runs 38% above the IA average, and home values are 77% above the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,577
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
70.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2004
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $400,194 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below IA average
Unemployment in Johnston and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Johnston is 0.4 percentage points lower than the IA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
What Johnston 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
Commute19.7 min avg
How Johnston residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Johnston, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 116 mi
Eppley Airfield (OMA)
Medium hub2.6M 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 75% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Johnston runs 75% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
83
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
676.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Johnston Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
92.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Polk County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Polk County, which includes Johnston, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $113,200 |
| 2024 | 37 | Thunderstorm Wind | $7.5M |
| 2023 | 10 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 26 | Hail | $75.4M |
| 2021 | 20 | Drought | $30,000 |
| 2020 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,000 |
| 2019 | 40 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.3M |
| 2018 | 42 | Hail | $9.2M |
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
Polk County, county-wide
Johnston is about 5% of Polk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Polk County, which includes Johnston, 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
Polk County, county-wide
Johnston is about 5% of Polk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 16°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Johnston has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 16°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
33°/16°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
36.6"
Annual Snowfall
38.0"
Hot Days/Year
18
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
135
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 13°F | 1.01" |
| Feb | 35°F | 17°F | 1.25" |
| Mar | 49°F | 29°F | 2.15" |
| Apr | 62°F | 40°F | 4.00" |
| May | 72°F | 52°F | 4.84" |
| Jun | 81°F | 62°F | 5.35" |
| Jul | 85°F | 66°F | 4.27" |
| Aug | 83°F | 64°F | 3.97" |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.40" |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 2.51" |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 1.95" |
| Dec | 35°F | 19°F | 1.46" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Johnston
Uninsured
1.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside Johnston's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
VA Central Iowa Healthcare System
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 5.6 mi away · Des Moines
Clive Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 6.5 mi away · Clive
Broadlawns Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.7 mi away · Des Moines
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Johnston
Johnston's student/teacher ratio is 17.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 57.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
57.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Johnston (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,543 students · in-state tuition $52,130 · 78% graduate · median earnings $78,855 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,486 students · in-state tuition $36,136 · 61% graduate · median earnings $58,718 (10 yrs after entry)
Mercy College of Health Sciences
8.3 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 867 students · in-state tuition $18,024 · 67% graduate · median earnings $63,983 (10 yrs after entry)
Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary
6 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 405 students · in-state tuition $21,100 · 62% graduate · median earnings $41,000 (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 Johnston
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Johnston
Johnston Public Library
6700 Merle Hay Rd, Johnston
Cities Near Johnston
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Johnston?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Johnston FAQ
Is Johnston, Iowa affordable?⌄
Johnston's median rent is $1,338/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $106,551/year. Median home value is $369,100.
Is Johnston, Iowa safe?⌄
Johnston's violent crime rate was 83 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 676 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Johnston, Iowa?⌄
Johnston has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Johnston, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Johnston is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,338/month and median household income is $106,551/year. The median home value is $369,100. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Johnston, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Johnston is 20 minutes, which is shorter than 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