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Living in
Pella.
About
Life in Pella
Pella is a community of 10,624 people in Iowa. The median household income is $84,111, median rent runs about $1,041 per month, and median home values are around $292,700. Unemployment is low at 2.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Pella at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Foreign-Born
3.6%
Broadband Internet
89.0%
of households
Population Growth
+5.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Pella: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Pella, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (19.0%), and 3.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.5%
of residents
65 and Older
18.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
24.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.3%
of households
Married Couples
55.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.33
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 8% above IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Pella
In Pella, rent runs 8% above the IA average, and home values are 41% above the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.4%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,678
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1976
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $359,062 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below IA average
Unemployment in Pella
Unemployment in Marion County, which includes Pella, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the IA average.
Unemployment rate
Pella: Marion County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Marion County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Pella Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute13.7 min avg
How Pella residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Pella, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 86% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 39 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 75% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Pella runs 75% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
81.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
459.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Pella Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 8 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
34.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Marion County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Marion County, which includes Pella, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 8 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $7,500 |
| 2024 | 29 | Hail | $18,000 |
| 2023 | 20 | Hail | $69,000 |
| 2022 | 11 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $25,000 |
| 2020 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,000 |
| 2019 | 16 | Winter Storm | $112,000 |
| 2018 | 25 | Funnel Cloud | $120.4M |
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
Marion 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 39 miles from Pella) 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 (39 mi away)
Climate83°F summers, 16°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Pella has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 16°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/16°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
36.3"
Annual Snowfall
28.7"
Hot Days/Year
20
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
133
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
99
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 13°F | 1.15" |
| Feb | 35°F | 17°F | 1.67" |
| Mar | 48°F | 28°F | 1.87" |
| Apr | 61°F | 39°F | 3.85" |
| May | 71°F | 51°F | 4.98" |
| Jun | 81°F | 61°F | 5.61" |
| Jul | 85°F | 66°F | 4.34" |
| Aug | 83°F | 63°F | 3.89" |
| Sep | 76°F | 54°F | 3.66" |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.06" |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 1.80" |
| Dec | 36°F | 19°F | 1.57" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Pella
Pella has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Pella Regional Health Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Knoxville Hospital & Clinics
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 11.8 mi away · Knoxville
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.
Education15.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Pella
Pella's student/teacher ratio is 15.7:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 47.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
47.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Pella
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,070 students · in-state tuition $21,934 · 70% graduate · median earnings $57,387 (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 & Recreationclosest: Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 83 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Pella
Pella has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (83 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
National Historic Site
83 mi awayPublic Libraries in Pella
Pella Public Library
603 Main St, Pella
Cities Near Pella
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Pella?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Pella FAQ
Is Pella, Iowa affordable?⌄
Pella's median rent is $1,046/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $84,111/year. Median home value is $292,700.
Is Pella, Iowa safe?⌄
Pella's violent crime rate was 81 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 460 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Pella, Iowa?⌄
Marion County, which includes Pella, has an unemployment rate of 2.8%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Pella, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Pella is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,046/month and median household income is $84,111/year. The median home value is $292,700. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Pella, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Pella is 14 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