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City · 16,366 residents · Polk County, Iowa

Grimes , Iowa

In Grimes, a typical home is worth $304,700 and typical rent is $1,251 a month. Compared with all of Polk County, typical household income is 44% higher and the typical home value is 16% higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $304,700

    16% above the county

    46% above Iowa

    • Grimes
    • Polk
    • Iowa

  • Typical rent

    $1,251a month

    9% above the county

    29% above Iowa

    • Grimes
    • Polk
    • Iowa

  • Typical household income

    $120,037a year

    44% above the county

    60% above Iowa

    • Grimes
    • Polk
    • Iowa

  • Households that own their home

    71%

    4 points above the county

    1 points below Iowa

    • Grimes
    • Polk
    • Iowa

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$349,222
0.9% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,396 a month
2.9% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Grimes is in Polk County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Polk County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Grimes apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Grimes has the 2nd smallest share of rent-burdened renters of the 81 cities in Iowa with more than 5,000 people (28%).

  2. The typical household income in Grimes is $120,037, 44% more than in Polk County as a whole ($83,576).

  3. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Grimes fell 0.9%; in Iowa, it rose 3.3%.

  4. The typical home in Grimes is worth $304,700, 16% more than in Polk County as a whole ($262,100).

  5. Grimes has the 7th highest typical rent of the 85 cities in Iowa with more than 5,000 people ($1,251).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Grimes

What homes there are in Grimes, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is the most common home in Grimes: 64% of homes, near the figure in Polk County (63%).

Year built

The typical home in Grimes was built in 2009, 27 years after the typical one in Polk County.

There is more room for a big family here: 66% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, against 58% in Polk County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,937 a month

Polk County: $1,741 a month

Without a mortgage

$804 a month

Polk County: $714 a month

Owners with a mortgage

81%

Polk County: 70%

Owning costs more in Grimes: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,937 a month; in Polk County, $1,741. Without one, $804.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Grimes rose 35% since 2015–2019, less than in Polk County (46%).

The typical rent in Grimes rose 25% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Polk County (26%).

Income in Grimes grew faster than housing: it rose 47%, while home values changed +35% and rent +25%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureGrimesPolk CountyIowaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate5.5%5.7%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.5%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.4%1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.672.412.362.53
Drive alone 65%72%76%69%
Carpool 11%8%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%3%3%
Work from home 22%16%11%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in Grimes has 2.67 people, more than in Polk County (2.41).

Many people here do not commute at all: 22% work from home; in Polk County, 16%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Grimes?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Grimes, worth $304,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 27% of the typical household income in Grimes, which is $120,037 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Polk County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Grimes. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $10,665 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,735

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$299,181
Total interest
$430,451
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $5,146 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,801 a month

    Your payment · 27%

  • Tight

    $2,801 to $3,601 a month

  • Hard

    more than $3,601 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Grimes ($120,037 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,735
Principal & interest$2,027
Property tax$447
Home insurance$127
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$135

You need at least $10,665 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Grimes and Polk County

Grimes is in Polk County, Iowa. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Grimes's own numbers

Typical home value
$304,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,251
Typical yearly household income
$120,037
Households that own their home
71%
Effective property tax rate
1.76%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Polk County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,360
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+40%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Polk County.

Everything about Polk County

Buying

Buying a home in Grimes

A typical home in Grimes is worth $304,700: 16% above the county and 46% above Iowa. With the typical household income in Grimes ($120,037 a year), a typical home costs 2.5 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Grimes 2.5 years
  • Polk 3.1 years
  • Iowa 2.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Polk County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Polk County rose 70% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Polk County.

Period County Iowa U.S.
Last year (2025) +1.7% +3.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +40% +41% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +70% +65% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Grimes next to Polk County, Iowa and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Grimes $304,700
  • Polk $262,100
  • Iowa $208,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Grimes $1,251
  • Polk $1,149
  • Iowa $972
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Grimes $120,037
  • Polk $83,576
  • Iowa $75,059
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Grimes next to Polk County and Iowa
Measure Grimes Polk County Iowa U.S.
Typical home value $304,700 $262,100 $208,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,251 $1,149 $972 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $120,037 $83,576 $75,059 $80,734
Households that own their home 71% 67% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $5,377 $4,396 $2,897 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.76% 1.68% 1.39% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 28% 46% 44% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Polk County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Grimes

For a typical $304,700 home in Grimes, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Grimes's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,735a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $10,665
    Cash to close
    $19,806
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $135

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,680a month

    Down payment
    $15,235
    Cash to close
    $24,376
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $145

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,225a month

    Down payment
    $60,940
    Cash to close
    $70,081
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,507a month

    Down payment
    $45,705
    Cash to close
    $54,846
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Grimes and for Polk County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Grimes

1.76%of the home’s value each year

$5,377 a year for the typical owner in Grimes.

  • Grimes 1.76%
  • Polk 1.68%
  • Iowa 1.39%

What Iowa publishes Homestead exemption: 10% of taxable value (Iowa Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Iowa

Flood risk in Polk County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Polk County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1%
1,607
Of those, with NFIP insurance
23%
County Iowa U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1% 2.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 23% 14% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Grimes

Typical rent in Grimes is $1,251 a month: 9% above the county. In Grimes, 28% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Polk County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,360 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $26.15 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Polk County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,102 $21.19 $44,080
1 bedroom $1,145 $22.02 $45,800
2 bedrooms $1,360 $26.15 $54,400
3 bedrooms $1,856 $35.69 $74,240
4 bedrooms $1,901 $36.56 $76,040

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Grimes

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Grimes is in ZIP code 50111.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,380: $20 more than the fair market rent for Polk County ($1,360).

  • 50111 $1,380$1,880

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Grimes when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Grimes

HUD lists 3 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Grimes. These are the largest.

  • Meadowlark Place Apts 1120 SE 11th St, Grimes 50111 84 low-income homes · 1 bd: 18 · 2 bd: 48 · 3 bd: 18 · In service since 2013 · For families
  • Oak Crossing 310 SE Gateway Dr, Grimes 50111 60 homes, 59 low-income · 1 bd: 15 · 2 bd: 17 · 3 bd: 28 · In service since 1999 · For older adults, people with disabilities
  • Urban Crossing Apartments 875 SE Gateway Dr, Grimes 50111 34 homes, 30 low-income · 1 bd: 4 · 2 bd: 20 · 3 bd: 10 · In service since 2019 · For families

See all 138 buildings in Polk County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Grimes

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Polk County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Grimes

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Grimes or Polk County. The ones below are statewide in Iowa: they work in Grimes the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Iowa

Housing counselors near Grimes

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Grimes, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Home Opportunities Made Easy, Inc. (home, Inc.)

    1618 6th Ave, Des Moines · 10 miles away · Spanish

    • Home improvement and repairs
    • Homelessness services
    • and 5 more
    (515) 243-1277

  • Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity

    95 University Ave, Des Moines · 11 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    (515) 471-8686

  • Family Management Financial Solutions, Inc.

    2310 Falls Ave Ste 4, Waterloo · 93 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (319) 234-6695

Every agency in Polk County All counseling agencies in Iowa

Help in Spanish near Grimes

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Grimes

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Polk County is named for Grimes or Polk County.

2 other authorities have an office in Polk County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Polk County

These cities are also in Polk County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Polk County Housing in Iowa

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Grimes, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Polk County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Grimes.

All guides
A family roasts marshmallows over a campfire at a forest campsite.

Questions

Housing questions about Grimes

Short answers with the numbers for Grimes and all of Polk County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Grimes?

The typical home value in Grimes is $304,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Polk County it is $262,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Grimes?

Typical rent in Grimes is $1,251 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Polk County is $1,360.

What is the FHA loan limit in Grimes?

Grimes uses the FHA limit for all of Polk County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Grimes?

The typical homeowner in Grimes pays $5,377 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.76% of the home’s value; in Polk County, the rate is 1.68%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Grimes?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Polk County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).