The Johnston Brief
Considering a move to Johnston? It is one of the Des Moines metro's most established north-side suburbs, and people keep coming for the top-ranked schools, the safety, the trails, and a commute to downtown Des Moines shorter than almost any other suburb. Here is the straight story on what to expect, from someone who actually lives here.
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Johnston has about 24,384 residents and sits on the north edge of the Des Moines metro in Polk County. It grew roughly 39% during the 2010s, one of the faster-growing suburbs of that decade, and has since settled into a steadier pace as it builds out its remaining land on the west and north sides. The payoff of being close-in: downtown Des Moines is only about a 15-minute drive, closer than most of the metro's bedroom communities. The median household income is around $107,000 and the median age is about 37.4, a bit more established than the metro's newest boomtowns.
Homes in Johnston sell for a 2026 year-to-date median of about $375,000, according to Polk County Assessor records, which puts it well above the metro median. It is the more established, higher-end side of the north metro, with a healthy amount of new construction still going up on the west side. Recent 2026 figures from county records:
The most active streets for sales have been on the west side (Watermeadow Cir, NW 106th St, Poppy Ct and Buckley St), mostly newer-construction pockets. We track the market weekly on the homepage real-estate section. Figures are point-in-time and move with the market.
Families move to Johnston largely for the schools: the Johnston Community School District is one of the highest-ranked in Iowa (Niche put it around #12 statewide for 2026), with about 7,480 students across eight buildings. Unlike some larger metro districts, Johnston runs a single comprehensive high school, Johnston High School (home of the Dragons, grades 10-12), which carries a Niche A- and ranks among the top Des Moines-area public high schools. Everyone in town eventually funnels into the same two middle schools and one high school, so there are no secondary attendance boundaries to worry about, only an elementary zone tied to your address. Full breakdown in our Johnston schools guide.
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Day to day, Johnston punches above its size. The city keeps 45+ miles of its own trails, anchored by the Beaver Creek Greenbelt and the Trestle to Trestle Trail into the Des Moines River system. Its namesake Terra Park has a stocked 8-acre fishing lake, pickleball and tennis, and a summer art walk. Saylorville Lake and Big Creek State Park are a short drive up the road. The Johnston Town Center hosts a Tuesday farmers market (running since 1989) plus free summer concert and movie nights on The Yard. Johnston is also home to Camp Dodge (the Iowa National Guard headquarters), the ChildServe pediatric campus, and the century-old Corteva Agriscience campus, birthplace of the Pioneer seed brand. Start here:
For a lot of people, yes - it's an established, family-oriented suburb on the north side of the Des Moines metro, with a top-ranked school district, low crime (an A+ safety grade on AreaVibes), and one of the shortest commutes to downtown Des Moines of any suburb. It trades big-city nightlife for space, safety, trails, and good schools.
The 2026 year-to-date median sale price is about $375,000, based on Polk County Assessor records, which runs well above the metro median. Homes average roughly $230 per square foot, and new construction has been about 18% of sales. See the full picture in our cost of living guide.
Johnston sits on the north edge of the Des Moines metro, about a 15-minute drive to downtown Des Moines. It is one of the closest-in suburbs, nearer to downtown than most of the metro's bedroom communities.
Water and sewer through the City of Johnston, electric and gas through MidAmerican Energy, a private trash hauler, and internet. Then look up your zoned elementary school by address and get familiar with Polk County property taxes and Johnston's city levy.
Johnston is served by the Johnston Community School District, one of the highest-ranked districts in Iowa with about 7,480 students. It runs one comprehensive high school (Johnston High, the Dragons), two middle schools, five K-5 elementary schools, and an early learning academy. Find your zoned building with our Johnston schools guide.
Housing is the biggest piece: Johnston's 2026 year-to-date median sale price is about $375,000, above the metro average, while cost-of-living indexes put the town close to the U.S. average overall. Property taxes run through Polk County plus a City of Johnston levy of $11.4379 per $1,000; our cost of living guide covers the full picture.
Johnston grew fast in the 2010s, adding roughly 39% to its population that decade, and now has about 24,384 residents. Growth has since settled into a steadier pace as the city builds out its remaining land on the west and north sides.