Johnston is a city in Polk County, Iowa, home to about 24,384 people across 19 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50131, and parts of 50109 and 50111 are in Johnston too.
Homes sold for a median of $228 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Johnston; also Urbandale
Mostly Granger; part is in Johnston
Mostly Grimes; part is in Johnston
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Johnston. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Johnston’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Des Moines International Airport (DSM)11 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Omaha, NE124 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL311 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Johnston; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Johnston had 24,064 residents in the 2020 census, up 178% since 2000.
It’s the 21st largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Polk County grew from 82,624 residents in 1900 to 492,401 in 2020.
Polk County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 85°F in summer, and winter lows average 13°F. About 36.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 38 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Des Moines Wsfo-Johnston, IA weather station (4 miles away).
295,413 jobs at 13,890 businesses in Polk County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
323 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Johnston.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 27 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 6 |
| Dentists | 13 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 46 |
| Mental health providers | 72 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 120 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 35 |
| Pharmacies | 5 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (37 nearby)
Grocery stores (5 nearby)
Pharmacies (3 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (2 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 3 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1969.
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Johnston Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry A Wallace Elementary SchoolJohnston | Pre-K–5 | 840 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Beaver Creek Elementary SchoolJohnston | K–5 | 575 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Horizon ElementaryJohnston | K–5 | 613 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Lawson Elementary SchoolJohnston | K–5 | 545 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Timber Ridge ElementaryJohnston | K–5 | 667 | Public | 1.7 mi |
| Summit Middle SchoolJohnston | 6–7 | 1,118 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Johnston Middle SchoolJohnston | 8–9 | 1,161 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Johnston Senior High SchoolJohnston | 10–12 | 1,820 | Public | 2.2 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Grimes, Urbandale and Granger.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.