Grimes offers suburban living close to Des Moines attractions
Just outside of West Des Moines, Grimes is a small city in Polk County that’s rapidly growing. The sought-after community has many new housing developments, highly rated schools and an array of city parks and sports complexes. Grimes is conveniently located near highways and the greater Des Moines metro area. Major employers, such as Amazon, have also contributed to Grime’s expansion.
Grimes is the quintessential fusion between classic small town and rapidly growing suburb.
Brand new homes are popping up on the edges of Grimes.
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Cost of housing in Grimes
“We are seeing very consistent growth over the homes in Grimes; the houses are in high demand, and there are no dips in prices,” adds Matt Fuelberth, a Realtor with Iowa Realty who services the greater Des Moines area. Grimes has a mixture of traditional Cape Cods, Craftsman and ranch-style homes, and some new constructions such as contemporary and New Traditional styles with stucco or moonstone exteriors.
Single-family houses under 3,000 square feet range from the high $100,000s to the high $800,000s. Larger houses start in the high $800,000s and go all the way up to over $2.5 million. The median price of single-family homes is lower than both Johnston and Waukee. Townhouses sell for between the low $100,000s and the low $400,000.
Grimes is home to some quaint brick bungalows around the center of town.
Many of these homes were built 15-20 years ago.
Contemporary styles and three-car garages are commonplace in new construction homes.
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A growing community with more amenities
“The city has done a lot of infrastructure development, and it is very well-planned,“ says Ryan Rohlf, chief client advocate and Realtor at Keller Williams Legacy Group. “The old town portion of Grimes has a small Main Street, and the newer area has more entertainment sections.”
Deb Miller, a Realtor with Iowa Realty who sells in the area, says, “I always called [Grimes] a sleepy little farm type community, although it’s changing rapidly,” she says. “They’ve got a lot of new commercial [areas coming in], like a big new grocery store, Walmart and a Menards they built there. It’s definitely growing quickly.”
Grimes residents have several grocery store options, including ALDI.
A plush dining room and coffee shop draws Grimes residents to enjoy a drink by the fire.
Menards is a longtime staple in Iowa, featuring helpful and knowledgeable employees.
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Options for public schools
The Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District has highly rated schools with around 3,500 students. It has a 97% graduation rate and offers 13 different career academy programs in collaboration with Des Moines Area Community College. Families can apply to enroll their students in other school districts through the Iowa Open Enrollment Law. Homes on the east side of Iowa Highway 141 may be zoned for the Johnston Community School District, which has highly rated schools.
Heritage Elementary has modern facilities to improve the quality of life in Grimes.
North Ridge Elementary in Grimes offers the students seating while they wait to be picked up.
Grimes' South Prairie Elementary School has benches for students needing a break outside.
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Grimes and the Des Moines Metro area
Grimes is mostly a car-dependent city, and residents typically get around by car. Interstate 35 leads into Minneapolis, and Interstate 80 provides access to Chicago. The city council of Grimes has decided to withdraw from the Des Moines Area Regional Transit service because only a limited number of people utilize the public transit system. For those needing assistance with transportation, Grimes Volunteer Support Services has over 70 volunteers who can provide rides for appointments and other needs.
UnityPoint Health - Methodist West Hospital is nearby in West Des Moines, and the Des Moines International Airport is approximately 20 miles away via Interstate 35. “It was just a little farm town for years, but it’s so close to the rest of the metro area that it’s become a suburb too,” Miller says.
City of Grimes Parks and Recreation
With 10 parks and three sports complexes, there are plenty of opportunities for enjoying the outdoors.
Waterworks Park has playgrounds, ball diamonds and picnic tables.
Glenstone Trail can be accessed at Glenstone Park.
The 45-acre Grimes South Sports Complex is home to a skate park, sports fields and courts.
GrimesPlex and Grimes North Sports Complex offer similar amenities. Golfers can book a tee time at the Beaver Creek Golf Club or the Tournament Club of Iowa. Nearby camping sites include Acorn Valley, Prairie Flower, and Big Shelter campgrounds. Water activities such as fishing, boating and swimming can be explored at Saylorville Lake. Grimes Sky Zone is an indoor trampoline park that is popular for birthday parties and family fun.
The Grimes South Sports Complex baseball field lets visitors recreate their favorite Cubs game.
The famous island green can be found on Number 3 on the South course of Beaver Creek.
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Community events and celebrations
Grimes celebrates the autumn season with a fall festival featuring fun activities, such as bounce houses, balloon animals and face painting, along with craft vendors and food trucks. There is also an annual fireworks show on the Fourth of July, and local employer Aquilo Financial Group also sponsors the Grimes Rock Around the Clock Concert Series. Notable events in Des Moines include the Iowa State Fair, the World Food and Music Festival and the 80/35 Music Festival.
Written By
Joyelle Ronan
Photography Contributed By
Drew Davis
Video By
Tyler Hall
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
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GreatSchools:
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On average, homes in Grimes, IA sell after 78 days on the market compared to the national average of 54 days. The median sale price for homes in Grimes, IA over the last 12 months is $374,995, up 1% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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