The Jewel of the Prairie centered around Grinnell College
In the early 1900s, Grinnell was at the epicenter of automotive production for east-central Iowa, thanks to the arrival of the Spaulding Manufacturing Company. Today, life is centered around Grinnell College, which serves over 1,700 students in the heart of the city. With a population of over 9,000, Grinnell is the largest city in Poweshiek County and is an hour away from Des Moines and Iowa City. Rated an A-minus overall and named amongst the top 40 best places to live in Iowa by Niche.com, residents can see why this tight-knit community is nicknamed "The Jewel of the Prairie."
Grinnell originally formed around the Spaulding manufacturing plant, which now houses its city hall.
Grinnell College is both the town's largest employer, and the chief driver of its character.
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Diverse housing with growing apartment options
With architectural styles ranging from Victorian to contemporary aesthetics, Grinnell has a diverse real estate market that includes ranch-style houses, bungalows and split-level homes. "It doesn't have the feel of every house looking the same in a cul-de-sac," says Matt Karjalahti, Ward 4 councilmember and Re/Max Partners Realty broker. "The town has its own unique identity and character." The median sale price is $208,000, lower than the state and national median. The area is experiencing a housing shortage with fewer than two months' supply at a time, but the area is seeing a growth in apartment complexes developing on the western end.
Most of Grinnell's homes are older, with Victorian construction from the early 1900s common.
Midcentury and Contemporary homes can be found further on Grinnell's borders.
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The best liberal arts college in Iowa
Rated an A-minus on Niche for its quality of teachers and academics, the Grinnell-Newburg Community School District oversees five campuses and was rated the second-best school district in the county. Grinnell College was voted the best liberal arts college in the state by Niche.com and employs around 700 faculty members. Kindergarten through eighth-grade students also have a private education option in Central Iowa Christian School, which has been teaching in the area for over 30 years.
Grinnell's children complete their primary educations at Grinnell High School.
Grinnell College fosters learning and discovery at every turn.
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Downtown Grinnell is packed with shops, restaurants
Downtown Grinnell has over 50 local and chain retailers, from clothing boutiques to sporting goods stores. Downtown's nearly 30 restaurants include wine bars, like Solera, to family-owned pizzerias, like Pagliai's, which has been in business since 1957. Local grocery stores include Hy-Vee and Fareway, and McNally's Foods is a smaller market that has been stocking residents' shelves since 1902. "What we have tends to be really good and really well cared for," Matt says. "In many ways, it looks less like Iowa and more like our own mini-Chicago."
Grinnell's downtown is home to more than 50 shops, stores, and restaurants.
Pagliai's Pizza has been a Grinnell staple for nearly 70 years.
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Museums and local landmarks preserving history
With around 15 sites on the National Register of Historic Places, Grinnell is a community that takes pride in its historic preservation efforts. The Merchant's National Bank was designed by the "father of skyscrapers" himself, Louis Sullivan, in 1914 and currently houses both the city's chamber of commerce and visitors' center. The Grinnell Historical Museum has been run by volunteers since 1952 and preserves artifacts from Grinnell's frontier days. Plus the community has a substantial public arts presence that can be seen on the downtown murals and in the Grinnell College Museum of Art.
The Grinnell Historical Museum preserves the towns long history.
Downtown Grinnell is home to famed Merchants National Bank, designed by Louis Sullivan in 1914.
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Aquatics, arts and music in the park
The city has nine public parks and three aquatic centers, including the Grinnell Mutual Family Aquatic Center. The Ahrens/Paschall Memorial Park has multiple sports fields for baseball, volleyball, soccer and pickleball, and the Grinnell Area Arts Council also plans community events such as the Music In The Park series every summer. "Our chamber of commerce has a very active role in making sure our central park is always booked and full at all times," Matt says. "Something's happening pretty much every week from springtime until school lets out."
Ahrens-Paschall Memorial Park provides outdoor excitement for Grinnell residents.
Beautiful examples of public art can be found throughout Grinnell.
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PeopleRides and commercial airport access
Interstate 80 provides highway access to the city, while the PeopleRides public transit service provides bus rides to Poweshiek and surrounding counties. UnityPoint Health's regional medical center offers 24-hour emergency care, and the city is conveniently located an hour away from three commercial airports, including the Eastern Iowa Airport, the Des Moines International Airport and the Waterloo Regional Airport.
Weather & Crime
Grinnell has mild summers and freezing winters, with average summer high temperatures of 82 degrees and winter low temperatures of 18 degrees. The area also sees an average of 30 inches of snowfall every year, with city crews plowing streets during peak snowfall times. According to FBI data, both violent and property crime rates are below state and national averages.
Written By
David Dunn
Photography Contributed By
Dylan Stowell
Video By
Vladislav Sedykh
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On average, homes in Grinnell, IA sell after 51 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Grinnell, IA over the last 12 months is $215,000, down 46% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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