$245,637Average Value$189Average Price per Sq Ft2Homes For Sale
Newer homes, quick commutes and a laid-back vibe in Mitchellville
Mitchellville is a small farming community of about 2,500 people that straddles the border between Polk and Jasper counties. The rural town offers respected schools, a growing housing stock and proximity to Interstate 80. “You get this easy, laid-back, small-town life, but you’re also only 20 minutes from downtown Des Moines, so I think that’s probably the biggest draw and why it’s growing, because you have a lot of young professionals looking for affordable housing,” says Abby Hausmann-Virgil, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty who has sold homes in the area. “I have clients who live in Mitchellville and they’re like, ‘We don’t even lock our doors.’”
Farmland surrounds Mitchellville, reflecting its agricultural roots.
A welcome sign greets visitors entering Mitchellville.
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Historic homes and new builds at a lower price than Altoona
Mitchellville features early 20th-century National and bungalow homes in the center of town, post-war split-level and ranch-style homes, and new builds in burgeoning subdivisions. “There are lots of young families, and there’s quite a bit of new construction happening, too, so it’s a growing community,” Hausmann-Virgil says. “Primarily, people want to live outside of the city. In general, properties in Mitchellville are cheaper.” Mitchellville’s median sale price is about $250,000, much lower than the Altoona median of about $320,000. Houses built before 1950 and smaller two- or three-bedroom homes typically fetch between $150,000 and $250,000, while post-war builds sell for $200,000 to $350,000. Recently built New Traditional homes cost between $250,000 and $400,000.
Early 20th-century bungalows are common in central Mitchellville.
Newer builds in Mitchellville offer affordable options near Interstate 80.
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Kids start school in town and finish in Altoona
Kids can attend Mitchellville Elementary School, which receives an A-minus grade from Niche, before heading to Altoona for the remainder of their school years. Southeast Polk Middle School, built in 2024 to serve kids in Grades 6 and 7, is currently unrated by Niche, while Southeast Polk Junior High School receives a B-plus. Southeast Polk High School, rated B, offers about a dozen Advanced Placement classes and more than 30 college credit courses through Des Moines Area Community College. Niche ranks Southeast Polk Community School District as one of the top 10 in Iowa for athletes.
Southeast Polk High School, built in 2010, offers AP and college credit courses.
Mitchellville Elementary School in Polk County receives an A-minus rating from Niche.
Southeast Polk Junior High School in Altoona serves students in grades 7 and 8.
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Camping, hiking and fishing at Thomas Mitchell Park
Spanning 175 acres, Thomas Mitchell Park has a playground, fishing pier and hiking trails. An oak-hickory forest provides a thick canopy for flora and fauna to flourish, plus campsites and cabins for outdoorsy folks. “They’ve got a nice park and baseball field and they even have an axe-throwing league that meets there,” Hausmann-Virgil says. City Park is a gathering place for families with pavilions, picnic tables and playground equipment. Golfers can hit the greens at Terrace Hills Golf Course and Colfax Country Club, both open to the public. Locals are within a short drive of Adventureland Park, which has exhilarating rollercoasters, a waterpark and events like Phantom Fall Fest, an after-dark spook-tacular with haunted houses and nighttime thrills.
The playground at Thomas Mitchell Park is surrounded by flowers and whimsical mushroom sculptures.
Terrace Hills Golf Course in Altoona is open to the public.
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Residents often leave town for groceries and errands
Mitchellville is highly residential, but Center Avenue has a couple of spots to grab a bite to eat. Rebel Farms is a general store and coffee shop with specialty drinks, breakfast fare and goods from local vendors. The business also makes a line of freeze-dried candy. Just down the street, La Casa Hidalgo serves up street tacos, fajitas and margaritas. Dollar General has essentials, and the recently built Kwik Star also has a small grocery section, but most people head to Altoona to grab groceries at Fareway or Hy-Vee.
Dollar General in Mitchellville stocks household essentials and snacks.
Hy-Vee in Altoona provides groceries, pharmacy services and more.
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Downtown Des Moines is only 20 minutes away
Residents have easy access to Interstate 80, the main throughway to Altoona, less than 10 miles away. Mitchellville is about 20 miles from downtown Des Moines and 30 miles from Des Moines International Airport. Several hospitals are within a 20-mile radius, including UnityPoint Health-Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines and MercyOne Newton Medical Center in Newton.
Celebrating history and agriculture in Mitchellville
Locals celebrate the town’s founding with Thomas Mitchell Days, a weekend-long event held every September. The festivities include a street dance, city-wide garage sales, a parade and friendly competitions. During the fall, a local farm transforms into Pumpkinville, a seasonal attraction with a corn maze, hayrides, pick-your-own pumpkins and local vendors.
Important to know
Mitchellville has a CAP Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, which is lower than the national score of 4 out of 10. The town is home to the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women, a medium-security prison toward the outskirts of town, which Hausmann-Virgil says doesn’t affect day-to-day life. The city has battled water quality issues for years, which officials have tried to combat by replacing decades-old cast-iron pipes. While the water is safe to drink, many residents opt to use services like the water filling station at Rebel Farms for clean drinking water.
Written By
Leslie Klosterman
Photography Contributed By
Becky Gaskill
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Cody Greenfield,
an experienced agent in this area.
On average, homes in Mitchellville, IA sell after 179 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Mitchellville, IA over the last 12 months is $256,000, down 4% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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BRAND NEW REMODELED APARTMENTAvailable in October -- Fully renovated 2 bedroom 1 bath. Located one exit past Altoona in Mitchellville. New everything!New countertops & kitchen w/backsplashNew finishes throughoutOn-site laundryRamp accessible Professionally maintained snow and lawnOwner operated1 month security no pets* Price shown is
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Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address. CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks.
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