Why is Grimes growing so fast?

Grimes offers the Dallas Center-Grimes schools, new housing, a roughly 20-minute commute to Des Moines, higher incomes, and high homeownership, a combination that has made it one of Iowa's fastest-growing cities.

Is Grimes, Iowa a Good Place to Live?

Q: Is Grimes, Iowa a good place to live?

Grimes rates well on national ranking sites, which place it among the better suburbs and family destinations in Iowa and the Des Moines area, thanks to its schools, safety, and growth. The main tradeoffs are that it is car-dependent and still building out.

People do not move to a town by the thousands for no reason. Grimes has grown faster than almost anywhere in Iowa, and here is a straight look at why, and what to weigh before you join them.

The short version

Grimes rates well: national ranking sites place it among the better suburbs in Iowa and the Des Moines area, on the strength of schools, safety, and family fit. The main tradeoffs are that it is car-dependent and still building out.

The case for

What Grimes has going for it

Rankings: Niche places Grimes among the top suburbs and family destinations in Iowa and the Des Moines area.
Schools: the well-regarded Dallas Center-Grimes district.
Growth and newness: new housing, retail, and amenities (see the growth story).
Commute: about 20 minutes to downtown Des Moines.
Higher incomes and high homeownership (see cost of living).

The honest tradeoffs

What to weigh

Grimes is car-dependent (there is no city bus, see our transit page), and as a fast-growing town it is still under construction in places, with the road work and rooftops-first feel that comes with it. Whether that reads as exciting or unfinished is a matter of taste.

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Sources: Niche (Grimes rankings); U.S. Census Bureau. Rankings are third-party opinions, not guarantees; crime and livability figures vary by source. Preview build, September 2026.

Is Grimes a good place to live? An honest local take.

What Grimes has going for it

What to weigh