The Grimes Brief
A short reference page for the details people look up first about Grimes, Iowa: the county, the ZIP code, and the basics that go on a form.
Grimes, Iowa is in two counties: Polk and Dallas. Most of the city is in Polk County, and the western part is in Dallas County. The ZIP code is 50111, the area code is 515, and the city sits on the northwest side of the Des Moines metro, about 16 miles from downtown.
The 2020 Census counted 15,392 residents. The city's 2025 special census found 17,809, a 15.7 percent increase, and 7,578 housing units. Grimes is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area. Highways 141 and 44 (along 1st Street) cross the city.
The city limits cross the Polk and Dallas county line. Polk County, with its seat in Des Moines, holds most of the city. Dallas County, with its seat in Adel, holds the west side. The line matters less for daily life than for a handful of official things, and your county is set by where your address sits, not by the Grimes mailing address.
Look at your property tax statement or assessment, which names the county. A county GIS map or assessor lookup shows it too: Polk County posts a GIS map on its website (polkcountyiowa.gov), and for a Dallas County address you can call the Dallas County Assessor. Your voter registration also shows your county, and your county auditor can confirm it by phone. If you are buying or renting, ask the seller or landlord, because county affects who you call for plates and records.
Grimes is a suburb northwest of Des Moines, in central Iowa. It is about 16 miles from downtown Des Moines, 6 miles from Johnston, and 10 miles from Waukee by road. Interstates 35 and 80 pass just southeast of the city. See the Grimes to Des Moines guide for drive times, and Grimes history for how a railroad town platted in 1881 became one of the state's fast-growing cities.
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Grimes is in two counties, Polk and Dallas. Most of the city is in Polk County, and the western part is in Dallas County. Your county depends on where your address sits.
The ZIP code for Grimes, Iowa is 50111.
Grimes is a city in central Iowa, in the northwest part of the Des Moines metro, about 16 miles from downtown Des Moines. It sits in Polk and Dallas counties.
Both. The city straddles the line, with most of it in Polk County and the west side in Dallas County. That affects voting, property tax, and where you register vehicles.
Most of Grimes is in the Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District, which serves both counties. The northeast edge of town falls in the Johnston school district.
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