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Suburb
Des Moines

Johnston

#2 in Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in Iowa
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • Suburb of Des Moines, IA
  • 23 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A+
  2. Crime & Safety
    B
  3. Housing
    A
  4. Nightlife
    B+
  5. Good for Families
    A+
  6. Diversity
    B-
  7. Jobs
    A
  8. Weather
    B-
  9. Cost of Living
    B+
  10. Health & Fitness
    B+
  11. Outdoor Activities
    B-
  12. Commute
    B+
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Johnston is a suburb of Des Moines with a population of 20,172. Johnston is in Polk County and is one of the best places to live in Iowa. Living in Johnston offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Johnston there are a lot of parks. Many families live in Johnston and residents tend to lean conservative. The public schools in Johnston are highly rated.
About Johnston...
Population
20,172

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$248,100
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$1,123
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    27%
  • Own
    73%
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Johnston Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
B
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    92
    283
  • Murder
    5
    6
  • Rape
    18
    41
  • Robbery
    32
    136
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    147
    500
  • Theft
    912
    2,043
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    50
    284
Home Security Options for Johnston
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  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
B-
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Age
  • <10 years
    14%
  • 10-17 years
    13%
  • 18-24 years
    4%
  • 25-34 years
    11%
  • 35-44 years
    16%
  • 45-54 years
    16%
  • 55-64 years
    13%
  • 65+ years
    13%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    20%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    34%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    27%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    16%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3%
    13%

Working in Johnston

Jobs
A
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$94,539
National
$55,322
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Places to Work in Johnston

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Johnston Reviews

23 reviews
All Categories
Johnston is a wonderful suburb area. You are in drivIng distance to anything you could ever need by 25 minutes. This community has worked hard to make it look beautiful as well. In spring there are flowers being planted and store fronts are made to look clean and updated. The area is middle class to upper class. So availability of low income housing is close to none. AllowIng cheaper housing would give young families and adults a chance to enjoy this community. This community could be more diverse in the residents who live here but I can see that growth happening in the future.
Overall I would highly recommend Johnston to any person looking to move!
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I love Johnston because of the caring community. So many people help out the Johnston’s Partnership, dedicating hours and money to help those in need. Community members volunteer as mentors at the schools to provide guidance and support to struggling students. In the summertime, when students don’t have access to free and reduced meals at school, community members package free meals and serve them at the library.
Johnston is a very safe place to raise a family. Johnston has a family low crime rate. Johnston community school district offers a safe, top-tier education system for kindergarten through 12th grade. The athletic programs for youth and for the middle/high school do a very great job of incorporating fairness, integrity, respectfulness, showmanship, and a team aspect that makes it feel like a family.