Population 24,536 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Johnston
Household size in Johnston
| Period | Johnston | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.69 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.63 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.80 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Johnston average 2.80 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.69, even as the national average fell. Only one other Iowa city with 5,000+ people has larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Johnston
| Period | Johnston | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.5 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.2 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.5 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.3 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Johnston is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.5, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.3, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Johnston
| Period | Johnston | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Johnston (11.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 4.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Johnston
Renters in Johnston
| Period | Johnston | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.6% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.9% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.0% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Johnston own their homes; 29.0% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 32.8% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the north. The renter share is up 8.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Johnston
| Period | Johnston | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.2% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Johnston than nationally: 5.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Johnston has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Iowa cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Johnston
| Period | Johnston | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1996 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1999 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 2001 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2003 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Johnston is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2003, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1996 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the south has the oldest housing. Of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people, only four have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Johnston
| Period | Johnston | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $911 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,091 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,198 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,493 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$582 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Johnston pays $1,493 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in the Des Moines area as a whole ($1,210). Rents are up $582 a month from 2006–10, a 64% jump, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 30.5% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Johnston
Bachelor's degrees in Johnston
| Period | Johnston | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.5% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 58.5% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.6% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 57.4% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Johnston is highly educated: nearly six in ten adults 25 and older (57.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 10.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people, only four have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Johnston
| Period | Johnston | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.2% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.0% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.0% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.3% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Johnston: 96.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged down 0.9 points, even as the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Johnston
| Period | Johnston | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.9% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.8% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.9% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Johnston has been strong: just 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.0 points, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Johnston compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston | 2.80 | 38.5 | 11.3% | 29.0% | 5.6% | 2003 | $1,493 | 57.4% | 96.3% | 2.9% |
| Grimes | 2.71 | 35.5 | 8.2% | 27.3% | 2.7% | 2007 | $1,187 | 54.3% | 99.2% | 1.8% |
| Urbandale | 2.58 | 40.3 | 7.8% | 24.1% | 6.5% | 1989 | $1,300 | 51.1% | 93.8% | 2.9% |
| Windsor Heights | 2.37 | 43.4 | 10.0% | 24.1% | 10.6% | 1960 | $1,539 | 45.5% | 98.3% | 2.0% |
| Clive | 2.77 | 39.0 | 11.7% | 28.6% | 5.3% | 1995 | $1,489 | 57.6% | 95.1% | 4.0% |
| Polk City | 2.74 | 38.7 | 6.3% | 12.4% | 3.0% | 2003 | $935 | 46.4% | 97.9% | 2.5% |
| Ankeny | 2.58 | 35.3 | 8.6% | 27.1% | 5.3% | 2002 | $1,387 | 51.8% | 98.0% | 2.2% |
| Granger | 2.90 | 35.3 | 6.1% | 8.4% | 6.9% | 2001 | $859 | 44.9% | 97.9% | 0.3% |
| West Des Moines | 2.30 | 37.8 | 8.1% | 42.2% | 6.7% | 1991 | $1,311 | 55.7% | 95.9% | 2.6% |
| Des Moines area | 2.52 | 37.6 | 11.2% | 30.5% | 7.0% | 1983 | $1,210 | 40.3% | 92.9% | 4.5% |
| Waukee | 2.52 | 35.5 | 10.4% | 31.0% | 4.7% | 2008 | $1,424 | 58.4% | 95.6% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Covington, KY · Versailles, KY · Vero Beach South, FL · University Park, TX · Union, KY · Tysons Corner, VA · Tullahoma, TN · Trussville, AL · Crofton, MD · Crescent City, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Johnston. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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