Movers Grimes
Movers in Grimes, Iowa
Named after James W. Grimes, the 3rd Governor of Iowa. Founded 1881.
Local movers serving Grimes — from the historic core near Gateway Drive to the newer subdivisions on both the Polk and Dallas County sides. Hourly pricing, real itemized quotes, same crew start to finish.
A hometown that grew 219% in 25 years
Grimes is on the northwest edge of the Des Moines metro, bordered by Urbandale to the south, Johnston to the east, and Waukee to the southwest. The city sits in two counties — mostly Polk County on the east side, with the western portion extending into Dallas County. It was founded in 1881 as a railroad town and officially incorporated on May 7, 1894.
The growth story is one of the wildest in central Iowa. Grimes had about 7,000 residents in 2000. By the 2020 Census, the population had climbed to 15,392 — a 119% jump in 20 years. The 2024 estimates put the population closer to 17,000, with the trend still pointing up. That puts Grimes in the same conversation as Waukee and Bondurant for the fastest-growing communities in the state.
The city motto is “Your hometown. Your lifestyle.” That tagline captures the dual identity Grimes has tried to preserve: a hometown feel even as new subdivisions, new schools, and new commercial corridors have transformed the city. Median household income in Grimes is around $82,000, and the median home value is just over $327,000. About 71% of housing units are owner-occupied, with the rest split among rentals and townhomes.
Who the city is named after
James W. Grimes (1816–1872)
Born in New Hampshire and educated at Dartmouth, James W. Grimes moved west and settled in what became Burlington, Iowa. He served in the Iowa Territorial House of Representatives, then as the 3rd Governor of Iowa from 1854 to 1858, and as a U.S. Senator from 1859 to 1869.
Midwest Moving Pros serves all of Grimes. We’re a family-owned local moving company based in Des Moines. The crew that loads in Grimes is the crew that unloads at the new place. The price on the quote is the price on the invoice. No brokers, no consolidated shipments.
Dallas Center-Grimes Mustangs
A real reason families move into Grimes is the DCG school district — about 3,760 students across 7 schools, with state-level results in athletics over the last several years.
- 2022 Class 3A State Champions: Boys’ Basketball
- 2019–2021 3-time Class 3A State Champions: Boys’ Cross Country
- K–12 district shared with Dallas Center
- DCG High School opened 2002, ~950 students grades 9–12
Grimes is split between two counties
Because the city spans both Polk County and Dallas County, where you live in Grimes affects property tax rates, county services, and certain administrative things tied to your address. It also affects which side of the metro you’re closer to for daily commutes.
Eastern Grimes
Polk County side
Most of Grimes sits in Polk County, in Webster and Jefferson townships. Closer to Urbandale, Johnston, and the northwest Des Moines commute corridors. Property taxes follow Polk County rates.
Western Grimes
Dallas County side
The western portion of Grimes extends into Dallas County, in Walnut and Grant townships. Closer to Waukee, the Apple data center corridor, and the rapidly growing west metro. Property taxes follow Dallas County rates.
Neighborhoods we move across in Grimes
Grimes’s housing reflects how fast the city has grown. The historic core has older homes, while most of the city is newer construction from the last 15 years.
Historic downtown core
The original Grimes commercial center along the early railroad corridor. Older homes from the early 1900s with original construction, tighter doorways, and walkable blocks. Some of the city’s historic buildings are still in use along Main Street.
North Ridge area
The neighborhoods around North Ridge Elementary (at 400 NW 27th Street, opened 2008). Family-driven subdivisions, mostly built in the 2000s and 2010s. Walkable to the elementary school and city trails.
Gateway Drive corridor
The commercial spine along Gateway Drive, anchored by the Amazon delivery station and surrounding retail. Apartment complexes and townhomes along this corridor see frequent turnover from the Amazon and warehouse workforce.
West Grimes & Dallas County side
The newer subdivisions on the west side of the city, mostly in Dallas County. Most homes here are less than 10 years old, with wide doorways, attached garages, and full basements. Premier destination for first-home buyers and family upsizes.
South Grimes near Urbandale border
The southern neighborhoods that blend into Urbandale. Mid-2000s and 2010s subdivisions with established landscaping. Easy access to Northwest 100th Street commute corridors south into the metro.
North Grimes new builds
Active subdivisions on the north side of the city, where new construction is still going up. Some streets in the newest phases may not show in GPS yet. Easy highway access via Iowa Highway 141.
What moves look like in Grimes
A few things about Grimes specifically shape how the work runs.
Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District
The DCG district serves Grimes and the smaller community of Dallas Center to the west. About 3,760 students attend across four elementary schools (Dallas Center, Heritage, North Ridge, and South Prairie), a middle school, a 7/8 building called Oak View, and DCG High School. School district draw is a major reason families move into Grimes. Confirm the address falls within DCG before move day — some homes on the city’s edges may be in adjacent districts.
Amazon delivery station traffic
The Amazon delivery station at 110,000 square feet on Gateway Drive opened in 2020. It supports last-mile delivery for the Des Moines metro and has hundreds of part-time and full-time jobs in three shifts. Delivery stations like this one typically handle around 40,000 packages a day, dispatched within a 30 to 50-mile radius. Traffic on Gateway Drive and the surrounding commercial corridors gets heavy during shift changes — we route around it during moves if your address is in that area.
Newer subdivisions need plat-name routing
Grimes has had so many new subdivisions go up in the last decade that some streets in the newest phases still aren’t in GPS correctly. If your new address is in an active development, send us the plat name and any nearby landmarks — we’ll get the truck routed to the right spot.
Highway access via Iowa 141 and Beaver Drive
Iowa Highway 141 runs along the northern edge of Grimes and provides the main highway connection across central Iowa. Beaver Drive and Northwest 100th Street are the major north-south arteries through the city. Most moves into and out of Grimes use one of these routes to connect to I-80 or I-35 farther south. The interchange access makes timing predictable even for end-of-month Friday closings, which is the busiest moving day in the metro.
Two-county tax and address details
Because Grimes spans both counties, your county assessor and treasurer are different depending on where in Grimes you live. This is mostly relevant for property tax and registration questions — not for the move itself — but it’s something many people new to the area don’t realize until after they’ve closed.
What a Grimes move costs
Our pricing is the same for Grimes as for the rest of the metro. Hourly rate. No trip charges. No stair surcharges. No surge pricing for weekends or end-of-month dates.
$160/hr
Covers the crew, truck, fuel, pads, dollies, and basic moving insurance. This is the standard hourly rate for every local move — weekday, weekend, or end-of-month.
+$100
Flat add for items too heavy for the standard crew (large gun safes, heavy pianos). The only possible surcharge on a Grimes move.
$50
Local move deposit. Holds your date and applies to the final invoice. (Long-distance moves use a $300 deposit.)
$370–$1,810
Typical total range for most Grimes moves — small apartment to 4-bedroom home. Your written quote after the walkthrough is tighter than this range.
Moving in or out of Grimes?
Itemized written quote within 24 hours. Same crew start to finish. The price on the quote matches the price on the invoice.
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