Warren County is a county in Iowa, United States, on the southern edge of the Des Moines metropolitan area. It had a population of 52,403 at the 2020 census and covers 573 square miles (1,480 km2) — 570 square miles (1,500 km2) of land and 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2) of water — centred near 41°20′N 93°34′W.
Indianola is the county seat, and its postal code is 50125. Warren County has 8 incorporated cities and towns, a dozen unincorporated communities, and 16 civil townships. It is in the Central time zone and is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Combined Statistical Area.
Towns & Villages in Warren County
Warren County has 8 incorporated places (some shared with neighboring Polk County), plus a set of unincorporated communities that never organized their own city government. Portions of Des Moines, West Des Moines, Norwalk and Carlisle extend across the county line into Warren County, though most of each city’s population lives elsewhere. Type legend: CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianola | City · seat | — | 15,833 | 50125 |
| Norwalk (part) | City | — | 12,799 | 50211 |
| Carlisle (part) | City | — | 4,160 | 50047 |
| West Des Moines (part) | City | — | — | — |
| Des Moines (part) | City | — | — | — |
| Milo | City | — | 778 | 50166 |
| Hartford | City | — | 733 | 50129 |
| New Virginia | City | Virginia | 498 | 50210 |
| Cumming | City | — | 436 | 50061 |
| Martensdale | City | — | 421 | 50160 |
| Lacona | City | — | 345 | 50139 |
| Ackworth | City | — | 115 | — |
| Saint Marys | City | — | 108 | — |
| Spring Hill | City | — | 68 | — |
| Sandyville | City | — | 58 | — |
| Bevington (part) | City | — | 57 | — |
| Palmyra | Unincorp. | Palmyra | — | — |
| Liberty Center | Unincorp. | Liberty | — | — |
| Beech | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Churchville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Clarkson | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Conger | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Cool | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Ford | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Medora | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Prole | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Scotch Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Wick | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
The old settlement list also carried Hartford MH Park, Indian Ridge MH Park, North American Trailer Park, Sunfield MH Park, Western Acres MH Park and Lakewood, Greenbush, Orilla and West Saint Marys. These are manufactured-home parks or informal locality names rather than platted communities recognized by the Census Bureau or the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, so they are omitted here pending better sourcing.
Townships
Warren County is divided into 16 civil townships: Allen, Belmont, Greenfield, Jackson, Jefferson, Liberty, Lincoln, Linn, Otter, Palmyra, Richland, Squaw, Union, Virginia, White Breast and White Oak. Township-level 2020 population figures are not independently verified here, so they are omitted; the townships mainly function today as rural taxing and voting districts rather than population centers.
ZIP Codes
- 50125 — Indianola (also serves Ackworth, St. Marys, Spring Hill, Sandyville and Bevington)
- 50211 — Norwalk
- 50047 — Carlisle
- 50166 — Milo
- 50129 — Hartford
- 50210 — New Virginia
- 50061 — Cumming
- 50160 — Martensdale
- 50139 — Lacona
The unincorporated communities along the county’s rural roads generally use the ZIP code of the nearest post office town rather than one of their own.
Geography
Warren County sits on the Southern Iowa Drift Plain, a landscape of rolling glaciated hills cut by creek valleys, with the Middle River and South River draining much of the county toward the Des Moines River to the north. Lake Ahquabi, a state park lake south of Indianola, is the county’s principal recreational water body. The county borders Polk County to the north, Marion County to the east, Lucas County to the southeast, Clarke County to the southwest, and Madison County to the west.
Demographics
Warren County had 52,403 residents at the 2020 census, making it one of the faster-growing counties in Iowa as Des Moines suburbanization pushes south. Indianola and Norwalk are the two largest communities, together accounting for more than half the county’s population. Warren County’s median household income runs well above the Iowa median of $71,433, reflecting its role as a bedroom county for the Des Moines metro. Population density is roughly 92 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Warren County’s economy is anchored by commuting into Des Moines and West Des Moines, alongside agriculture (corn and soybeans on the county’s upland farmland) and local retail and services in Indianola and Norwalk. Simpson College, a private liberal-arts college founded in 1860, is based in Indianola and is one of the county’s largest employers. Indianola also hosts the National Balloon Classic each summer, a hot-air balloon competition held since 1970 at the National Balloon Museum grounds.
History
Warren County was organized in 1846 and named for General Joseph Warren, a Massachusetts physician and militia officer killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. Indianola was platted as the county seat the following year. The county’s original 1939 courthouse in Indianola was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, was condemned in 2018, and was replaced by a new Warren County Justice Center that opened in 2022.
Getting There
Interstate 35 runs north–south through the county’s western half, linking Norwalk and Cumming directly to Des Moines, while U.S. Highways 65 and 69 and Iowa Highways 5, 28, 92 and 316 cross the county in other directions.
- Des Moines — about 20 miles north via I-35 or US 69
- Indianola — about 15 miles south of downtown Des Moines via US 65/69
- Osceola (Clarke County) — about 25 miles south via US 69
- Knoxville (Marion County) — about 20 miles east via Iowa 92
Des Moines International Airport, roughly 15 miles north of Indianola, is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Warren County, Iowa?
It is in south-central Iowa, directly south of Des Moines and Polk County.
What is the population of Warren County?
52,403 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Warren County?
573 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 570 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Warren County?
Indianola is the county seat.
How many towns are in Warren County?
8 incorporated cities and towns, plus about a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Warren County?
Indianola’s ZIP is 50125; other towns include Norwalk 50211, Carlisle 50047, Milo 50166, Hartford 50129, New Virginia 50210, Cumming 50061, Martensdale 50160 and Lacona 50139.
What is Warren County known for?
Simpson College and the annual National Balloon Classic, both based in Indianola.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Iowa.