Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell is a city located in Poweshiek County, Iowa. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 9,105. Grinnell was named after Josiah Bushnell Grinnell and it is the home of Grinnell College.
Geography
Grinnell is located at 41°44'37" North, 92°43'29" West (41.743750, -92.724742)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.0 km² (5.0 mi²). 12.9 km² (5.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.80% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 9,105 people, 3,498 households, and 2,067 families residing in the city. The population density is 704.5/km² (1,825.7/mi²). There are 3,725 housing units at an average density of 288.2/km² (746.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 94.88% White, 1.04% African American, 0.29% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. 1.57% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 3,498 households out of which 27.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% are married couples living together, 9.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% are non-families. 34.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 16.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.23 and the average family size is 2.84.
In the city the population is spread out with 20.5% under the age of 18, 19.9% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 80.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $35,625, and the median income for a family is $48,991. Males have a median income of $33,956 versus $23,864 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,939. 13.3% of the population and 8.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 16.1% of those under the age of 18 and 8.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Influential Former Residents
- Hallie Flanagan, Federal Theater Project head
- Harry Hopkins, FDR advisor and New Deal architect
- Robert Noyce, inventor and Intel co-founder
- Billy Robinson, early aviator
Economy
Grocery Stores
There are three grocery stores serving Grinnell.
- Hy-Vee Food Stores - Located on the far southern edge of town, Hy-Vee offers the widest selection of products. There is no sidewalk or other way for bikers and pedestrians to get to Hy-Vee. Hy-Vee offers drive-up service upon request (you drive to the side of the store and they will load your car with your packages for you). Hy-Vee is open on Sundays.
- McNally's - This store is the most centrally located grocery store in town. It has a much smaller selection of products than either of the other stores, but it has a more eclectic mix of products. This store caters to the college crowd and to those looking for upscale or smaller-market products. McNally's does not offer drive-up service nor do they take the groceries to the car for you. McNally's is open on Sundays.
- Fareway - This store is slightly west, but still fairly centrally located. It offers a medium range of products, but tends to have lower prices than the other two stores. Fareway is closed on Sundays. Fareway employees will push your basket to your car and load your groceries into the car for you as a standard routine.
Movies and Videos
There is one theater and two video rental stores serving Grinnell.
- The Strand Theater was closed for many years but was renovated in the fall of 2004 and reopened with three screens. It has been very popular in the town.
- Loops Movies & More has a much smaller selection than its competition, Family Video. They also offer tanning services and supplies.
- Family Video is a relative newcomer to the town, but is proving to be very successful.
Recent History
Downtown Renovations of 2005
In the spring of 2005, Grinnell embarked upon a renovation project designed to make its downtown area more inviting for residents and tourists. Features of the renovation include:
- new water mains and gas lines
- two way streets
- brick crosswalks in the middle of each block
- a median strip at each intersection created with Grinnell's distinctive Jewel Box pattern
- more uniform parking spaces in front of downtown businesses
The renovations are expected to be completed in mid-November, 2005.