Why visit Saylorville
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 29 parks and trails, 40 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Grand View University, Riverview Park (Iowa), College Corner Commercial Historic Business District and Highland Park Historic Business District at Euclid and Sixth Avenues.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 12°F, and about 25 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Saylorville
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Saylorville
Saylorville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Saylor and Crocker townships, Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,584 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Saydel Community School District is located in this area, as is the unincorporated community of Marquisville.
From the Wikipedia article Saylorville, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Grand View University
School · 4.4 mi
Private liberal arts university in Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Riverview Park (Iowa)
Monument and historic site · 4.0 mi
Former amusement park
Museums and landmarks5
College Corner Commercial Historic Business District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic district in Iowa, United States
Highland Park Historic Business District at Euclid and Sixth Avenues
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic district in Iowa, United States
Paul J. and Ida Trier House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Humphrey Center
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.3 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds29
Cascade Falls Aquatic Center
Sports field and stadium · 2.1 mi
2350 Southwest Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny
17 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes40
Cold Stone Creamery
Ice cream · Ice Cream · 2.2 mi
1631 Southwest Main Street, Ankeny
Mo-Th 12:00-21:00; Fr 12:00-23:00; Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Flavory Bistro
Restaurant · Greek · 2.2 mi
1450 Southwest Vintage Parkway, Ankeny
Tu-Sa 11:00-15:00,17:00-20:30; Su 11:00-14:00
Grimaldi's Pizzeria
Restaurant · Pizza · 2.2 mi
1450 Southwest Vintage Parkway, Ankeny
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-23:00; Sa 09:00-23:00; Su 09:00-22:00
Main Street Cafe & Bakery
Restaurant · Burger, Coffee Shop · 1.6 mi
2510 Southwest White Birch Drive
Mo-Su 06:00-21:00
Operating Room
Bar and pub · 2.2 mi
Bar serving cocktails and with providing patrons a variety of arcade games and pinball machines.
1631 Southwest Main Street, Ankeny
Mo-Sa 11:00-01:00; Su 11:00-24:00
Silk Elephant
Restaurant · Thai · 1.7 mi
2410 Southwest White Birch Drive, Ankeny
Mo-Su 11:00-14:00,16:30-20:00
Smokey D's BBQ
Restaurant · Barbecue · 2.1 mi
5055 Northwest 2nd Street, Des Moines
Su-Th 10:30-20:00; Fr,Sa 10:30-21:00
Wahlburgers
Restaurant · Burger, Bar And Grill · 1.7 mi
2510 Southwest State Street, Ankeny
Mo-Su 11:00-20:00
Wasabi
Restaurant · Japanese · 2.2 mi
1615 Southwest Main Street, Ankeny
Mo-Th 11:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:30; Su 11:00-21:00
Magee’s Irish Pub & Eatery
Bar and pub · 2.3 mi
1610 Southwest Main Street, Ankeny
Mo-Th 11:00-12:00; Fr 11:00-14:00; Sa 09:30-02:00; Su 09:30-02:00
28 more on the map.
History
Saylorville was laid out in 1850. It is named for its founder, John B. Saylor.
Coal mining played an important part in the early history of Saylorville, as outlined in the map below.
From the History section of Saylorville, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
Budget Inn and Suites
Motel and hotel · 2.2 mi
5220 Northeast 14th Street, Des Moines
Churches and places of worship11
Ankeny First United Methodist Church Faith Chapel
Church · Methodist · 1.1 mi
7384 Northwest 16th Street, Crocker Township
Jehovah's Witnesses Highland Park Congregation
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.5 mi
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging11
Schools, colleges and libraries50
Healthcare2
Map of Saylorville
162 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 12°F | 1.0 in | 6.2 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 16°F | 1.0 in | 8.0 in |
| Mar | 47°F | 27°F | 2.0 in | 3.7 in |
| Apr | 61°F | 38°F | 4.0 in | 0.7 in |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 65°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 53°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 40°F | 2.7 in | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 29°F | 1.9 in | 1.0 in |
| Dec | 35°F | 18°F | 1.4 in | 4.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ankeny (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Polk County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-09-01: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-05-24: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-05-14: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2020-08-17: Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Ankeny 4 mi north, about 6 min by car
- Johnston 5 mi west, about 8 min by car
- Windsor Heights 7 mi southwest, about 11 min by car
- Des Moines 8 mi south, about 12 min by car
- Altoona 8 mi east, about 12 min by car
- Urbandale 8 mi west, about 14 min by car
- Pleasant Hill 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Grimes 9 mi west, about 14 min by car
- Polk City 9 mi northwest, about 14 min by car
- Bondurant 9 mi east, about 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 200-210 Euclid, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Paul J and Ida Trier House, Cubsftw, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 6th & Euclid Des Moines IA, C. A. Tucker, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Humphrey Center at Grand View, KDSanders at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.