The population of Clive has increased to more than 20,000 people, according to the results of a special census.
The City of Clive partnered with the U.S. Census Bureau and conducted a special census from February 2026 through April, according to a city news release. The Clive City Council certified April 26 the results that showed a 9% increase in population since 2020 — an increase of 1,676 residents over the past six years.
Clive Mayor John Edwards thanked residents for their participation and said in the release, “The updated count will enhance Clive’s eligibility for federal funding for services like transportation planning, road rehabilitation, public safety, and more.”
City spokesperson and assistant manager Pete De Kock did not yet have an exact number Friday, May 1, for how much federal funding the special census results could bring in. But De Kock said estimates were that the special census would at least pay for itself, if not add to the city budget.
Most cities in the metro have recently conducted special censuses in bids for more federal funding to keep up with population growth.
The U.S. Census Bureau found that as of Aug. 19, 2025, Johnston had 833 more residents than the 2020 U.S. Census count, bringing the city’s population to 24,897 people. City officials said the result seemed like an undercount, however, and were looking at ways to verify the data.
Altoona and Grimes have not yet released numbers for the results of their special censuses, which were first delayed due to President Donald Trump’s hiring freeze of the federal government’s civilian workforce in 2025 and then last fall’s federal government shutdown.
Special census results released in 2025 showed that since 2020, Ankeny had grown 12.3% to a population of 76,200, and West Des Moines had grown almost 8% to a population of 73,959.
As of June 2024, Waukee had added nearly 8,000 residents since 2020 to reach a population of 31,823.
The Des Moines metro remained the fastest-growing major metro in the Midwest, according to new U.S. Census Bureau estimates released in March.
And Dallas County — which includes parts of Clive — remained the fastest-growing county in the Midwest.
Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at PSitter@usatodayco.com. Find out more about him online in the Register’s staff directory.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Clive special census shows population growth since 2020
Reporting by Phillip Sitter, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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