You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Iowa. Best suburbs in Iowa. Best counties in Iowa.
Etc., etc., etc.
But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Hawkeye State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.
Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Iowa based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.
We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Iowa ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.
$113,295 median income · 0.9% unemployment
$111,406 median income · 1.1% unemployment
$105,882 median income · 1.5% unemployment
$112,138 median income · 2.5% unemployment
$122,656 median income · 4.1% unemployment
$128,750 median income · 2.8% unemployment
$92,000 median income · 2.0% unemployment
$121,696 median income · 4.9% unemployment
$120,833 median income · 4.1% unemployment
$104,844 median income · 1.8% unemployment
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Iowa’s statewide median.
Iowa statewide median: $75,059
Iowa statewide median: $231,585
On the map
Where Iowa’s best small towns are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Iowa
We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Iowa possible.
Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
- Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
- Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
- Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
- Commute Times (Lower is better)
We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 194 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 194, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Iowa. Top of that list — Solon.
This is our eleventh time ranking the best small places to live in Iowa.
The full plate
Best Small Towns In Iowa
Click any column to sort. Search by town name.
| Rank | Town | Population | Median Income | Median Home Value | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solon | 3,152 | $113,295 | $445,624 | 0.9% |
| 2 | University Heights | 1,384 | $111,406 | $478,646 | 1.1% |
| 3 | Ely | 2,186 | $105,882 | $361,122 | 1.5% |
| 4 | Atkins | 2,225 | $112,138 | $359,940 | 2.5% |
| 5 | Gilbert | 1,381 | $122,656 | $330,956 | 4.1% |
| 6 | Walford | 1,329 | $128,750 | $320,893 | 2.8% |
| 7 | Denver | 2,379 | $92,000 | $304,737 | 2.0% |
| 8 | Treynor | 1,126 | $121,696 | $341,766 | 4.9% |
| 9 | Peosta | 2,040 | $120,833 | $429,928 | 4.1% |
| 10 | Le Claire | 4,735 | $104,844 | $378,377 | 1.8% |
| 11 | Fairfax | 2,900 | $114,375 | $302,194 | 1.8% |
| 12 | Bellevue | 2,259 | $79,417 | $306,707 | 1.8% |
| 13 | Mount Vernon | 4,513 | $112,656 | $339,887 | 4.2% |
| 14 | Kalona | 2,692 | $80,129 | $312,790 | 0.4% |
| 15 | Slater | 1,401 | $97,500 | $286,206 | 1.1% |
| 16 | Granger | 1,979 | $112,404 | $376,874 | 2.1% |
| 17 | Huxley | 4,544 | $112,094 | $341,229 | 1.3% |
| 18 | Dike | 1,365 | $91,146 | $294,252 | 1.5% |
| 19 | Moville | 1,670 | $96,016 | $265,012 | 2.4% |
| 20 | Earlham | 1,528 | $115,086 | $367,078 | 4.2% |
| 21 | Alton | 1,459 | $98,036 | $304,061 | 2.5% |
| 22 | Wilton | 2,920 | $76,648 | $221,509 | 0.6% |
| 23 | Roland | 1,559 | $79,028 | $255,806 | 0.9% |
| 24 | Logan | 1,392 | $84,833 | $253,334 | 1.1% |
| 25 | Durant | 1,946 | $81,625 | $231,432 | 0.3% |
| 26 | Center Point | 2,562 | $95,192 | $317,451 | 1.0% |
| 27 | Van Meter | 1,628 | $135,139 | $409,786 | 1.9% |
| 28 | Fruitland | 1,049 | $103,424 | $277,383 | 0.9% |
| 29 | Sully | 1,022 | $90,189 | $258,691 | 4.4% |
| 30 | State Center | 1,412 | $83,942 | $298,455 | 2.0% |
| 31 | Epworth | 1,894 | $84,271 | $269,158 | 2.4% |
| 32 | Park View | 2,437 | $113,409 | $307,295 | 3.0% |
| 33 | Hull | 2,317 | $72,344 | $313,353 | 2.3% |
| 34 | Robins | 3,332 | $122,262 | $399,970 | 8.0% |
| 35 | Hudson | 2,699 | $120,481 | $269,550 | 4.5% |
| 36 | St. Ansgar | 1,206 | $76,458 | $233,632 | 2.8% |
| 37 | Neola | 1,116 | $73,306 | $306,142 | 0.2% |
| 38 | Saylorville | 3,366 | $117,821 | $349,938 | 11.4% |
| 39 | Story City | 3,398 | $96,605 | $275,224 | 3.5% |
| 40 | Swisher | 1,182 | $100,577 | $446,451 | 1.4% |
| 41 | Lisbon | 1,714 | $93,906 | $300,666 | 1.9% |
| 42 | Conrad | 1,191 | $73,292 | $177,472 | 1.3% |
| 43 | Urbana | 1,639 | $115,655 | $255,819 | 1.9% |
| 44 | Mediapolis | 1,928 | $75,543 | $217,252 | 1.9% |
| 45 | Lansing | 1,115 | $65,625 | $269,027 | 1.7% |
| 46 | Aplington | 1,111 | $74,773 | $177,921 | 0.9% |
| 47 | Cascade | 2,375 | $69,688 | $288,707 | 1.3% |
| 48 | Winthrop | 1,040 | $69,792 | $244,163 | 1.9% |
| 49 | Prairie City | 1,711 | $78,295 | $267,655 | 6.4% |
| 50 | Springville | 1,172 | $92,656 | $277,954 | 5.2% |
| 51 | Malvern | 1,323 | $84,223 | $243,948 | 1.0% |
| 52 | West Branch | 2,594 | $92,209 | $294,828 | 0.8% |
| 53 | Palo | 1,438 | $106,375 | $332,935 | 1.9% |
| 54 | Farley | 1,889 | $97,143 | $310,136 | 4.9% |
| 55 | Jesup | 2,561 | $89,408 | $255,533 | 5.2% |
| 56 | Madrid | 2,808 | $89,844 | $282,389 | 1.7% |
| 57 | Holstein | 1,600 | $64,115 | $168,977 | 0.7% |
| 58 | Dyersville | 4,423 | $83,559 | $281,296 | 3.2% |
| 59 | Osage | 3,561 | $68,730 | $200,501 | 1.8% |
| 60 | Williamsburg | 3,360 | $58,059 | $261,167 | 2.0% |
| 61 | Parkersburg | 1,766 | $75,885 | $237,944 | 4.9% |
| 62 | Remsen | 1,823 | $91,477 | $280,767 | 5.6% |
| 63 | Elkader | 1,293 | $62,857 | $161,066 | 0.0% |
| 64 | Dallas Center | 2,161 | $95,854 | $308,530 | 0.5% |
| 65 | Rock Valley | 4,059 | $76,250 | $304,709 | 0.4% |
| 66 | Tripoli | 1,156 | $78,324 | $170,452 | 3.1% |
| 67 | Marcus | 1,180 | $77,981 | $182,941 | 2.1% |
| 68 | Carlisle | 4,255 | $109,191 | $286,847 | 6.1% |
| 69 | Fairbank | 1,275 | $89,712 | $257,476 | 1.4% |
| 70 | Central City | 1,356 | $85,400 | $283,492 | 4.1% |
| 71 | Reinbeck | 1,715 | $86,797 | $192,028 | 3.4% |
| 72 | Milford | 3,311 | $63,369 | $282,820 | 4.2% |
| 73 | Wellman | 1,454 | $57,560 | $236,782 | 0.6% |
| 74 | Garner | 3,049 | $70,726 | $225,771 | 1.9% |
| 75 | Kingsley | 1,472 | $72,841 | $254,005 | 0.5% |
| 76 | De Soto | 1,041 | $97,109 | $258,338 | 3.2% |
| 77 | Waukon | 3,792 | $60,269 | $232,216 | 3.0% |
| 78 | Vinton | 4,948 | $66,495 | $236,812 | 2.5% |
| 79 | Greenfield | 1,894 | $56,607 | $182,364 | 0.3% |
| 80 | Graettinger | 1,096 | $82,417 | $161,194 | 0.6% |
| 81 | Pleasantville | 1,899 | $67,614 | $266,737 | 2.1% |
| 82 | Eddyville | 1,163 | $61,480 | $185,222 | 0.4% |
| 83 | Larchwood | 1,136 | $67,188 | $335,847 | 1.8% |
| 84 | Britt | 1,882 | $72,943 | $154,655 | 2.4% |
| 85 | Lone Tree | 1,218 | $90,625 | $249,015 | 2.7% |
| 86 | New London | 2,338 | $77,560 | $185,395 | 2.6% |
| 87 | Traer | 1,519 | $76,406 | $176,010 | 3.5% |
| 88 | Nora Springs | 1,363 | $78,594 | $185,392 | 0.6% |
| 89 | Lake Park | 1,184 | $74,500 | $239,615 | 1.6% |
| 90 | Harlan | 4,891 | $57,488 | $202,951 | 4.8% |
| 91 | Monticello | 4,071 | $70,015 | $237,550 | 0.8% |
| 92 | West Liberty | 3,776 | $69,345 | $219,903 | 2.0% |
| 93 | Colfax | 2,210 | $79,318 | $191,271 | 4.0% |
| 94 | Avoca | 1,444 | $73,056 | $234,203 | 1.3% |
| 95 | Glidden | 1,169 | $68,333 | $166,947 | 3.0% |
| 96 | Manning | 1,533 | $72,831 | $141,880 | 0.7% |
| 97 | Monona | 1,531 | $74,286 | $230,509 | 0.9% |
| 98 | Walcott | 1,725 | $78,580 | $282,804 | 3.6% |
| 99 | Cresco | 3,908 | $60,608 | $201,240 | 1.2% |
| 100 | La Porte City | 2,071 | $70,500 | $230,497 | 1.8% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 via Saturday Night Science. 194 Iowa towns between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones
We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these small towns in Iowa are the best in which to live.
And who can argue with that?
The best small towns in Iowa are Solon, University Heights, Ely, Atkins, Gilbert, Walford, Denver, Treynor, Peosta, and Le Claire.
