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Downtown Carson, Iowa

CarsonIA

A town of 834, settled in 1881.

Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
834
−5.7% since 2010
Typical home
$261K
+3.7% in a year
Household income
$73K
median
Median age
41.8
years
Jobs based here
78
A commuter town
Small town

834 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns

Carson’s report card

See the data ↓

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79°
Partly Cloudy
H 0° · L 60°

Upcoming events

Nothing on the calendar.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Carson. Another town gets a different order.

Work & commute

Most working residents commute out of Carson

Most working residents leave Carson for work: only 2% work in town. The top destinations are Council Bluffs (21%), Omaha (16%) and Oakland (10%). Half commute less than 24 miles.

2%work in town

Where working residents work

In Carson2%
Council Bluffs21%
Omaha16%
Oakland10%
Des Moines2%
24 mi
median commute distance
78
jobs based in Carson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate

Four seasons, pleasant summers

Carson has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 28 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

28″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter16–35°
Spring39–62°
Summer62–84°
Fall41–64°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Health

How healthy Carson is

Carson beats the Iowa average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.

32 measures vs. Iowa
3 better28 too close to call1 worse
What stands outCarsonIA
Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off5.1%6.4%
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity7.6%9.4%
More adults who have had cancer10.1%8.7%
Montgomery County Memorial Hospital
18.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools

Carson’s public schools outperform 43% of Iowa districts

The public schools Carson’s kids attend trail 57% of Iowa’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

C+School Grade
SchoolGradesStudentsGrade
Carson Elementary3–5134C
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state testsAll 1 schools →
Housing

A typical Carson home is worth about $261K

The typical Carson home is worth about $261,000, up 3.7% in a year, 9% above the Iowa typical home.

$261KZillow home value

Typical home value

Carson$261K
Iowa$240K
+3.7%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards

Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 56% of U.S. communities.

56risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
56Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Outdoors

0% of Carson is conserved land

0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.

0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 416 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Millstone Park—9
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
A commuter town

98% of working residents leave Carson for work

Where Carson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

21% → Council Bluffs Council Bluffs 21% 16% → Omaha Omaha 16% 10% → Oakland Oakland 10% 2% → Des Moines Des Moines 2% 2% → Griswold Griswold 2% 2% → Bellevue Bellevue 2% Carson · 2% stay
78jobs based in Carson
2%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Carson

City in Iowa, USA

Official town website ↗

Carson is a city in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The population was 766 at the 2020 census. Carson has a number of interesting and historic places.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established
1881
Population
766
Area
0.7 sq mi
Elevation
1,152 ft
ZIP code
51525

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Photo of Carson

Carson, IA · Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗