Corning is a city in Quincy and Jasper Townships, Adams County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,564 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Adams County. Corning is located just north of the intersection of U.S. Route 34 and Iowa Highway 148. Corning is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Johnny Carson. Daniel Webster Turner, who was governor of Iowa from 1931 to 1933, was born in Corning on March 17, 1877. The town is named for Erastus Corning who owned stock in the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad which reached Corning on August 23, 1869 (resulting in the local depot moving from nearby Queen City to Corning). Corning donated a church bell to the Methodist Church..…

Official town website ↗

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

Town numbers

ZIP code50841

Area code641

Living in Corning

Housing in Corning

$150K≈ same as a year ago Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Corning home is worth about $150,000, about the same as a year ago, 37% below the Iowa typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Work & commute in Corning

Full picture →

About one in 3 of Corning’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Creston (8%), Lenox (5%) and Des Moines (5%). Half commute less than 20 miles.

Creston

Lenox

Des Moines

Greenfield

31%Work in townlive and work in Corning 20 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 675Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Corning →

Health in Corning

C⁺

Health Grade C+

Healthier than 41% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 58% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Iowa

5worse than IA

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 27 are too close to call.

Conditions 5▼ 7 close Habits all close Care all close Mind all close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

15.3%More older adults who have lost all their teethIA 11.6% · worse 8%More adults with heart diseaseIA 6.6% · worse 4%More adults who have had a strokeIA 3.3% · worse

Care nearby

Chi Health - Mercy CorningCorning · 0.6 mi · ER · rural critical access

Bedford ClinicBedford · 22.5 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Corning · CMS · HRSAHealth in Corning →

Natural hazards in Corning

High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves🌵 Drought

5Does Corning flood?paid flood claims since 2008 7Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Corning

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Corning →

Climate in Corning

Full climate →

Corning has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 28 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

35° / 16°Winter

61° / 39°Spring

83° / 62°Summer

63° / 41°Fall

How much snow does Corning get?About 28 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 12, with the last in spring around Apr 27.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.9° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Corning →

Schools in Corning

All Corning schools →

C⁻

School Grade C-

The public schools Corning’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 84% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

DistrictCorning Comm School DistrictSchools2

Corning Elementary School B-Elementary · Grades PK–5 · 210 students Southwest Valley High school C-High · Grades 9–12 · 195 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within IA. Ratings are from neighbors.