1908 · Cresco, IA · Wikimedia Commons
Cresco’s story
Cresco in pictures
6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 3 places on the National Register.
- 1908Cresco, IA
- 1912Chautauqua boosters
CrescoIA
A town of 3,908. Public schools that outperform most of Iowa.
Photo: Jatakuck at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
3,908
+0.5% since 2010
Typical home
$217K
+9.3% in a year
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
38.5
years
Jobs based here
2,241
Balanced
What makes Cresco stand out
The 3 things Cresco does most differently from other towns.
Cresco’s report card
Now in Cresco
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Cresco is #142 of 143 in IA for “Longest growing season”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Cresco’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cresco. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Cresco’s public schools outperform 54% of Iowa districts
The public schools Cresco’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 54% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crestwood Elementary School | K–4 | 349 | B− |
| Notre Dame Catholic School Private | PK–5 | 166 | |
| Crestwood Middle School | 5–8 | 283 | Not graded |
| Crestwood High School | 9–12 | 346 | C+ |
| Cresco Early Childhood Development Center | PK | 43 | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduationAll 5 schools →
Housing
A typical Cresco home is worth about $217K
The typical Cresco home is worth about $217,000, up 9.3% in a year, 10% below the Iowa typical home.
$217KZillow home value
Typical home value
Cresco$217K
Iowa$240K
+9.3%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 58% of U.S. towns
Cresco beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
BHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better30 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Cresco | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.2% | 11.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 8.7% |
Regional Health Services of Howard County
0.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
55th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
0.9% of Cresco is conserved land
0.0 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves.
0.9%conserved
0.9%
conserved · 20 of 2,133 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
#51
most walkable in IA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. East Park | — | 7 |
| 2. Kessel Park | — | 6 |
| 3. Evans Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in two working residents works right in Cresco
44% of Cresco’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Decorah (7%), Cedar Rapids (2%) and Lime Springs (2%). Half commute less than 10 miles.
44%work in town
Where working residents work
In Cresco44%
Decorah7%
Cedar Rapids2%
Lime Springs2%
Waterloo2%
10 mi
median commute distance
2,241
jobs based in Cresco
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 11% of U.S. communities.
11risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Cresco has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 40 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
40″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–27°
Spring34–56°
Summer58–80°
Fall37–58°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Crime reported in Cresco
Cresco's reported crime rate is well below Iowa's. 6 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Cresco1.5
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Cresco2.1
Iowa12
U.S.15.5
6
violent crimes reported in 2025
8
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Landmarks
3 places in Cresco on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Cresco
City in Iowa, United States
Cresco is a city in Howard County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,888 at the 2020 census, down from 3,905 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Howard County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 3,888
- Area
- 3.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,293 ft
- ZIP code
- 52136
- Area code
- 563
More about Cresco
Still missing for Cresco:upcoming events