Cresco
What’s happening
Weather
Forecast →Upcoming events
Put the next local happening — a market, a meeting, a concert — on the map.
Local news
Headlines via Google News · Articles belong to their publishers.
The Cresco album
Outdoors in Cresco
Parks & trails →Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1908
Creston, IA, 1908
Photo · Wikimedia Commons
Landmark of the day
All 3 historic places →Kellow House
Kellow House is a historic building located in Cresco, Iowa, United States. Kellow was a native of Cornwall in England who settled in Iowa in 1854.
About Cresco
City in Iowa, United StatesCresco 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)
How Cresco ranks
All →Town numbers
Housing in Cresco
The typical Cresco home is worth about $217,000, up 9.3% in a year, 10% below the Iowa typical home.
Safety in Cresco
Not graded
A grade needs all of the FBI's latest years (2023–2025). Cresco's police department reported only 2024 and 2025, so we don't grade it yet. The figures below are still real.
Work & commute in Cresco
Full picture →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.
Health in Cresco
Health Grade B
Healthier than 58% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 83% of towns with similar incomes.
Compared with Iowa
of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 30 are too close to call.
What stands out
Care nearby
Natural hazards in Cresco
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 11% of U.S. communities.
Climate in Cresco
Full climate →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.
Schools in Cresco
All Cresco schools →School Grade B-
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.
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.
Cresco’s library
Library details →Where Cresco is
Explore map →
Location map