2019 · Diagonal, IA · Wikimedia Commons
Diagonal’s story
Diagonal in pictures
3 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
DiagonalIA
A town of 454. Nearly 20.3% of it is conserved land.
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
454
residents
Median home value
$92K
Census ACS
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
49.2
years
Jobs based here
162
Balanced
What makes Diagonal stand out
The thing Diagonal does most differently from other towns.
Small town
454 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Diagonal’s report card
Now in Diagonal
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Diagonal? Is a B− for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Diagonal’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Diagonal. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
20.3% of Diagonal is conserved land
0.0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
20.3%conserved
20.3%
conserved · 118 of 582 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fogle Lake Park | — | 73 |
| 2. Mapleleaf Pathway | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Diagonal has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–35°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
High risk, with drought at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 67% of U.S. communities.
67risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingCold waves
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Diagonal
Most working residents leave Diagonal for work: only 9% work in town. The top destinations are Mount Ayr (10%), Creston (8%) and Des Moines (7%). Half commute less than 34 miles.
9%work in town
Where working residents work
In Diagonal9%
Mount Ayr10%
Creston8%
Des Moines7%
Lenox4%
34 mi
median commute distance
162
jobs based in Diagonal
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
How healthy Diagonal is
Diagonal beats the Iowa average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
32 measures vs. Iowa
10 better17 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Diagonal | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.4% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.7% | 8.7% |
Ringgold County Hospital
11.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools
Diagonal’s public schools outperform 52% of Iowa districts
The public schools Diagonal’s kids attend outperform 52% of Iowa’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagonal Elementary School | PK–5 | 58 | C |
| Diagonal Junior-Senior High School | 6–12 | 52 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state testsAll 2 schools →
About Diagonal
City in Iowa, USA
Diagonal is a city in northwest Ringgold County, Iowa, the United States. The population was 344 at the time of the 2020 census. The community was named for the fact that two railroads intersected diagonally near the town site.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 344
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,148 ft
- ZIP code
- 50845
More about Diagonal
Still missing for Diagonal:local news coverageupcoming events