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LaurelIA

A town of 278, settled in 1880.

Population
278
residents
Typical home
$270K
+18.8% in a year
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
53.6
years
Jobs based here
58
A commuter town
Small town

278 people, and everyone knows the way

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

Nearby towns

Laurel’s report card

See the data ↓

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64°
Rain
H 0° · L 56°

Upcoming events

Nothing on the calendar.

The data

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

Work & commute

Most working residents commute out of Laurel

Most working residents leave Laurel for work: only 0% work in town. The top destinations are Marshalltown (22%), Des Moines (10%) and Ames (9%). Half commute less than 35 miles.

0%work in town

Where working residents work

In Laurel0%
Marshalltown22%
Des Moines10%
Ames9%
West Des Moines5%
35 mi
median commute distance
58
jobs based in Laurel
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate

Four seasons, pleasant summers

Laurel has cold winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 28 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

28″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter15–31°
Spring38–59°
Summer61–82°
Fall40–61°
Oct 17
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards

Low risk, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 37% of U.S. communities.

37risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
37Low riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Housing

A typical Laurel home is worth about $270K

The typical Laurel home is worth about $270,000, up 18.8% in a year, 13% above the Iowa typical home.

$270KZillow home value

Typical home value

Laurel$270K
Iowa$240K
+18.8%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health

How healthy Laurel is

Laurel beats the Iowa average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.

32 measures vs. Iowa
10 better21 too close to call1 worse
What stands outLaurelIA
Fewer adults facing food insecurity7.5%12%
Fewer uninsured adults4.8%7.3%
More adults who have had cancer10.8%8.7%
Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown
11.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools

Laurel’s public schools outperform 46% of Iowa districts

The public schools Laurel’s kids attend trail 54% of Iowa’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

B−School Grade
SchoolGradesStudentsGrade
East Marshall Elementary SchoolPK–5242D−
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state testsAll 1 schools →
A commuter town

100% of working residents leave Laurel for work

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

22% → Marshalltown Marshalltown 22% 10% → Des Moines Des Moines 10% 9% → Ames Ames 9% 5% → West Des Moines West Des Moines 5% 4% → Nevada Nevada 4% 4% → Waterloo Waterloo 4% Laurel · 0% stay
58jobs based in Laurel
0%of working residents work in town
35 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Laurel

City in Iowa, United States

Laurel is a city in Marshall County, Iowa, United States. The population was 220 at the time of the 2020 census.

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

Established
1880
Population
220
Area
0.3 sq mi
Elevation
1,043 ft
ZIP code
50141

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