Calamus Creek Bridge · National Register of Historic Places
Maxwell’s story
Maxwell in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →MaxwellIA
A town of 905. A typical home worth about $338K.
Population
905
−6.6% since 2010
Typical home
$338K
+3.7% in a year
Household income
$98K
median
Median age
34.1
years
Jobs based here
150
A commuter town
What makes Maxwell stand out
The 2 things Maxwell does most differently from other towns.
Small town
905 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Maxwell’s report card
Now in Maxwell
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Maxwell? Is a C+ for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Maxwell’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Maxwell. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
A typical Maxwell home is worth about $338K
The typical Maxwell home is worth about $338,000, up 3.7% in a year, 41% above the Iowa typical home.
$338KZillow home value
Typical home value
Maxwell$338K
Iowa$240K
+3.7%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in April
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Maxwell
Most working residents leave Maxwell for work: only 3% work in town. The top destinations are Ames (22%), Des Moines (12%) and Nevada (9%). Half commute less than 17 miles.
3%work in town
Where working residents work
In Maxwell3%
Ames22%
Des Moines12%
Nevada9%
Ankeny7%
17 mi
median commute distance
150
jobs based in Maxwell
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Maxwell has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 27 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
27″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–32°
Spring39–60°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–62°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Schools
Maxwell’s public schools outperform 36% of Iowa districts
The public schools Maxwell’s kids attend trail 64% of Iowa’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
C+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collins-Maxwell Middle/High School | 6–12 | 190 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state testsAll 1 schools →
Health
How healthy Maxwell is
Maxwell beats the Iowa average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
32 measures vs. Iowa
6 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Maxwell | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.9% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.3% | 12% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 73.8% | 77.8% |
Story County Hospital
8.1 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 →
Outdoors
2.9% of Maxwell is conserved land
0.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
2.9%conserved
2.9%
conserved · 20 of 696 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Maxwell City Park | 0.2 mi | 14 |
| 2. Legion Park | 0.1 mi | 10 |
| 3. Heart of Iowa Nature Trail | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 48% of U.S. communities.
48risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
12
paid flood claims since 1993
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Maxwell for work
Where Maxwell’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
150jobs based in Maxwell
3%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Maxwell
5 notable people were born in Maxwell.
A
Albert B. ReaganProfessor Brigham Young University, anthropologist, author · 1871–1936C
Clyde SouthwickMajor League Baseball catcher · 1886–1961R
Roy ChevilleAmerican musician · 1897–1986O
Olive A. GreeleyAssistant field director and bolometer assistant for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory · 1901–1982N
Norman ScottAmerican chemist · 1894–1948About Maxwell
City in Iowa, United States
Maxwell is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States. The population was 859 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Ames, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a part of the larger Ames-Boone, Iowa Combined Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 859
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 883 ft
- ZIP code
- 50161