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IAIowa rankings

Towns with the shortest commutes in Iowa

Ranked by the average one-way travel time to work for residents who commute. 143 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Iowa · Shortest commute

Waterloo ranks #41 of 143

15.9 min average one-way commute · Visit Waterloo →

Waterloo ranks #41 of 143 for shortest commute in Iowa
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1 Storm Lake 10.1 min Median income $62,765 2 Orange City 10.2 min Median income $82,122 3 Atlantic 10.8 min Median income $61,141
#TownAverage commuteMedian incomePopulation
1 Storm Lake11,428 people 10.1 min $62,765 11,428
2 Orange City6,426 people 10.2 min $82,122 6,426
3 Atlantic6,763 people 10.8 min $61,141 6,763
4 Map of Garner Garner3,049 people 11 min $70,726 3,049
5 Algona5,377 people 11.2 min $56,040 5,377
6 Sioux Center8,454 people 11.7 min $92,983 8,454
7 Map of Carroll Carroll10,208 people 11.8 min $69,706 10,208
8 Forest City4,290 people 12.1 min $69,205 4,290
9 Grinnell9,505 people 12.3 min $65,320 9,505
10 Map of Creston Creston7,435 people 12.3 min $52,633 7,435
11 Cherokee5,154 people 12.4 min $61,750 5,154
12 Denison8,260 people 12.7 min $65,684 8,260
13 Decorah7,535 people 12.8 min $64,366 7,535
14 Map of Rock Rapids Rock Rapids2,661 people 12.8 min $63,942 2,661
15 Clarion2,770 people 13.1 min $64,625 2,770
16 Map of Fairfield Fairfield9,456 people 13.2 min $51,311 9,456
17 Map of Spirit Lake Spirit Lake5,518 people 13.4 min $65,720 5,518
18 Map of Sergeant Bluff Sergeant Bluff5,171 people 13.4 min $123,481 5,171
19 Rock Valley4,059 people 13.4 min $76,250 4,059
20 Mason City Mason City27,050 people 13.5 min $64,804 27,050
21 Pella10,720 people 13.7 min $84,111 10,720
22 Harlan4,891 people 13.7 min $57,488 4,891
23 Cedar Falls40,888 people 14 min $76,987 40,888
24 Mount Pleasant8,951 people 14 min $61,042 8,951
25 Manchester5,191 people 14.2 min $61,191 5,191
26 Emmetsburg3,648 people 14.2 min $55,833 3,648
27 Map of Centerville Centerville5,372 people 14.4 min $46,563 5,372
28 Map of Windsor Heights Windsor Heights5,143 people 14.4 min $91,707 5,143
29 Sibley Sibley2,803 people 14.4 min $55,070 2,803
30 Dubuque59,174 people 14.6 min $65,845 59,174
31 Shenandoah4,892 people 14.6 min $59,783 4,892
32 Iowa Falls5,038 people 15 min $50,417 5,038
33 Evansdale4,518 people 15.1 min $60,397 4,518
34 Charles City7,232 people 15.2 min $59,180 7,232
35 New Hampton New Hampton3,453 people 15.3 min $62,870 3,453
36 Hawarden Hawarden2,658 people 15.4 min $74,167 2,658
37 Ames Ames67,669 people 15.6 min $60,991 67,669
38 Robins3,332 people 15.6 min $122,262 3,332
39 Chariton4,242 people 15.7 min $46,979 4,242
40 Spencer11,400 people 15.8 min $59,667 11,400
41 Waterloo67,008 people 15.9 min $57,480 67,008
42 Hiawatha7,206 people 15.9 min $66,270 7,206
43 Map of Oskaloosa Oskaloosa11,504 people 16 min $64,004 11,504
44 Map of Keokuk Keokuk9,662 people 16 min $52,711 9,662
45 Burlington23,728 people 16.1 min $59,000 23,728
46 Clarinda5,353 people 16.2 min $46,348 5,353
47 Map of Muscatine Muscatine23,489 people 16.3 min $58,117 23,489
48 Le Mars10,640 people 16.3 min $74,701 10,640
49 Asbury5,989 people 16.4 min $124,957 5,989
50 West Liberty West Liberty3,776 people 16.5 min $69,345 3,776
51 Sheldon5,474 people 16.6 min $62,159 5,474
52 Waukon3,792 people 16.7 min $60,269 3,792
53 Map of Postville Postville2,979 people 16.9 min $49,485 2,979
54 Dyersville4,423 people 17 min $83,559 4,423
55 Map of Hudson Hudson2,699 people 17.1 min $120,481 2,699
56 Marshalltown Marshalltown27,626 people 17.2 min $69,068 27,626
57 Waverly10,494 people 17.2 min $80,284 10,494
58 Osage3,561 people 17.2 min $68,730 3,561
59 Iowa City75,752 people 17.3 min $58,546 75,752
60 Sioux City86,101 people 17.5 min $68,906 86,101
61 Saylorville3,366 people 17.5 min $117,821 3,366
62 Map of Ottumwa Ottumwa25,430 people 17.8 min $61,103 25,430
63 Cresco3,908 people 17.8 min $60,608 3,908
64 West Burlington3,189 people 17.8 min $48,542 3,189
65 Council Bluffs Council Bluffs62,586 people 17.9 min $64,578 62,586
66 Nevada6,983 people 18 min $75,094 6,983
67 Map of Humboldt Humboldt4,771 people 18.2 min $74,500 4,771
68 West Des Moines71,083 people 18.3 min $86,594 71,083
69 Webster City7,769 people 18.3 min $63,430 7,769
70 Onawa Onawa2,839 people 18.4 min $62,143 2,839
71 Cedar Rapids137,264 people 18.6 min $70,424 137,264
72 Clear Lake7,607 people 18.6 min $79,415 7,607
73 Map of Kalona Kalona2,692 people 18.6 min $80,129 2,692
74 Map of Washington Washington7,290 people 18.8 min $55,373 7,290
75 Urbandale46,595 people 18.9 min $112,795 46,595
76 Clinton Clinton24,322 people 18.9 min $60,230 24,322
77 Monticello4,071 people 18.9 min $70,015 4,071
78 Map of Fort Dodge Fort Dodge24,827 people 19 min $60,649 24,827
79 Hampton4,306 people 19 min $47,088 4,306
80 Marion41,896 people 19.2 min $86,743 41,896
81 Boone12,424 people 19.2 min $69,222 12,424
82 Coralville23,234 people 19.3 min $69,144 23,234
83 Map of Davenport Davenport100,913 people 19.4 min $66,200 100,913
84 Map of Eldridge Eldridge6,818 people 19.4 min $106,316 6,818
85 Milford3,311 people 19.4 min $63,369 3,311
86 Des Moines212,421 people 19.5 min $65,932 212,421
87 Eldora2,617 people 19.5 min $77,188 2,617
88 Grimes16,366 people 19.6 min $120,037 16,366
89 Johnston24,384 people 19.7 min $106,551 24,384
90 Bettendorf39,647 people 19.8 min $100,495 39,647
91 Waukee29,236 people 19.8 min $101,029 29,236
92 Tama3,051 people 20.2 min $68,661 3,051
93 Marengo2,725 people 20.2 min $57,941 2,725
94 Independence6,164 people 20.3 min $73,806 6,164
95 Map of Solon Solon3,152 people 20.3 min $113,295 3,152
96 Osceola5,523 people 20.6 min $68,284 5,523
97 Map of Williamsburg Williamsburg3,360 people 20.6 min $58,059 3,360
98 Map of Clive Clive19,012 people 20.7 min $132,121 19,012
99 Map of Mount Vernon Mount Vernon4,513 people 20.7 min $112,656 4,513
100 Red Oak5,510 people 20.9 min $50,109 5,510
101 Ankeny72,615 people 21.1 min $108,198 72,615
102 Map of Vinton Vinton4,948 people 21.1 min $66,495 4,948
103 Estherville5,839 people 21.5 min $54,124 5,839
104 Map of Norwalk Norwalk14,183 people 21.6 min $102,722 14,183
105 Indianola16,044 people 21.8 min $75,453 16,044
106 Adel Adel6,430 people 21.8 min $95,250 6,430
107 Le Claire4,735 people 21.8 min $104,844 4,735
108 Tiffin5,737 people 22.1 min $100,952 5,737
109 Pleasant Hill11,136 people 22.2 min $90,508 11,136
110 Jefferson4,152 people 22.2 min $58,895 4,152
111 Fairfax2,900 people 22.2 min $114,375 2,900
112 Newton Newton15,700 people 22.3 min $57,771 15,700
113 Bondurant8,560 people 22.3 min $135,674 8,560
114 Camanche4,550 people 22.3 min $64,153 4,550
115 Glenwood5,144 people 22.4 min $71,790 5,144
116 Map of Altoona Altoona21,495 people 22.5 min $86,114 21,495
117 Maquoketa6,075 people 22.5 min $60,240 6,075
118 Map of Bloomfield Bloomfield2,742 people 22.5 min $60,769 2,742
119 Map of Carter Lake Carter Lake3,767 people 22.7 min $85,349 3,767
120 Wilton2,920 people 22.7 min $76,648 2,920
121 Map of Oelwein Oelwein5,834 people 22.8 min $46,653 5,834
122 Eagle Grove3,593 people 22.8 min $63,125 3,593
123 Map of Knoxville Knoxville7,473 people 23 min $61,599 7,473
124 Jesup2,561 people 23 min $89,408 2,561
125 Map of Fort Madison Fort Madison10,133 people 23.1 min $50,705 10,133
126 Map of Story City Story City3,398 people 23.4 min $96,605 3,398
127 Map of Mitchellville Mitchellville2,579 people 23.8 min $81,172 2,579
128 Map of Winterset Winterset5,416 people 23.9 min $67,708 5,416
129 West Branch2,594 people 23.9 min $92,209 2,594
130 Map of DeWitt DeWitt5,546 people 24 min $92,587 5,546
131 Map of Belmond Belmond2,694 people 24.2 min $56,528 2,694
132 Polk City6,037 people 24.3 min $164,389 6,037
133 Missouri Valley2,666 people 24.4 min $71,818 2,666
134 North Liberty21,125 people 24.6 min $102,102 21,125
135 Perry7,985 people 24.8 min $68,910 7,985
136 Map of Albia Albia3,663 people 25.7 min $70,455 3,663
137 Tipton3,106 people 25.7 min $61,115 3,106
138 Huxley4,544 people 25.8 min $112,094 4,544
139 Grundy Center2,809 people 26.1 min $80,357 2,809
140 Map of Carlisle Carlisle4,255 people 26.2 min $109,191 4,255
141 Madrid2,808 people 26.7 min $89,844 2,808
142 Center Point2,562 people 26.8 min $95,192 2,562
143 Anamosa5,629 people 27.4 min $60,650 5,629

How this ranking works

We rank every town by the average one-way travel time to work for residents who commute. The town with the lowest figure ranks #1. For comparison, the figure for Iowa as a whole is 19.8 min.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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