2004 · IAMap-doton-Roland · Wikimedia Commons
Roland’s story
Roland in pictures
1 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
Explore the history →RolandIA
A town of 1,559. Public schools that outperform most of Iowa.
Population
1,559
+6.1% since 2010
Typical home
$267K
+4.8% in a year
Household income
$79K
median
Median age
39.4
years
Jobs based here
157
A commuter town
What makes Roland stand out
The 2 things Roland does most differently from other towns.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Roland for work
Where Roland’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
157jobs based in Roland
2%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Roland’s report card
Now in Roland
What neighbors are saying. Town Square →
Residents weigh in
Live in Roland? Is an A for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Roland’s Town Square.
TT Weaver · 2d · Town talk
Local History Surprise
I was just reading about the founding of our town and I stumbled upon something that caught my eye - Roland is part of the Ames, Iowa Metropolitan…
Or start one of these
Weather
Forecast →70°
Rain and Fog/Mist
H 66° · L 48°
Local news
All →Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Roland. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Roland’s public schools outperform 91% of Iowa districts
The public schools Roland’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 91% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
ASchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roland-Story Middle School | 5–8 | 331 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduationAll 1 schools →
Health
Healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Roland beats the Iowa average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
A−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Iowa
10 better21 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Roland | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.4% | 11.6% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.3% | 7.3% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 73.9% | 77.8% |
Mary Greeley Medical Center
10.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
85th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Roland
Most working residents leave Roland for work: only 2% work in town. The top destinations are Ames (32%), Story City (19%) and Des Moines (4%). Half commute less than 12 miles.
2%work in town
Where working residents work
In Roland2%
Ames32%
Story City19%
Des Moines4%
Nevada3%
12 mi
median commute distance
157
jobs based in Roland
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Roland has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 31 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–31°
Spring38–59°
Summer61–82°
Fall40–61°
Oct 8
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Housing
A typical Roland home is worth about $267K
The typical Roland home is worth about $267,000, up 4.8% in a year, 11% above the Iowa typical home.
$267KZillow home value
Typical home value
Roland$267K
Iowa$240K
+4.8%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 51% of U.S. communities.
51risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
8
paid flood claims since 2008
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Outdoors
0% of Roland is conserved land
0.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 748 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Erickson Park | — | 9 |
| 2. Britson Park and Athletic Complex | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
About Roland
City in Iowa, United States
Roland is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,362 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
- 1,362
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,024 ft
- ZIP code
- 50236
- Area code
- 515
More about Roland
Still missing for Roland:a photo of Rolandupcoming events