Watson's Grocery · National Register of Historic Places
State Center’s story
State Center in pictures
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
State CenterIA
A town of 1,412. Public schools that outperform most of Iowa.
Photo: Robert Stinnett · CC BY 2.0
Population
1,412
−5.2% since 2010
Typical home
$312K
+20.2% in a year
Household income
$84K
median
Median age
40.7
years
Jobs based here
373
A commuter town
What makes State Center stand out
The 3 things State Center does most differently from other towns.
Small town
1,412 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
State Center’s report card
Now in State Center
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in State Center? Is an A− for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in State Center’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in State Center. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
State Center’s public schools outperform 81% of Iowa districts
The public schools State Center’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 81% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
A−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Marshall Elementary School | PK–5 | 412 | B− |
| West Marshall Middle School | 6–8 | 213 | A− |
| West Marshall High School | 9–12 | 292 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduationAll 3 schools →
Work & commute
About one in ten working residents works right in State Center
Most working residents leave State Center for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Marshalltown (19%), Ames (13%) and Des Moines (5%). Half commute less than 23 miles.
10%work in town
Where working residents work
In State Center10%
Marshalltown19%
Ames13%
Des Moines5%
Nevada4%
23 mi
median commute distance
373
jobs based in State Center
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
A typical State Center home is worth about $312K
The typical State Center home is worth about $312,000, up 20.2% in a year, 30% above the Iowa typical home.
$312KZillow home value
Typical home value
State Center$312K
Iowa$240K
+20.2%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
State Center has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 31 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–31°
Spring38–59°
Summer61–82°
Fall40–61°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 24
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 39% of U.S. communities.
39risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Health
Healthier than 51% of U.S. towns
State Center beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
B−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better31 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | State Center | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.5% | 11.6% |
Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown
13.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
46th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
0% of State Center is conserved land
0.0 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 631 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brookside Park | — | 6 |
| 2. Kaufman City Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Rose Garden of State Center | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
A commuter town
90% of working residents leave State Center for work
Where State Center’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
373jobs based in State Center
10%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About State Center
City in Iowa, United States
State Center is a city in Marshall County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,391 at the time of the 2020 census. State Center is known as the Rose Capital of Iowa.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 1,391
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,070 ft
- ZIP code
- 50247
- Area code
- 641