1936 · Corner bedroom in Clifford Blum's farmhouse near Terril, Iowa · Library of Congress
Terril’s story
Terril in pictures
2 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
TerrilIA
A town of 290. Public schools that outperform most of Iowa.
Population
290
residents
Typical home
$186K
−1% in a year
Household income
$44K
median
Median age
45.0
years
Jobs based here
56
A commuter town
What makes Terril stand out
The 2 things Terril does most differently from other towns.
Small town
290 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Terril’s report card
Now in Terril
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Terril? Is a C− for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Terril’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →57°
Cloudy
H 66° · L 61°
Local news
All →- Everly Woman Charged in Personal Injury Accidentnorthwestiowanow.com · Aug 4
- Terril Under Boil Water Advisory Through Saturday Following Water System Worknorthwestiowanow.com · Jul 16
- USDA Drought Monitor Shows Little Change Across Northwest Iowanorthwestiowanow.com · Jul 16
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Terril. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Terril’s public schools outperform 18% of Iowa districts
The public schools Terril’s kids attend trail 82% of Iowa’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
C−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graettinger-Terril Elementary School | PK–5 | 149 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state testsAll 1 schools →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Terril
Most working residents leave Terril for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Milford (24%), Spirit Lake (19%) and Arnolds Park (7%). Half commute less than 11 miles.
1%work in town
Where working residents work
In Terril1%
Milford24%
Spirit Lake19%
Arnolds Park7%
Spencer7%
11 mi
median commute distance
56
jobs based in Terril
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
A typical Terril home is worth about $186K
The typical Terril home is worth about $186,000, down 1% in a year, 22% below the Iowa typical home.
$186KZillow home value
Typical home value
Terril$186K
Iowa$240K
−1%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Terril has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 38 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–27°
Spring35–56°
Summer59–81°
Fall37–59°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Health
How healthy Terril is
Terril beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better31 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Terril | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults seeing a dentist | 70.4% | 66.8% |
Avera Holy Family Hospital
9.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities.
57risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Terril for work
Where Terril’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
56jobs based in Terril
1%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Terril
5 notable people were born in Terril.
About Terril
City in Iowa, USA
Terril is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 334 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 334
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,434 ft
- ZIP code
- 51364
More about Terril
Still missing for Terril:a photo of Terrilupcoming events