Akron Opera House · National Register of Historic Places
Akron’s story
144 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1908.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1882Akron is settled
AkronIA
A town of 1,531, settled in 1882.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Moharris11 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,531
2025 Census estimate · −1.5% since 2020
Typical home
$234K
+6.3% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
41.2
years
Jobs based here
792
Balanced
Is Akron a good place to live?
The best of Akron’s subject grades are an A for cost of living, schools, and civic life; the weakest is a C for incomes. On the outdoors, just 9 of Iowa’s 276 towns do worse. Akron Opera House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Akron has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Akron stand out
Where Akron beats most towns.
Typical home value
Akron$234K
Iowa$237K
Cost of livingA
2.8 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 94% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Akron Westfield Comm School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Akron Westfield Elementary School | PK–5 | 258 |
| Akron Westfield Middle School | 6–8 | 130 |
| Akron Westfield Senior High School | 9–12 | 188 |
SchoolsA
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
How Akron grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Akron is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →SchoolsAOpen →Jobs & income$66K median household incomeCOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →HealthHawarden Regional Healthcare 12.5 miles awayBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.5 of 20; 4.2% of households have no car; 3.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksDOpen →History1 place on the National Register; 2 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life7.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Akron: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Akron, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of AkronEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Akron water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Akron’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePlymouth County AuditorPlymouth County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5100151001 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Akron.
SchoolsA
Akron’s schools rank ahead of 94% of Iowa districts
Its three schools are below. Public schools: the Akron Westfield Community School District. 3 public schools serve Akron, with 576 students in all.
94%of IA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron Westfield Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 258 | A |
| Akron Westfield Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 188 | B− |
| Akron Westfield Middle SchoolTop results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 130 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
Who lives here
Akron stands out in Iowa and nationally, with more of its residents who are 65 or older
Among adults 25 and older, 23% have a four-year degree or more, against 31% across Iowa. In Akron, the median age is 41.2 years, where Iowa’s towns sit at 38.7 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. Nearly a quarter of Akron residents are under 18.
41.2median age · IA 38.6
| Akron | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 30% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 23% | 25% | 29% |
| Median age | 41.2 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
AkronIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school40%
Some college19%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate5%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.7 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Akron | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.3% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.3% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.9% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.7% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.3% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.7% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 15.7% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 39.6% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.3% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.2% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.4% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.5% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,500, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
The climate in Akron brings four seasons and pleasant summers
In July, afternoons reach 85°; in January, nights fall to 9°, and about 37 inches of snow falls in a winter.
37″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–31°
Spring36–59°
Summer61–83°
Fall38–61°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
About one in six working residents works right in Akron
Jobs based in Akron grew to 792 in 2023, 111 more than in 2013. Commuting out is the norm in the town: 18% of working residents work locally. In Akron, the mean commuting time is 24 minutes, above the Iowa town median (19 minutes) and near the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Half commute less than 21 miles.
18%work in town
| Akron | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 18% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $66,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Akron18%
Le Mars19%
Sioux City14%
Hawarden4%
Orange City3%
21 mi
median commute distance
792
jobs based in Akron
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 45% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB
On CDC estimates, Akron is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns
Among adults in Akron, 17% say their health is fair or poor. Two figures for adults in the town: 30% sleep under 7 hours, 19% have been diagnosed with depression.
61%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Akron | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 38% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Akron | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 8.7% |
Hawarden Regional Healthcare
12.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Akron faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Akron after 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. On expected storm and flood damage, Akron sits above 62% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 40% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 19% to hail. The national flood insurance program has paid 9 claims in the town since 2010.
62risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHailTornadoes
9
paid flood claims since 2010
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A
The typical home in Akron is valued at about $234K
Among 138 Iowa towns, just 8 have a lower typical rent than Akron. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 6.3%.
$234KZillow home value
| Akron | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $710 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Akron$234K
Iowa$237K
+6.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Akron
18pages on Akron
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Akron; the nearest are
University of South DakotaUniversity or college · Public · Vermillion, SD18.9 mi$9,432 in-state tuitionWestern Iowa Tech Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Sioux City26 mi$5,186 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Akron residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Akron
City in Plymouth County, Iowa, United States
Akron is a city in Plymouth County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,558 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,152 ft
- ZIP code
- 51001
- Area code
- 712
Akron’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Akron.
Sioux Valley TownshipAkron
Questions about Akron
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Akron, IA expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
What is Akron, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Krystal Gabel and Jay B. Stephens.