Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
No town among the 138 in Iowa we compare has a lower median rent than Alden. Its National Register listings include Alden Public Library and Alden Bridge. Alden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Alden beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 495 in 1880, 763 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1914 and a map from 1984 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Alden, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Alden.
Most working residents leave Alden for work: only 4% work in town. 18% of Alden residents live below the poverty line, against 11% in Iowa’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Alden’s average trip to work is 16 minutes.
| Alden | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.6% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Alden Community School District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alden Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 148 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
The typical Alden home is worth about $162,000, up 3% in a year, 32% below the Iowa typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 71% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Alden has cold winters and pleasant summers. At 83°F, Alden’s July high is where Iowa’s towns sit at 84°F and U.S. towns at 85°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Alden beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 30% of Alden adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Alden | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Alden | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Among 140 Iowa towns, just 3 have a lower share of conserved land than Alden.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Alden River Access | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Alden
About 3 of every 100 Alden residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Where Alden’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
2 places in Alden on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born in Alden.
City in Central Iowa, United States
Alden is a city in Hardin County, Iowa, United States. The population was 763 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Alden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born here, including Gordon Jones and Louis Schalk.
