ArmstrongIowaPopPlot, 2021
Armstrong’s story
143 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1883Armstrong is settled
ArmstrongIA
A town of 828, settled in 1883.
Population
828
2025 Census estimate · −4.9% since 2020
Typical home
$166K
+5.7% in a year
Household income
$58K
median
Median age
55.5
years
Jobs based here
297
Balanced
Is Armstrong a good place to live?
Armstrong has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
828 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Armstrong: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Armstrong, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterArmstrong Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Armstrong’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 hereEmmet County AuditorEmmet County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2026
ZIP code5051450514 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 Armstrong.
Schools
The schools Armstrong’s kids attend
The North Union Community School District runs its public schools. Its one school is below. Enrollment at Armstrong’s public school: 170 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Union High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 170 | B |
NCES · EDFacts
Housing
Zillow puts the typical Armstrong home at about $166K
Home values are up 5.7% over the year to September 2026. Armstrong: just over four in five households own their home, where Iowa’s towns sit at 70% and U.S. towns at 73%.
$166KZillow home value
Typical home value
Armstrong$166K
Iowa$237K
+5.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
40″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–27°
Spring35–56°
Summer59–81°
Fall38–59°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most of Armstrong’s workers commute out: the town has 0.8 jobs for each of them
Armstrong: 5.4% of residents live below the poverty line, below both Iowa’s towns (11%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Commuting out is the norm here: 16% of working residents work locally. Jobs in Armstrong grew by 56 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 297. The top destinations are Estherville (14%), Fairmont (7%) and Emmetsburg (6%).
16%work in town
| Armstrong | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.4% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Armstrong16%
Estherville14%
Fairmont7%
Emmetsburg6%
Bancroft4%
17 mi
median commute distance
297
jobs based in Armstrong
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, more of Armstrong’s adults have high blood pressure
For adults in Armstrong, the share who report frequent mental distress is 15%. Only 4 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Armstrong. Of 32 CDC measures, Armstrong beats the Iowa average on 7 and trails it on 7.
| Armstrong | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 35% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 81% | 78% | 79% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
7 better18 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Armstrong | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.2% | 9.4% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 5.1% | 6.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.6% | 8.7% |
Mayo Clinic Health System - Fairmont
16.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: moderate risk in Armstrong, mostly drought
Armstrong’s risk rating from FEMA comes in at 56 of 100. Expected losses in Armstrong break down as 39% from drought and 29% from cold waves. Also worth knowing: households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
56risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtCold wavesInland flooding
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
0% of Armstrong is conserved land
There are 0.3 miles of trail across 1 park or preserve. One park or preserve covers 3 acres in Armstrong.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 563 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Armstrong City Park | 0.1 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Armstrong
18pages on Armstrong
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Armstrong; the nearest are
Iowa Lakes Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Estherville17.7 mi$7,392 in-state tuitionMinnesota State University-MankatoUniversity or college · Public · Mankato, MN57.3 mi$9,572 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Armstrong residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Armstrong
City in Iowa, United States
Armstrong is a city in Emmet County, Iowa, United States. The population was 875 at the 2020 census. It was originally known as Armstrong Grove.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,250 ft
- ZIP code
- 50514
- Area code
- 712
Questions about Armstrong
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Armstrong, IA a good place to live?
Armstrong has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Armstrong, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including John F. Thorson and Paul F. Grendler.