Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,198, settled in 1888.
The best of Arnolds Park’s subject grades are an A− for schools and an A+ for the outdoors; the weakest is a C− for hazard risk. No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a higher median age than Arnolds Park. 24% of the land in Arnolds Park is conserved, above both Iowa’s towns (3.1%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). No town in Iowa scores higher than Arnolds Park on the outdoors. Pillsbury Point State Park and Gerome Clark House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Arnolds Park has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Arnolds Park beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Arnolds Park is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1856.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Arnolds Park, 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 Arnolds Park.
The median rent in Arnolds Park is $485 a month. The typical Arnolds Park home is worth about $457,000, up 1.3% in a year, 93% above the Iowa typical home. 91% of Arnolds Park households own their home.
| Arnolds Park | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 91% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $485 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
People 65 and older are 52% of residents (18% statewide); children under 18 are 4% of residents (23% statewide). 39% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.5 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Arnolds Park | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 3.3% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 0.9% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0.4% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.7% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6.5% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.2% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 22.6% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 28.3% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 23.2% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.4% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.2% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.3% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 29% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.1% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,200, single groups can be off by several points
Most working residents leave Arnolds Park for work: only 7% work in town. Arnolds Park’s average trip to work is 17 minutes. Since 2013, Arnolds Park has added 189 jobs, to 663 in 2023.
| Arnolds Park | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 6.8% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 6% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $87,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Among 140 Iowa towns, just 4 have a higher trail density than Arnolds Park. The biggest park or preserve is Spring Run Complex Waterfowl Production Area, at 74 acres. 3.8 miles of trail in 10 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Spring Run Complex Waterfowl Production Area | — | 74 |
| 2. Lower Gar Lake Complex | 0.1 mi | 48 |
| 3. Arnolds Park | 0.2 mi | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
12% of adults report frequent mental distress in Arnolds Park.
| Arnolds Park | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 32% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 35% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 21% | 23% |
| What stands out | Arnolds Park | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.9% | 12% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13.7% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Arnolds Park has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 7° and about 38 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
1 within 15 miles of the center of Arnolds Park
About 2 of every 100 Arnolds Park residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Where Arnolds Park’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Iowa, United States
Arnolds Park is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,110 in the 2020 census, a decline from the 1,162 population in the 2000 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.