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Athelstan, IAPhoto: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Athelstan handbook

Living in Athelstan, IA: what to set up and who to call

Athelstan has no town government of its own, so Taylor County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Bedford Community School District. The nearest emergency room is Ringgold County Hospital, 18.8 miles away.

Which school will my kid attend?How do I register to vote?ZIP codes
Athelstan has no town government. It’s a census-designated place in Taylor County, so the county and regional agencies provide most services. This page answers what we can; the same answers appear on Athelstan’s town page under “Getting set up”.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Athelstan, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

PowerMidAmerican Energyinvestor-owned utility · 11.2¢/kWhMore →Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsMore →Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Athelstan’s trash rules yetMore →SchoolBedford Community School DistrictWhich school depends on grade and addressMore →Register to voteOnlineRules from vote.govMore →ZIP code50836Where people live, not P.O. boxesMore →
Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Athelstan.

Electricity

Power comes from MidAmerican Energy

MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Athelstan. Its homes paid an average of 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025, about $93 a month (its average across Iowa).

Start or move service: midamericanenergy.com · (888) 427-5632

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Internet

2 home internet providers serve Athelstan

100% of 7 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
Grand River Mutual TelephoneFiber100%1,000/1,000
NextlinkFixed wireless14%400/100

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Athelstan’s trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Athelstan.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on fileAthelstan has no town government of its own, so look for trash and recycling rules on the county’s site.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Athelstan kids go to
PK–5Bedford Elementary Schoolin Bedford
6–12Bedford High Schoolin Bedford

Athelstan is in Bedford Community School District.

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

No town hall: the county runs things

Athelstan is unincorporated, so Taylor County is the local government.

Local governmentTaylor CountyAthelstan is a census-designated place: no town hall of its ownCensus
Who runs elections hereTaylor County AuditorElections here are run by Taylor County (county election office). 405 Jefferson, Bedford, IA 50833 · (712) 523-2280 · [email protected]FVAP, Jun 2023
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.govCheck your registration and polling placesos.iowa.govThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2023; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

ZIP codes & area codes

Athelstan is in ZIP code 50836

ZIP codes where Athelstan residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of AthelstanZIP’s residents in Athelstan
50836Blockton, IA100%2%

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

Getting around, the ER and the library

One line each; the subject pages have the rest.

Nearest emergency roomRinggold County Hospital18.8 miles awayGet a library cardWorth County Library510 East Ave · (660) 564-2655

ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.

Questions about living in Athelstan

Who provides electricity in Athelstan?

MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).

What internet providers serve Athelstan?

Grand River Mutual Telephone, Nextlink (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Athelstan?

50836. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Athelstan in?

Bedford Community School District.

How do I register to vote in Athelstan?

In 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). Elections here are run by the Taylor County Auditor. Check your registration at sos.iowa.gov.

Sources & dates

Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.

  • Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
  • Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
  • Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
  • Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
  • Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
  • Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.