Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Bellevue’s subject grades are an A for walkability and history and an A− for cost of living; the weakest is a C− for hazard risk. Only 16 of Iowa’s 276 towns score higher on walkability. 16% of the land in Bellevue is conserved, above both Iowa’s towns (3.1%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Its National Register listings include Dyas Hexagonal Barn and Paradise Farm. Only 8 of Iowa’s 276 towns score higher on the outdoors. Bellevue has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Bellevue beats most towns.
Census counts: 362 in 1850, 2,363 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1837 and a map from 1968 on.
14 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Bellevue is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bellevue, 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 Bellevue.
The typical Bellevue home is worth about $316,000, up 5.9% in a year, 34% above the Iowa typical home. At $843 a month, Bellevue’s median rent is where Iowa’s towns sit at $911 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. 80% of Bellevue households own their home.
| Bellevue | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 80% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $843 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Bellevue Community School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Bellevue High School, with 354 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 405 | A− |
| Bellevue High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 354 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Bellevue for work: only 19% work in town. Bellevue’s average trip to work is 17 minutes. Jobs based in Bellevue grew to 841 in 2023, 169 more than in 2013.
| Bellevue | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 31% | 8% |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 8.5% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities. Since 1993, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Bellevue.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.6 miles of trail in 10 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Bellevue State Park, at 28 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bellevue State Park | 0.1 mi | 28 |
| 2. Felderman Park | — | 13 |
| 3. Riverview Park | — | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Bellevue has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 12° and about 32 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 26% of residents (18% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (23% statewide). 25% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa. The median age in Bellevue is 42.2 years.
| Bellevue | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 26% | 19% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 26% | 23% | 22% |
| Median age | 42.2 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.7 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Bellevue | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 18% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.2% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.2% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.7% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.9% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.6% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.7% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.1% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10.6% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.8% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 25% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.9% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.3% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,300, single groups can be off by several points
Bellevue beats the Iowa average on 9 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 20% of adults binge drink in Bellevue.
| Bellevue | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 32% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| What stands out | Bellevue | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.3% | 12% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.4% | 9.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.1% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bellevue. Close and well known come first.
20 mi MountainCharles Mound11 mi MuseumChicago Athenaeum
20 mi MuseumNational Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium250K visitors a year
20 mi TheatreFive Flags Center
12 mi MuseumApple River Fort
38 mi MuseumNational Farm Toy MuseumCharles Mound: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Five Flags Center: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Apple River Fort: IvoShandor, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Farm Toy Museum: Madmaxmarchhare of English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
None within 15 miles of Bellevue; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Bellevue residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
14 places in Bellevue on the National Register of Historic Places.
One town shares a border with Bellevue.
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. That is 4.3 years of the area's median household income ($74,186 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
2 notable people were born here, including Robert D. Gaylor and Marv Felderman.
