BodeIowaPopPlot, 2021
Bode’s story
144 years in pictures
Census counts: 409 in 1900, a peak of 533 in 1940, 302 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and a map from 1980 on.
- 1882Bode is settled
BodeIA
A town of 298, settled in 1882.
Population
298
2025 Census estimate · −2.6% since 2020
Typical home
$138K
+0.7% in a year
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
38.2
years
Jobs based here
50
A commuter town
Is Bode a good place to live?
Among 138 Iowa towns, just 2 have a lower median rent than Bode. Bode has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
298 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 Bode: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bode, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBode Municipal Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bode’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 hereHumboldt County AuditorHumboldt County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code5051950519 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 Bode.
Housing
Homes in Bode are worth about $138K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Bode home is worth about $138,000, up 0.7% in a year, 42% below the Iowa typical home.
$138KZillow home value
Typical home value
Bode$138K
Iowa$237K
+0.7%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Bode’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Twin Rivers Community School District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin Rivers Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 45 | D |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
Most of Bode’s workers commute out: the town has 0.4 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Bode for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Bode has added 20 jobs, to 50 in 2023. At 25 minutes, Bode’s average trip to work is where Iowa’s towns sit at 19 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes.
3%work in town
| Bode | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.1% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Bode3%
Humboldt21%
Fort Dodge7%
Ottosen3%
Algona3%
26 mi
median commute distance
50
jobs based in Bode
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Bode has four seasons and pleasant summers
Bode has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 8° and about 39 inches of snow falls in a winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–29°
Spring36–58°
Summer60–82°
Fall38–60°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Bode is
Bode beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 43% of adults have obesity in Bode, against 38% in Iowa’s towns and 35% across U.S. towns. 19% of adults smoke cigarettes in Bode.
| Bode | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 38% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better23 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Bode | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.1% | 11.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.9% | 6.9% |
| More smokers | 18.5% | 14.5% |
Humboldt County Memorial Hospital
9.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Drought leads a moderate hazard risk in Bode
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingCold waves
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bode
16pages on Bode
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bode; the nearest are
Iowa Central Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fort Dodge26.5 mi$5,496 in-state tuitionIowa State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ames66.6 mi$10,787 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Bode residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Bode for work
Where Bode’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
50jobs based in Bode
3%of working residents work in town
26 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Bode
City in Iowa, USA
Bode is a city in Humboldt County, Iowa, United States. The population was 302 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,158 ft
- ZIP code
- 50519
Questions about Bode
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bode, IA a good place to live?
Bode has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.