Calamus Iowa 20090712 City Hall Library, 2009
Calamus’s story
168 years in pictures
Census counts: 163 in 1880, 356 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1892 on.
- 1858Calamus is settled
CalamusIA
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
346
2025 Census estimate · −2.3% since 2020
Typical home
$219K
+7.6% in a year
Household income
$68K
median
Median age
39.3
years
Jobs based here
84
A commuter town
Is Calamus a good place to live?
Calamus’ average trip to work is 38 minutes, above both Iowa’s towns (19 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Among 141 Iowa towns, just 3 have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Calamus. Calamus has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Calamus stand out
Where Calamus beats most towns.
Small town
346 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 Calamus: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Calamus, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCalamus Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Calamus’ 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 hereClinton County AuditorClinton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5272952729 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 Calamus.
Work & commute
Calamus has 0.5 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Calamus for work: only 2% work in town. The top destinations are Davenport (22%), DeWitt (11%) and Clinton (8%). Half commute less than 21 miles.
2%work in town
| Calamus | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.5% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $68,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Calamus2%
Davenport22%
DeWitt11%
Clinton8%
Bettendorf6%
21 mi
median commute distance
84
jobs based in Calamus
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Calamus
Calamus has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 13° and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–33°
Spring39–60°
Summer62–82°
Fall41–62°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
More of Calamus’ adults have high blood pressure than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
41% of Calamus adults have high blood pressure, where Iowa’s towns sit at 35% and U.S. towns at 35%. 14% of adults have diabetes in Calamus. Calamus beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8.
| Calamus | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 12% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better23 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Calamus | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.1% | 77.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 9% | 6.9% |
Mercyone Genesis Dewitt Medical Center
11 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Calamus faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 58% of U.S. communities.
58risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Calamus stands out in Iowa and nationally, with more of its households who own their home
91% of Calamus households own their home. Typical home values rose 7.6% in the year to September 2026.
$219KZillow home value
Typical home value
Calamus$219K
Iowa$237K
+7.6%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Calamus
16pages on Calamus
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Calamus; the nearest are
Saint Ambrose UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Davenport21.8 mi$36,658 tuitionEastern Iowa Community College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Davenport23.1 mi$4,848 in-state tuitionUniversity of IowaUniversity or college · Public · Iowa City41.6 mi$11,283 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Calamus residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Calamus for work
Where Calamus’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
84jobs based in Calamus
2%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Calamus
City in Iowa, United States
Calamus () is a small town in Clinton County, Iowa, United States, located on the historical Lincoln Highway, which was the first transcontinental highway for automobiles across the U.S.. Calamus is the only town in Olive Township and had a population of 356 at the 2020 census, which was a 9.6% decrease from 2000. Calamus was named after Calamus Creek, which received its name from the great quantities of sweet flag growing in it, derived from the botanical name Acorus calamus, commonly called Sweet Flag or Calamus.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1858
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 699 ft
- ZIP code
- 52729
Questions about Calamus
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Calamus, IA a good place to live?
Calamus has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.