Carbon, IA, 2019
Carbon’s story
177 years in pictures
Census counts: 252 in 1880, a peak of 383 in 1940, 36 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1980 on.
- 1849Carbon is settled
CarbonIA
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
33
2025 Census estimate · +0% since 2020
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
66.8
years
Land area
1 sq mi
Is Carbon a good place to live?
30% of residents live below the poverty line in Carbon, above both Iowa’s towns (11%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Carbon. Carbon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Carbon stand out
Where Carbon beats most towns.
Small town
33 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 Carbon: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Carbon, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Carbon’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 hereAdams County AuditorAdams County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5083950839 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 Carbon.
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Carbon
Carbon has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 13° and about 28 inches of snow falls in a winter.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–35°
Spring39–62°
Summer62–84°
Fall40–64°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Carbon faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by drought
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Carbon
14pages on Carbon
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Carbon; the nearest are
Southwestern Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Creston23.2 mi$8,064 in-state tuitionNorthwest Missouri State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Maryville, MO48.3 mi$10,611 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Carbon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Carbon
City in Iowa, United States
Carbon is a city in Douglas Township, Adams County, Iowa, United States. The population was 36 at the 2020 census. Other places in Iowa have been named Carbon: there was a Carbon Post Office in Davis County, six miles south of Ottumwa, that operated for less than a year in 1881. There was also a Carbon Post Office in Webster County, three miles south-east of Fort Dodge, that operated from 1870 to 1872. A post office on the latter location was known as Gypsum from 1902 to 1905.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1849
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,135 ft
- ZIP code
- 50839
Questions about Carbon
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Carbon, IA a good place to live?
Carbon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.