Downtown, 2017
Carson’s story
146 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1880Carson is settled
CarsonIA
A town of 757, settled in 1880.
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
757
2025 Census estimate · −0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$258K
+3.5% in a year
Household income
$73K
median
Median age
41.8
years
Jobs based here
78
A commuter town
Is Carson a good place to live?
Carson’s average commute is 32 minutes, above both Iowa’s towns (19 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Among 141 Iowa towns, just 5 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Carson. Carson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
757 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 Carson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Carson, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCarson Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Carson’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 herePottawattamie County AuditorPottawattamie County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5152551525 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 Carson.
Work & commute
Most of Carson’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.2 jobs for each of them
The top destinations are Council Bluffs (21%), Omaha (16%) and Oakland (10%). Just 2% of Carson’s working residents have a job in town. Nearly a tenth of Carson residents live below the poverty line.
2%work in town
| Carson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 9% | 8.5% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Carson2%
Council Bluffs21%
Omaha16%
Oakland10%
Des Moines2%
24 mi
median commute distance
78
jobs based in Carson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Carson’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Riverside Community School District. Enrollment at Carson’s public school: 134 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 134 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Carson has four seasons and pleasant summers
In July, afternoons reach 86°; in January, nights fall 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°
Fall41–64°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Carson is
Just over a fifth of Carson adults binge drink, where Iowa’s towns sit at 20% and U.S. towns at 16%. Of 32 CDC measures, Carson beats the Iowa average on 3 and trails it on 1. The share of adults in Carson who report frequent physical distress: 13%.
| Carson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 13% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 19% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 32% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
3 better28 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Carson | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 5.1% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.6% | 9.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 8.7% |
Montgomery County Memorial Hospital
18.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
A older population than Iowa as a whole
People 65 and older are nearly a quarter of residents (18% statewide). Nearly a quarter of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa. Carson’s midpoint age stands at 41.8 years.
41.8median age · IA 38.6
| Carson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 41.8 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 24% | 23% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 25% | 29% |
CarsonIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school33%
Some college25%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s16%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Carson | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.7% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.2% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.6% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.3% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.2% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.4% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.5% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.5% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.6% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.8% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.8% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.7% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.9% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.8% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 800, single groups can be off by several points
Housing
The typical home in Carson is valued at about $258K
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 3.5%. Carson’s midpoint rent comes in at $744 a month. 83% of households live in a home they own in the town.
$258KZillow home value
| Carson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $744 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Carson$258K
Iowa$237K
+3.5%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Top of a moderate hazard risk in Carson: inland flooding
Federal aid has come to Carson households in 8 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024. On expected storm and flood damage, Carson sits above 56% of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Carson break down as 29% from inland flooding and 20% from tornadoes.
56risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 416 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Millstone Park | — | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Carson
18pages on Carson
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Carson; the nearest are
Iowa Western Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Council Bluffs19.8 mi$6,930 in-state tuitionUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterUniversity or college · Public · Omaha, NE28.8 mi
About 4 of every 100 Carson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Carson for work
Where Carson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
78jobs based in Carson
2%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Carson
City in Iowa, USA
Carson is a city in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The population was 766 at the 2020 census. Carson has a number of interesting and historic places.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1881
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,152 ft
- ZIP code
- 51525
Questions about Carson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Carson, IA a good place to live?
Carson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.