Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Central City’s subject grades are an A for cost of living and an A− for history and the outdoors; the weakest is a C− for schools. On hazard risk, just 25 of Iowa’s 276 towns do worse. Central City Commercial Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Central City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Central City beats most towns.
Central City Commercial Historic DistrictIn a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Central City is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Central City, 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 Central City.
Its public schools are run by the Central City Community School District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central City Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 170 | C− |
| Central City High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 200 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Central City for work: only 3% work in town. Central City’s average trip to work is 28 minutes, above both Iowa’s towns (19 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). 3.9% of Central City residents live below the poverty line.
| Central City | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.6% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 3.9% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $85,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Central City beats the Iowa average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 21% of Central City adults binge drink, where Iowa’s towns sit at 20% and U.S. towns at 16%. 32% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Central City.
| Central City | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 35% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 32% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 21% | 23% |
| What stands out | Central City | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.1% | 11.6% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 71.7% | 66.6% |
| More adults with depression | 23.7% | 20.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1990, 19 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Central City.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical Central City home is worth about $292,000, up 7% in a year, 23% above the Iowa typical home. The median rent in Central City is $782 a month.
| Central City | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $782 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 70% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Central City has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 11° and about 34 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Central City | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.8% | 3.1% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brendel Park | — | 4 |
| 2. Courtyard Park | — | 2 |
| 3. Pinicon Ridge County Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Central City. Close and well known come first.
38 mi Stadium & arenaKinnick Stadium
38 mi MuseumHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
37 mi Stadium & arenaCarver–Hawkeye Arena
38 mi National Historic SiteHerbert Hoover National Historic Site107K visitors a year
18 mi MuseumNational Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
19 mi MuseumCedar Rock State ParkKinnick Stadium: Count_de_Des_Moines (talk) (Uploads), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum: Shadow2700, Public domain · Carver–Hawkeye Arena: Asolsma1988, CC0 · Herbert Hoover National Historic Site: Billwhittaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library: ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cedar Rock State Park: Orange Suede Sofa, CC BY-SA 3.0
None within 15 miles of Central City; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Central City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Where Central City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Iowa, United States
Central City is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,264 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
