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The Chapin handbook

Living in Chapin, IA: what to set up and who to call

Chapin has no town government of its own, so Franklin County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend West Fork Community School District. For a library card, the closest branch is Sheffield Public Library, 4.0 miles out.

Which school will my kid attend?How do I register to vote?ZIP codes
Chapin has no town government. It’s a census-designated place in Franklin County, so the county and regional agencies provide most services. This page answers what we can; the same answers appear on Chapin’s town page under “Getting set up”.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Chapin, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

PowerMidAmerican Energyinvestor-owned utility · 11.2¢/kWhMore →Internet7 providers92% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsMore →Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Chapin’s trash rules yetMore →SchoolWest Fork Community School DistrictWhich school depends on grade and addressMore →Register to voteOnlineRules from vote.govMore →ZIP codes50427, 50475Where people live, not P.O. boxesMore →
Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Chapin.

Electricity

Power comes from MidAmerican Energy

MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Chapin. Its homes paid an average of 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025, about $93 a month (its average across Iowa).

Start or move service: midamericanenergy.com · (888) 427-5632

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Internet

7 home internet providers serve Chapin

92% of 53 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 26% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
FrontierDSL74%115/7
Rockwell Cooperative TelephoneFiber32%1,000/1,000
Iowa ConnectFixed wireless100%25/10
Router12 NetworksFixed wireless96%100/20
GigFireFixed wireless75%150/130
NextlinkFixed wireless64%1,000/500

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Chapin’s trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Chapin.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on fileChapin has no town government of its own, so look for trash and recycling rules on the county’s site.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Chapin kids go to
PK–5West Fork Elementary at Rockwellin Rockwell
6–8West Fork Middle Schoolin Sheffield
9–12West Fork High Schoolin Sheffield

Chapin is in West Fork Community School District.

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

No town hall: the county runs things

Chapin is unincorporated, so Franklin County is the local government.

Local governmentFranklin CountyChapin is a census-designated place: no town hall of its ownCensus
Who runs elections hereFranklin County AuditorElections here are run by Franklin County (county election office). PO Box 26, Hampton, IA 50441 · (641) 456-5622 · [email protected]FVAP, Nov 2025
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.govCheck your registration and polling placesos.iowa.govThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Nov 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

ZIP codes & area codes

Chapin spans 2 ZIP codes

ZIP codes where Chapin residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of ChapinZIP’s residents in Chapin
50427Chapin, IA51%100%
50475Sheffield, IA49%2%

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

Getting around, the ER and the library

One line each; the subject pages have the rest.

Nearest emergency roomFranklin General Hospital6.8 miles awayGet a library cardSheffield Public Library123 S 3rd St. · (641) 892-4717

ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.

Questions about living in Chapin

Who provides electricity in Chapin?

MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).

What internet providers serve Chapin?

Frontier, Rockwell Cooperative Telephone, Iowa Connect, Router12 Networks, GigFire, Nextlink (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Chapin?

50427 (51%), 50475 (49%), by share of residents. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Chapin in?

West Fork Community School District.

How do I register to vote in Chapin?

In 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). Elections here are run by the Franklin County Auditor. Check your registration at sos.iowa.gov.

Sources & dates

Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.

  • Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
  • Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
  • Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
  • Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
  • Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
  • Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.