Charlotte Iowa, 2011
Charlotte’s story
173 years in pictures
Census counts: 294 in 1880, 389 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1892 on.
- 1853Charlotte is settled
CharlotteIA
Photo: Tjburken · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
386
2025 Census estimate · −1% since 2020
Typical home
$270K
+10.6% in a year
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
33.9
years
Jobs based here
46
A commuter town
Is Charlotte a good place to live?
Charlotte has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Charlotte stand out
Where Charlotte beats most towns.
Small town
386 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 Charlotte: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Charlotte, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCharlotte Water WorksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Charlotte’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 hereClinton County AuditorClinton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5273152731 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 Charlotte.
Work & commute
Charlotte stands out in Iowa and nationally, with the average trip to work longer than most
Half of commuters travel less than 16 miles. No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a lower share of working residents who work in town than Charlotte. Employers in Charlotte added 24 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 46. The town’s income of the median household is $62,000, below both Iowa’s towns ($69,000) and U.S. towns ($80,000).
1%work in town
| Charlotte | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Charlotte1%
Clinton24%
DeWitt7%
Davenport7%
Cedar Rapids5%
16 mi
median commute distance
46
jobs based in Charlotte
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Charlotte: four seasons and pleasant summers
In July, afternoons reach 84°; in January, nights fall to 13°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–32°
Spring39–59°
Summer61–82°
Fall41–62°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Charlotte has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Charlotte’s natural-hazard score from FEMA is 65 of 100, above both the Iowa town median (40 of 100) and the median of U.S. towns (44 of 100). 45% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by drought at 21%. Since 1981, Charlotte has seen 13 flood insurance claims paid out.
65risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtStrong wind
13
paid flood claims since 1981
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Zillow puts the typical Charlotte home at about $270K
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 11% in value. Charlotte’s rent at the middle of the market is $760 a month. In Charlotte, three quarters of households own their home.
$270KZillow home value
| Charlotte | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $760 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Charlotte$270K
Iowa$237K
+10.6%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
How healthy Charlotte is
The share of adults in Charlotte who smoke cigarettes: 17%. This Iowa town tracks Iowa closely on all 32 CDC measures.
| Charlotte | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 77% | 78% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Mercyone Genesis Dewitt Medical Center
10.2 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Charlotte
16pages on Charlotte
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Charlotte; the nearest are
Orion Technical CollegeUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Davenport27.9 mi$15,600 tuitionEastern Iowa Community College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Davenport30.9 mi$4,848 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-PlattevilleUniversity or college · Public · Platteville, WI53.3 mi$8,644 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Charlotte residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Iowa.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Charlotte for work
Where Charlotte’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
46jobs based in Charlotte
1%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Charlotte
City in Iowa, United States
Charlotte ( shar-LOT) is a city in Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 389 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1871
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 696 ft
- ZIP code
- 52731
Questions about Charlotte
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Charlotte, IA a good place to live?
Charlotte has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.