Clearfield, IA, 2019
Clearfield’s story
145 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1881Clearfield is settled
ClearfieldIA
Settled in 1881, this town now has 278 residents.
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
278
2025 Census estimate · +0% since 2020
Typical home
$145K
+18% in a year
Household income
$48K
median
Median age
42.6
years
Jobs based here
71
A commuter town
Is Clearfield a good place to live?
No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a higher average trip to work than Clearfield. Clearfield has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
278 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 Clearfield: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Clearfield, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLenox Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Clearfield’s trash rules yet
SchoolsLenox Community School DistrictMount Ayr Community School District2 districts serve Clearfield; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereTaylor County AuditorTaylor County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5084050840 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 Clearfield.
Housing
Homes in Clearfield are worth about $145K, by Zillow’s estimate
In Clearfield, 56% of households live in a home they own, below both the Iowa town median (70%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%). Values rose 18% in the 12 months to September 2026. The rent at the middle of the market for Clearfield comes to $713 a month.
$145KZillow home value
| Clearfield | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 56% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $713 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Clearfield$145K
Iowa$237K
+18%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
About one in three of Clearfield’s working residents commute to Lenox
Clearfield: 2.7% of working residents work locally. In Clearfield, just over a fifth of residents live below the poverty line, against 11% in Iowa’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Also worth knowing: since 2013, Clearfield has lost 106 jobs, to 71 in 2023. The typical household income locally is $48,000.
3%work in town
| Clearfield | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 21% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.7% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $48,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Clearfield3%
Lenox34%
Creston11%
Corning4%
Des Moines4%
19 mi
median commute distance
71
jobs based in Clearfield
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Clearfield: four seasons and pleasant summers
July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 14° and about 21 inches of snow falls in a winter.
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–35°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Low risk in Clearfield, with drought at the top
Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in nearly two thirds of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in Clearfield, 28% come from drought and 16% from heat waves. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2014.
35risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtHeat wavesInland flooding
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
Clearfield stands out in Iowa and nationally: a larger share of its adults have high blood pressure
For adults in Clearfield, the share who have obesity is 40%. CDC measures, 32 in all: Clearfield beats Iowa on 1 and trails on 9. Only 8 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Clearfield. Two figures for adults locally: 14% have diabetes, 30% get no exercise outside work.
| Clearfield | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 12% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better22 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Clearfield | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.9% | 77.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.3% | 6.9% |
Ringgold County Hospital
16.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Clearfield
17pages on Clearfield
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Clearfield; the nearest are
Southwestern Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Creston19.6 mi$8,064 in-state tuitionNorthwest Missouri State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Maryville, MO37.5 mi$10,611 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Clearfield residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Clearfield for work
Where Clearfield’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
71jobs based in Clearfield
3%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Clearfield
City in Iowa, United States
Clearfield is a city in Taylor and Ringgold counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 278 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,263 ft
- ZIP code
- 50840
Questions about Clearfield
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Clearfield, IA a good place to live?
Clearfield has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Clearfield, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Ross Moffett and Mabel Lee.