Colo Iowa 20090816 Welcome Sign, 2009
Colo’s story
162 years in pictures
Census counts: 226 in 1870, 845 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1975 on.
- 1864Colo is settled
ColoIA
Photo: Chipchicken · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
838
2025 Census estimate · −1.2% since 2020
Typical home
$263K
+5.1% in a year
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
42.2
years
Jobs based here
121
A commuter town
Is Colo a good place to live?
No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a higher average trip to work than Colo. Colo has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Colo stand out
Where Colo beats most towns.
Small town
838 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 Colo: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Colo, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterColo Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Colo’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 hereStory County AuditorStory County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2026
ZIP code5005650056 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 Colo.
Work & commute
Colo stands out in Iowa and nationally: a smaller share of its working residents work locally
1.7% of Colo working residents work locally, below both Iowa’s towns (31%) and U.S. towns (8%). 6.4% of residents live below the poverty line in Colo. The top destinations are Ames (22%), Des Moines (11%) and Nevada (8%).
2%work in town
| Colo | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.7% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 10% | 8.5% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Colo2%
Ames22%
Des Moines11%
Nevada8%
Ankeny7%
23 mi
median commute distance
121
jobs based in Colo
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Colo’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Colo-NESCO Community School District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colo-NESCO Middle/High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 5–12 | Grades 5–12 | 216 | B |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Colo
Colo has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 11° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–31°
Spring38–59°
Summer61–82°
Fall40–61°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Colo is
Colo beats the Iowa average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 22% of Colo adults binge drink, against 20% in Iowa’s towns and 16% across U.S. towns. 30% of Colo adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Colo | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 26% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
3 better29 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Colo | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9% | 12% |
| Fewer adults without reliable transportation | 5.4% | 6.8% |
Story County Hospital
6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
The typical home in Colo is valued at about $263K
The typical Colo home is worth about $263,000, up 5.1% in a year, 11% above the Iowa typical home.
$263KZillow home value
| Colo | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $950 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Colo$263K
Iowa$237K
+5.1%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Colo
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 52% of U.S. communities.
48risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 687 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Carmody Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Colo
19pages on Colo
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Colo; the nearest are
Iowa State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ames17 mi$10,787 in-state tuitionMarshalltown Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Marshalltown21 mi$5,496 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Colo residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Colo for work
Where Colo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
121jobs based in Colo
2%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Colo
City in Iowa, United States
Colo is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States. The population was 845 at the 2020 census. The town is home to the "Crossroads of the Nation" as Lincoln Highway and Jefferson Highway intersect at Colo. It is part of the Ames, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a part of the larger Ames-Boone, Iowa Combined Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1876
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,040 ft
- ZIP code
- 50056
Questions about Colo
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Colo, IA a good place to live?
Colo has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.