Conrad, Iowa, 1940
Conrad’s story
146 years in pictures
Census counts: 157 in 1890, 1,093 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 1940 and 2 maps from 1960 on.
- 1880Conrad is settled
ConradIA
A town of 1,086, settled in 1880.
Population
1,086
2025 Census estimate · −0.5% since 2020
Typical home
$180K
+2.4% in a year
Household income
$73K
median
Median age
48.2
years
Jobs based here
525
Balanced
Is Conrad a good place to live?
The best of Conrad’s subject grades are an A for cost of living and civic life and an A− for walkability. Conrad’s concentration of trails is 1.2 miles per square mile, above both the Iowa town median (0.3) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Conrad has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Conrad stand out
Where Conrad beats most towns.
Typical home value
Conrad$180K
Iowa$237K
Cost of livingA
2.5 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 93% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 84% of U.S. towns
6.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Small town
1,086 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Conrad grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Conrad is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.3 of 20; 10.7% of households have no carA−Open →HealthGrundy County Memorial Hospital 11 miles awayB+Open →Jobs & income$73K median household incomeB−Open →SchoolsB−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 46% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 0% conserved landBOpen →History1 notable person born hereC+Open →Civic life8.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Conrad: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Conrad, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterConrad Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Conrad’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 hereGrundy County AuditorGrundy County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2024
ZIP code5062150621 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 Conrad.
Who lives here
Conrad stands out in Iowa and nationally: a larger share of its residents are 65 or older
Only 5 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a higher median age than Conrad. Conrad: nearly a fifth of residents are under 18, where Iowa’s towns sit at 23% and U.S. towns at 22%. Four-year graduates: 24% of adults 25 and older here, 31% across Iowa.
48.2median age · IA 38.6
| Conrad | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 31% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 48.2 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 19% | 23% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 25% | 29% |
ConradIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school34%
Some college27%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate7%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.2 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Conrad | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.7% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.8% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.4% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.9% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 16% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 15.2% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.5% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34.4% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 26.5% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.6% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.7% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.4% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,100, single groups can be off by several points
SchoolsB−
On state tests, Conrad’s schools beat 51% of Iowa districts
The BCLUW Community School District runs its public schools. Its two schools are below. 2 public schools serve Conrad, with 332 students in all.
51%of IA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCLUW Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 160 | B− |
| BCLUW High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 172 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
HealthB+
Conrad ranks healthier than seven in ten of the country’s towns
Among adults in Conrad, 16% report frequent mental distress. Of 32 CDC measures, Conrad beats the Iowa average on 7 and trails it on 1. 19% of adults in Conrad binge drink; 20% have been diagnosed with depression.
70%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Conrad | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 8.8% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
7 better24 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Conrad | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.8% | 12% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.8% | 6.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.5% | 8.7% |
Grundy County Memorial Hospital
11 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A
Conrad’s typical home value is about $180K
Typical home values rose 2.4% in the year to September 2026. Conrad’s typical rent stands at $840 a month.
$180KZillow home value
| Conrad | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $840 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Conrad$180K
Iowa$237K
+2.4%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
32″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–30°
Spring37–58°
Summer60–81°
Fall39–61°
Oct 6
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
A job hub: Conrad has 1.3 jobs for every working resident and draws in 422 commuters
For residents in Conrad, the share who live below the poverty line is 5.2%. One in 4 of the town’s working residents works locally. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs here rose by 103, to 525. Also worth knowing: the mean commuting time locally is 19 minutes.
26%work in town
| Conrad | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 26% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.2% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Conrad26%
Grundy Center8%
Waterloo5%
Eldora5%
Cedar Falls4%
15 mi
median commute distance
525
jobs based in Conrad
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 84% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Conrad has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Federal aid has come to Conrad households in 5 declared disasters; the latest was in 2020. On expected storm and flood damage, Conrad sits below 54% of U.S. communities. 33% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by drought at 27%. Since 2014, one flood insurance claim has been paid locally.
46risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtHail
1
paid flood claims since 2014
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsB
Conrad keeps 0.4% of its land conserved
1.4 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Among 140 Iowa towns, just 3 have a lower share of conserved land than Conrad. The town has one park or preserve, 5 acres in all.
0.4%conserved
0.4%
conserved · 3 of 786 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 1.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Conrad City Park | 0.1 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Conrad
19pages on Conrad
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Conrad; the nearest are
Marshalltown Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Marshalltown15.5 mi$5,496 in-state tuitionUniversity of Northern IowaUniversity or college · Public · Cedar Falls29.2 mi$9,936 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Conrad residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Iowa.
About Conrad
City in Iowa, USA
Conrad is a city in Grundy County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,093 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. Conrad holds the honor of being known as the "Black Dirt Capital of the World."
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,004 ft
- ZIP code
- 50621
- Area code
- 641
Questions about Conrad
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Conrad, IA expensive?
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.