Coulter, Iowa, 2005
Coulter’s story
124 years in pictures
Census counts: 198 in 1910, a peak of 315 in 1960, 219 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and a map from 1984 on.
- 1902Coulter is settled
CoulterIA
A town of 215, settled in 1902.
Photo: John Edwards · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
215
2025 Census estimate · −1.8% since 2020
Median home value
$90K
Census ACS
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
34.2
years
Jobs based here
42
A commuter town
Is Coulter a good place to live?
Among 141 Iowa towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Coulter. Coulter has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
215 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 Coulter: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Coulter, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCoulter Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers79% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Coulter’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 hereFranklin County AuditorFranklin County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes50431, 5045250431 95% · 50452 5%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 Coulter.
Work & commute
With 0.4 jobs for every working resident, most of Coulter’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Coulter for work: only 0% work in town. 17% of residents live below the poverty line in Coulter, where Iowa’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Since 2013, Coulter has added 30 jobs, to 42 in 2023.
0%work in town
| Coulter | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Coulter0%
Hampton15%
Iowa Falls11%
Clarion8%
Mason City8%
19 mi
median commute distance
42
jobs based in Coulter
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Coulter has four seasons and pleasant summers
Coulter has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 82°F, Coulter’s July high is below both the Iowa town median (84°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–28°
Spring36–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall38–60°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Coulter is
Coulter beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 20% of adults binge drink in Coulter.
| Coulter | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better30 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Coulter | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 10.1% | 7.3% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 14.6% | 11.6% |
Franklin General Hospital
9.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Coulter faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by drought
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 60% of U.S. communities.
40risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingCold waves
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,567 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Coulter City Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Coulter
17pages on Coulter
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Coulter; the nearest are
Ellsworth Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Iowa Falls15.2 mi$5,496 in-state tuitionUniversity of Northern IowaUniversity or college · Public · Cedar Falls48.7 mi$9,936 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Coulter residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Coulter for work
Where Coulter’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
42jobs based in Coulter
0%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Coulter
City in Iowa, USA
Coulter is a city in Franklin County, Iowa, United States. The population was 219 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,240 ft
- ZIP code
- 50431
Questions about Coulter
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Coulter, IA a good place to live?
Coulter has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.