Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Cresco is one of the best-graded places in America: an A, 22nd among Iowa's 140 graded towns. Homes are within reach, about $212K for a typical one, or 3.1 years of the county’s $67K median household income, natural-hazard risk is low, and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 83% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a C+, is in incomes. 44% of working residents work locally in Cresco, above both the Iowa town median (31%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Cresco has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Kellow House and Howard County Courthouse. Among 140 Iowa towns, just 2 have a lower July high than Cresco.
Where Cresco beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Cresco is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 912 in 1870, 3,888 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and a map from 1981 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cresco, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Cresco.
Cresco pairs an A overall with homes cheaper than the Iowa norm and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
Cresco’s FEMA risk score is 11 of 100.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its public schools are run by the Howard-Winneshiek Community School District. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Crestwood High School, with 346 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crestwood Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 349 | B− |
| Crestwood High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 346 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
The January low in Cresco is 7°F. Cresco has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Since 2013, Cresco has lost 234 jobs, to 2,241 in 2023. 13% of residents live below the poverty line in Cresco. The top destinations are Decorah (7%), Cedar Rapids (2%) and Lime Springs (2%).
| Cresco | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Cresco's reported crime rate is well below Iowa's. Among 115 Iowa towns, just 7 have a lower property crime rate than Cresco. 6 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Cresco | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.1 per 1,000 residents | 7.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.5 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Against the 9,092 U.S. towns with household incomes like Cresco’s, it is healthier than 83%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income.
Cresco beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 20% of Cresco adults binge drink.
| Cresco | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 32% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 12% | 14% |
| What stands out | Cresco | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.2% | 11.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Cresco grades A overall with a typical home of about $212K, below the Iowa typical value; only 10 of the 55 Iowa towns graded A− or better can say that.
Typical home values rose 9.5% in the year to September 2026. Among 137 Iowa towns, just 8 have a lower median rent than Cresco.
| Cresco | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $715 a month | $913 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 70% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. East Park | — | 7 |
| 2. Kessel Park | — | 6 |
| 3. Evans Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cresco. Close and well known come first.
17 mi MuseumVesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
14 mi MuseumBily Clock Museum
21 mi AttractionPreston Overlook
14 mi MuseumBurr Oak House/Masters HotelVesterheim Norwegian-American Museum: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bily Clock Museum: Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2 · Preston Overlook: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Burr Oak House/Masters Hotel: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
None within 15 miles of Cresco; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Cresco residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
3 places in Cresco on the National Register of Historic Places.
17 notable people were born in Cresco.
City in Iowa, United States
Cresco is a city in Howard County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,888 at the 2020 census, down from 3,905 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Howard County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. Cresco grades A overall, better than 94% of U.S. towns and #22 of 140 in Iowa. It grades B for health and B+ for schools.
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.
17 notable people were born here, including Ellen Church and Charles Bowers.
