Cromwell, IA, 2019
Cromwell’s story
157 years in pictures
Census counts: 189 in 1880, 105 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1981 on.
- 1869Cromwell is settled
CromwellIA
A town of 103, settled in 1869.
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
103
2025 Census estimate · −1.9% since 2020
Median home value
$102K
Census ACS
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
56.5
years
Jobs based here
1
A commuter town
Is Cromwell a good place to live?
Cromwell’s median age is 56.5 years, above both the Iowa town median (38.7 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a higher share of households owning their home than Cromwell. Cromwell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
103 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 Cromwell: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cromwell, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSirwa - Corning water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers87% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Cromwell’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 hereUnion County AuditorUnion County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5084250842 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 Cromwell.
Work & commute
Most of Cromwell’s workers commute out: the town has 0.0 jobs for each of them
Cromwell’s median household income is $59,000, against $69,000 in Iowa’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. Cromwell’s average trip to work is 20 minutes. The top destinations are Creston (25%), Des Moines (10%) and Mount Ayr (4%).
0%work in town
| Cromwell | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Cromwell0%
Creston25%
Des Moines10%
Mount Ayr4%
Osceola4%
52 mi
median commute distance
1
jobs based in Cromwell
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Cromwell, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Cromwell has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 13° and about 28 inches of snow falls in a winter.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–34°
Spring38–61°
Summer61–83°
Fall40–63°
Oct 11
typical first frost
Apr 28
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Fewer of Cromwell’s adults feel lonely than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
29% of adults feel lonely in Cromwell. Only 4 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Cromwell. 17% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Cromwell.
| Cromwell | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
10 better18 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Cromwell | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.4% | 12% |
| Fewer adults without reliable transportation | 4.9% | 6.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.4% | 8.7% |
Greater Regional Medical Center
4.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Cromwell, with drought at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities.
43risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtCold wavesInland flooding
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cromwell
16pages on Cromwell
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Cromwell
About 5 of every 100 Cromwell residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Iowa.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Cromwell for work
Where Cromwell’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1jobs based in Cromwell
0%of working residents work in town
52 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Cromwell
City in Iowa, USA
Cromwell is a city in Union County, Iowa, United States. The population was 105 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,286 ft
- ZIP code
- 50842
Questions about Cromwell
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cromwell, IA a good place to live?
Cromwell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.