Living in Curlew, IA: what to set up and who to call
Every home in Curlew is in ZIP code 50527. For emergencies, Curlew is closest to Palo Alto County Hospital, 9.9 miles away.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Curlew, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Curlew.
Power comes from MidAmerican Energy
MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Curlew. Its homes paid an average of 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025, about $93 a month (its average across Iowa).
Start or move service: midamericanenergy.com · (888) 427-5632
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
2 home internet providers serve Curlew
67% of 28 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 67% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Communications Cooperative Association | Fiber | 68% | 1,000/20 |
| Nextlink | Fixed wireless | 61% | 1,000/1,000 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Curlew’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Curlew.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Most of Curlew (92%) is in Emmetsburg Community School District; parts are in West Bend-Mallard Community School District (8%).
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Oct 2021; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Curlew is in ZIP code 50527
ZIP codes where Curlew residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Curlew | ZIP’s residents in Curlew |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50527 | Curlew, IA | 100% | 21% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Curlew
Who provides electricity in Curlew?
MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Curlew?
Northwest Communications Cooperative Association, Nextlink (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Curlew?
50527. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Curlew in?
Emmetsburg Community School District. Parts of the city are in West Bend-Mallard Community School District.
How do I register to vote in Curlew?
In 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). Elections here are run by the Palo Alto County Auditor. Check your registration at sos.iowa.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.