Untitled photo, 2012
Cushing’s story
143 years in pictures
Census counts: 237 in 1900, 230 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1969 on.
- 1883Cushing is settled
CushingIA
A town of 225, settled in 1883.
Population
225
2025 Census estimate · −3% since 2020
Median home value
$66K
Census ACS
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
31.6
years
Jobs based here
75
Balanced
Is Cushing a good place to live?
24% of residents live below the poverty line in Cushing, above both the Iowa town median (11%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a higher mean commuting time than Cushing. Cushing has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
225 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 Cushing: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cushing, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCushing Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Cushing’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 hereWoodbury County AuditorWoodbury County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5101851018 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 Cushing.
Natural hazards
The FEMA risk score in Cushing is higher than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
55% of Cushing’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 15%. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Cushing after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 82% of U.S. communities.
82risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHail
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
The climate in Cushing brings four seasons and pleasant summers
Expect July afternoons of 84° and January nights of 10°, with about 35 inches of snow a winter.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–30°
Spring37–59°
Summer61–82°
Fall39–61°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
A job hub: Cushing has 1.4 jobs for every working resident and draws in 75 commuters
For half of commuters, work is under 33 miles away. Jobs in Cushing grew by 45 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 75. The top destinations are Sioux City (20%), Mapleton (11%) and Correctionville (9%).
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Cushing0%
Sioux City20%
Mapleton11%
Correctionville9%
Le Mars7%
33 mi
median commute distance
75
jobs based in Cushing
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Cushing is
Cushing: 31% of adults sleep under 7 hours, against 32% in Iowa’s towns and 36% across U.S. towns. Just over a fifth of Cushing adults binge drink.
| Cushing | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Cushing | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 61.4% | 66.8% |
Horn Memorial Hospital
14.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cushing
16pages on Cushing
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Cushing; the nearest are
Buena Vista UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Storm Lake26.7 mi$41,798 tuitionWestern Iowa Tech Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Sioux City34.3 mi$5,186 in-state tuitionNebraska Indian Community CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Macy, NE42.1 mi$4,080 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Cushing residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Cushing
City in Iowa, USA
Cushing is a city in Woodbury County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 230 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,296 ft
- ZIP code
- 51018
Questions about Cushing
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cushing, IA a good place to live?
Cushing has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.