DenverIowaPopPlot, 2021
Denver’s story
167 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1859Denver is settled
DenverIA
A town of 1,954, settled in 1859. Public schools that outperform most of Iowa.
Photo: Orange Suede Sofa · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,954
2025 Census estimate · +1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$309K
+1.2% in a year
Household income
$92K
median
Median age
35.0
years
Jobs based here
709
Balanced
Is Denver a good place to live?
The best of Denver’s subject grades are an A+ for schools and an A for safety and health; the weakest is a C for hazard risk. 32% of residents are under 18 in Denver, where Iowa’s towns sit at 23% and U.S. towns at 22%. Only 17 of Iowa’s 276 towns score higher on health. Denver's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 87% of U.S. towns. Denver has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Denver stand out
Where Denver beats most towns.
Denver Comm School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Elementary School - Lincoln Street Building | K–5 | 431 |
| Denver Middle School | 6–8 | 238 |
| Denver Senior High School | 9–12 | 278 |
SchoolsA+
Beats 99% of IA districts
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Denver0.5
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
79% less violent crime than IA
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
32 measures vs. Iowa
15 better16 too close to call1 worse
| Widest gap | Denver | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.5% | 12% |
HealthA
Healthier than 89% of U.S. towns
Beats IA on 15 of 32 CDC measures, trails it on 1
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
How Denver grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Denver is from typical.
SchoolsBeat 100% of Iowa districts on tests and graduationA+Open →SafetyAOpen →HealthWaverly Health Center 8.4 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & income$92K median household incomeA−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.4 of 20; 5.1% of households have no car; 4.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Denver: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Denver, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of DenverEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterDenver Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Denver’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 hereBremer County AuditorBremer County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5062250622 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 Denver.
SchoolsA+
Denver’s public schools rank among the best in Iowa
Its public schools are run by the Denver Community School District. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
99%of IA districts it outscoresA+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Elementary School - Lincoln Street BuildingLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 431 | A+ |
| Denver Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 278 | A+ |
| Denver Middle SchoolTop results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 238 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
SafetyA
Less crime per resident in Denver than in 89% of U.S. towns
Denver’s violent crime rate is 0.5 per 1,000 residents, below both the Iowa town median (1.5) and the median of U.S. towns (1.6). Denver’s property crime rate is 4.6 per 1,000 residents.
89%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Denver | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.5 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.6 per 1,000 residents | 7.3 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Denver0.5
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Denver4.6
Iowa12.1
U.S.15.5
89th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
9
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthA
A smaller share of adults feel lonely in Denver than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
29% of Denver adults feel lonely. Only 2 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Denver. 11% of Denver adults report frequent physical distress.
89%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Denver | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 18% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
15 better16 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Denver | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.5% | 12% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4% | 6.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.5% | 8.7% |
Waverly Health Center
8.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A−
The typical home in Denver is valued at about $309K
The typical Denver home is worth about $309,000, up 1.2% in a year, 31% above the Iowa typical home. 82% of households own their home in Denver.
$309KZillow home value
| Denver | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 82% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $859 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Denver$309K
Iowa$237K
Market temperature
66
days on market
103.5%
sale-to-list price
+1.2%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
More children than Iowa overall
The median age in Denver is 35 years. 41% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
35median age · IA 38.6
| Denver | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 41% | 25% | 29% |
| Median age | 35 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
DenverIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma1%
High school23%
Some college22%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s33%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.1 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Denver | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 19.2% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.7% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.9% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.2% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.5% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.7% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.8% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0.9% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 23.3% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.5% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.1% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 33.1% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.2% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,000, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
In Denver, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Denver has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 9° and about 39 inches of snow falls in a winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–29°
Spring36–58°
Summer60–81°
Fall39–60°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Denver faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 65% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 16 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Denver.
65risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
16
paid flood claims since 1979
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About one in three of Denver’s working residents commute to Waterloo
Most working residents leave Denver for work: only 8% work in town. Jobs based in Denver grew to 709 in 2023, 105 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Waterloo (32%), Cedar Falls (15%) and Waverly (10%).
8%work in town
| Denver | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 8.2% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $92,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Denver8%
Waterloo32%
Cedar Falls15%
Waverly10%
Janesville4%
12 mi
median commute distance
709
jobs based in Denver
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 62% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,094 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brandt Park | — | 10 |
| 2. Prestien Park | — | 8 |
| 3. Diercks Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 16 attractions →Lost Island Theme Park and 3 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Denver. Close and well known come first.
16 mi Theme parkLost Island Theme Park
34 mi MuseumCedar Rock State Park
11 mi MuseumCedar Falls Ice House
16 mi GardenCedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens
34 mi MuseumCedar Rock State Park11 mi MuseumCedar Falls Ice House16 mi GardenCedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic GardensSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Cedar Rock State Park: Orange Suede Sofa, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cedar Falls Ice House: RifeIdeas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens: Cedarvalleyarboretum, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Denver
19pages on Denver
The big questions
SchoolsA+Beat 100% of IA districts · 4 schoolsSafetyA0.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than IA on 15 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$309K typical home · up 1.2% in a yearWork & commuteA−$92K median household income · 709 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 65% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Denver
Wartburg CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Waverly8.6 mi$26,250 tuitionAllen CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Waterloo9.5 miUniversity of Northern IowaUniversity or college · Public · Cedar Falls12.4 mi$9,936 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Denver residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Denver
City in Iowa, United States
Denver is a city in Bremer County in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 1,919 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 948 ft
- ZIP code
- 50622
- Area code
- 319
Questions about Denver
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Denver, IA a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of Iowa.
Are Denver schools good?
Yes. The public schools Denver children attend outperform 100% of Iowa districts on state tests and graduation, an A+ School Grade.
Is Denver, IA expensive?
Not for the area. That is 4.4 years of the area's median household income ($70,811 across the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro 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−.