Diagonal, IA, 2019
Diagonal’s story
137 years in pictures
Census counts: 383 in 1900, a peak of 603 in 1940, 344 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and a map from 1981 on.
- 1889Diagonal is settled
DiagonalIA
A town of 333, settled in 1889.
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
333
2025 Census estimate · −1.8% since 2020
Median home value
$92K
Census ACS
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
49.2
years
Jobs based here
162
Balanced
Is Diagonal a good place to live?
Only 2 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a higher age of the median resident than Diagonal. 20% of the land in Diagonal is conserved, above both the Iowa town median (3.1%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Fogle Lake Park, at 73 acres. Diagonal has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
333 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 Diagonal: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Diagonal, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDiagonal Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Diagonal’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 hereRinggold County AuditorRinggold County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code5084550845 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 Diagonal.
Schools
The schools Diagonal’s kids attend
Its two schools are below. 2 public schools serve Diagonal, with 110 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagonal Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 58 | C |
| Diagonal Junior-Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 52 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
20.3%conserved
20.3%
conserved · 118 of 582 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fogle Lake Park | — | 73 |
| 2. Mapleleaf Pathway | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Diagonal has four seasons and pleasant summers
Expect July afternoons of 85° and January nights of 13°, with about 21 inches of snow a winter.
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–35°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Diagonal has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from drought
FEMA puts 45% of Diagonal’s expected hazard losses down to drought, and 14% to inland flooding. The town’s FEMA hazard score stands at 67 of 100. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
67risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingCold waves
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
With 1.2 jobs for every working resident, Diagonal draws in 150 commuters
Among residents in Diagonal, 7.3% live below the poverty line, where Iowa’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Most working residents leave Diagonal for work: only 9% work in town. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Diagonal dropped by 91, to 162. The average trip to work for Diagonal comes to 17 minutes.
9%work in town
| Diagonal | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 9% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Diagonal9%
Mount Ayr10%
Creston8%
Des Moines7%
Lenox4%
34 mi
median commute distance
162
jobs based in Diagonal
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
Diagonal stands out in Iowa and nationally, with more of its adults who had a checkup this year
For adults in Diagonal, the share who have obesity is 39%. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 7 have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Diagonal. Against the Iowa average, Diagonal comes out ahead on 10 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 5. In Diagonal, 30% of adults sleep under 7 hours, and 19% have been diagnosed with depression.
| Diagonal | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
10 better17 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Diagonal | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.4% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.7% | 8.7% |
Ringgold County Hospital
11.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Diagonal
19pages on Diagonal
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Diagonal; the nearest are
Southwestern Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Creston18.3 mi$8,064 in-state tuitionNorthwest Missouri State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Maryville, MO42.6 mi$10,611 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Diagonal residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Diagonal
City in Iowa, USA
Diagonal is a city in northwest Ringgold County, Iowa, the United States. The population was 344 at the time of the 2020 census. The community was named for the fact that two railroads intersected diagonally near the town site.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,148 ft
- ZIP code
- 50845
Questions about Diagonal
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Diagonal, IA a good place to live?
Diagonal has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.