Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 145, settled in 1886.
Dickens has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 255 in 1910, a peak of 378 in 1940, 146 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1936 and 2 maps from 1966 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Dickens, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Dickens.
The risk rating from FEMA in Dickens is 69 of 100. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. Expected losses in Dickens break down as 40% from inland flooding and 28% from hail.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
In Dickens, the typical July afternoon high is 83°F, against 84°F in Iowa’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
6.2% of residents live below the poverty line in the town. In Dickens, the average trip to work is 19 minutes, where Iowa’s towns sit at 19 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. The top destinations are Spencer (33%), Milford (6%) and Spirit Lake (5%). The median commute is under 16 miles.
| Dickens | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 6.2% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
11% of Dickens adults have diabetes. Two figures for adults in the town: 29% sleep under 7 hours, 20% have been diagnosed with depression.
| Dickens | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 77% | 78% | 79% |
| What stands out | Dickens | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 5.2% | 6.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical home value in Dickens is about $240,000, up 10.3% in a year, close to the Iowa typical home.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
None within 15 miles of Dickens; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Dickens residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
City in Iowa, USA
Dickens is a city in Clay County, Iowa, United States. The population was 146 in the 2020 census, a decline from 202 in 2000.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Dickens has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.