Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 808, settled in 1871.
Among 138 Iowa towns, just 2 have a lower median rent than Donnellson. Primrose Mill and John McGreer Barn and Crib is on the National Register of Historic Places. Donnellson 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: 82 in 1880, 885 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1910 and 2 maps from 1968 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Donnellson, 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 Donnellson.
The typical Donnellson home is worth about $138,000, down 6.6% in a year, 42% below the Iowa typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
2.3% of working residents work locally in Donnellson, below both the Iowa town median (31%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Jobs based in Donnellson fell to 124 in 2023, 42 fewer than in 2013. The average trip to work in Donnellson is 25 minutes.
| Donnellson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $54,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 11% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Donnellson has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 16° and about 27 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 24% of residents (18% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 31% of residents (37% statewide). Donnellson has lost 9.2% of its people since 2020, down to 808 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 26% of residents are under 18 in Donnellson, against 23% in Iowa’s towns and 22% across U.S. towns.
| Donnellson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 24% | 19% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 26% | 23% | 22% |
| Median age | 36.7 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 23% | 25% | 29% |
58% women, 42% men
About 73 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±5.8 points). Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Donnellson | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.7% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.1% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.5% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.2% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.8% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.4% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.1% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.5% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.7% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.9% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 38.8% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.4% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.1% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.2% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.6% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 800, single groups can be off by several points
Donnellson beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 30% of adults feel lonely in Donnellson.
| Donnellson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 20% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 32% | 36% |
| What stands out | Donnellson | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.6% | 77.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.9% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 56% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Railroad Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Donnellson; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Donnellson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Where Donnellson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Iowa, United States
Donnellson ( DON-əl-sən) is a city in Lee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 885 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Fort Madison-Keokuk Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Donnellson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Laura van Pappelendam and Roxie Lawson.