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Iowa›Cerro Gordo County
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DoughertyIA

A town of 58, settled in 1900.

Population
58
2025 Census estimate · −3.3% since 2020
Median home value
$50K
Census ACS
Household income
$46K
median
Median age
29.5
years
Land area
1 sq mi

Is Dougherty a good place to live?

No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a higher share of households owning their home than Dougherty. Dougherty has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

58 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Aredale · 6 miRockwell · 9 miMarble Rock · 9 miSheffield · 9 miRockford · 10 miHansell · 12 mi
Dougherty Stone Quarry
Dougherty Stone Quarry, 1903
Dougherty’s story

126 years in pictures

Census counts: 171 in 1910, a peak of 215 in 1930, 62 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1903 and 2 maps from 1972 on.

  • 1900Dougherty is settled
Explore the history →
Getting set up

Moving to Dougherty: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Dougherty, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Dougherty’s trash rules yet
SchoolsWest Fork Community School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereCerro Gordo County AuditorCerro Gordo County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code5043350433 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 Dougherty.

Climate

In Dougherty, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

Dougherty has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Dougherty’s July high is 83°F, below both the Iowa town median (84°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F).

38″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter12–28°
Spring36–57°
Summer60–81°
Fall38–59°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageDougherty’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 83°, January lows 9°Rain & snow38″ of snow a winter · 36 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Dougherty is

Dougherty beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 42% of Dougherty adults have obesity, above both Iowa’s towns (38%) and U.S. towns (35%). 18% of adults smoke cigarettes in Dougherty.

DoughertyIowa townsU.S. towns
Obesity (CDC PLACES)42%38%35%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)18%15%14%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)20%20%16%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)32%32%36%
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better26 too close to call6 worse
What stands outDoughertyIA
More smokers18%14.5%
More adults with COPD8.4%6.9%
More adults with arthritis32.3%27%
Franklin General Hospital
14.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
Full pageDougherty’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby14.6 miles to an ER · Franklin General HospitalHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than IA on 0 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazards

Moderate risk in Dougherty, with drought at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities.

55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
55Moderate riskLowerHigher
DroughtInland floodingTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageDougherty’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesModerate riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters2 federal disasters · Paid out in DoughertyGet ready25 events a year, on average · Ready for drought

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Dougherty

16pages on Dougherty
The big questions
HealthBetter than IA on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingWork & commute$46K median household incomeNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 55% of U.S. communities · drought
Out and about
PlacesAttractions9 nearby · MacNider Art Museum 18 miLibraryRockwell Public LibraryColleges
The story
HistorySettled 1900Town Hall & politicsClimate83° summer highs · 38″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 50433Town SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Dougherty; the nearest are

North Iowa Area Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Mason City16.9 mi$6,653 in-state tuitionUniversity of Northern IowaUniversity or college · Public · Cedar Falls40.6 mi$9,936 in-state tuition

About 3 of every 100 Dougherty residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

About Dougherty

City in Iowa, US

Dougherty is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 62 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
0.5 sq mi
Elevation
1,102 ft
ZIP code
50433

Questions about Dougherty

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Dougherty, IA a good place to live?

Dougherty has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.