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The Downey handbook

Living in Downey, IA: what to set up and who to call

Downey has no town government of its own, so Cedar County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend West Branch Community School District. University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down, 10 miles away, is the nearest emergency room.

Which school will my kid attend?How do I register to vote?ZIP codes
Downey has no town government. It’s a census-designated place in Cedar County, so the county and regional agencies provide most services. This page answers what we can; the same answers appear on Downey’s town page under “Getting set up”.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Downey, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

PowerMidAmerican Energyinvestor-owned utility · 11.2¢/kWhMore →Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsMore →Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Downey’s trash rules yetMore →SchoolWest Branch Community School DistrictWhich school depends on grade and addressMore →Register to voteOnlineRules from vote.govMore →ZIP code52358Where people live, not P.O. boxesMore →
Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Downey.

Electricity

Power comes from MidAmerican Energy

MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Downey. Its homes paid an average of 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025, about $93 a month (its average across Iowa).

Start or move service: midamericanenergy.com · (888) 427-5632

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Internet

4 home internet providers serve Downey

100% of 64 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
West Liberty Telephone CompanyFiber100%1,000/1,000
T-MobileFixed wireless59%25/3
VerizonFixed wireless42%300/20
AT&TFixed wireless11%25/3

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Downey’s trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Downey.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on fileDowney has no town government of its own, so look for trash and recycling rules on the county’s site.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Downey kids go to
PK–4Hoover Elementary Schoolin West Branch
5–8West Branch Middle Schoolin West Branch
9–12West Branch High Schoolin West Branch

Downey is in West Branch Community School District.

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

No town hall: the county runs things

Downey is unincorporated, so Cedar County is the local government.

Local governmentCedar CountyDowney is a census-designated place: no town hall of its ownCensus
Who runs elections hereCedar County AuditorElections here are run by Cedar County (county election office). 400 Cedar Street, Tipton, IA 52772 · (563) 886-3168 · [email protected]FVAP, Nov 2025
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.govCheck your registration and polling placesos.iowa.govThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Nov 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

ZIP codes & area codes

Downey is in ZIP code 52358

ZIP codes where Downey residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of DowneyZIP’s residents in Downey
52358West Branch, IA100%3%

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

Getting around, the ER and the library

One line each; the subject pages have the rest.

Nearest emergency roomUniversity of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down10 miles awayGet a library cardWest Branch Public Library300 N Downey St. · (319) 643-2633

ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.

Questions about living in Downey

Who provides electricity in Downey?

MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).

What internet providers serve Downey?

West Liberty Telephone Company, T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Downey?

52358. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Downey in?

West Branch Community School District.

How do I register to vote in Downey?

In 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). Elections here are run by the Cedar County Auditor. Check your registration at sos.iowa.gov.

Sources & dates

Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.

  • Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
  • Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
  • Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
  • Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
  • Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
  • Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.