DuncombeIowaPopPlot, 2021
Duncombe’s story
157 years in pictures
Census counts: 350 in 1900, 381 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and a map from 1978 on.
- 1869Duncombe is settled
DuncombeIA
A town of 369, settled in 1869.
Population
369
2025 Census estimate · −2.1% since 2020
Typical home
$183K
+6.4% in a year
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
34.8
years
Jobs based here
54
A commuter town
Is Duncombe a good place to live?
Duncombe has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
369 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 Duncombe: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Duncombe, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterXenia RWD (Des Moines)No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Duncombe’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 hereWebster County AuditorWebster County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5053250532 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 Duncombe.
Work & commute
Most of Duncombe’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.3 jobs for each of them
The typical household income in Duncombe is $53,000. Its mean commuting time is 21 minutes, above the Iowa town median (19 minutes) but below the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). For half of commuters, work is under 12 miles away. The top destinations are Fort Dodge (31%), Webster City (5%) and Ames (3%).
0%work in town
| Duncombe | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Duncombe0%
Fort Dodge31%
Webster City5%
Ames3%
Eagle Grove3%
12 mi
median commute distance
54
jobs based in Duncombe
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
Duncombe stands out in Iowa and nationally: the median rent there is lower
Duncombe: 57% of households live in a home they own. Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 6.4% in value.
$183KZillow home value
| Duncombe | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 57% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $656 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Duncombe$183K
Iowa$237K
+6.4%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Duncombe
A winter brings about 33 inches of snow, with January nights at 9° and July afternoons at 83°.
33″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–30°
Spring37–58°
Summer60–81°
Fall39–61°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Duncombe faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by drought
Households in Duncombe have drawn federal disaster aid in 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2010. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities. 29% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from drought, followed by tornadoes at 27%.
38risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtTornadoesInland flooding
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Duncombe is
Among adults in Duncombe, 33% feel lonely. The town tracks Iowa closely on all 32 CDC measures. 42% of adults in the town have obesity; 37% sleep under 7 hours.
| Duncombe | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 32% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Van Diest Medical Center
9.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,249 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ducombe City Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Duncombe
17pages on Duncombe
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Duncombe
About 4 of every 100 Duncombe residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Duncombe for work
Where Duncombe’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
54jobs based in Duncombe
0%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Duncombe
City in Iowa, USA
Duncombe is a city in Webster County, Iowa, United States. The population was 381 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,109 ft
- ZIP code
- 50532
Questions about Duncombe
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Duncombe, IA a good place to live?
Duncombe has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.