Photo: Ashton B Crew · CC BY 3.0Living in Elkhart, IA: what to set up and who to call
All of Elkhart gets its mail under one ZIP code, 50073. For emergencies, Elkhart is closest to Broadlawns Medical Center, 13.8 miles away.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Elkhart, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Elkhart.
Power comes from MidAmerican Energy
MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Elkhart. 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.
Water comes from Des Moines Water Works
Des Moines Water Works supplies Elkhart: about 54% of residents live in its service area. About 46% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It buys treated surface water (EPA lists Ciww (Dmww) as seller) and serves 246,055 people in all.
No health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026, like 86% of the 332 systems serving 100,001–250,000 people.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2022–Dec 2024, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. IA7727031.
3 home internet providers serve Elkhart
98% of 455 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 97% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huxley Communications Cooperative | Fiber | 93% | 1,000/1,000 |
| Kinetic | Fiber, DSL | 82% | 2,000/2,000 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 95% | 300/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
Ankeny Sanitation picks up trash in Elkhart
Pickup days, the drop-off and recycling in Elkhart, from the town’s own site.
We couldn’t find pickup days or drop-off hours. Check elkhartiowa.com →
From elkhartiowa.com, the town’s official site, checked Oct 22, 2026; pages dated 2024. Rules change: the town’s page is the last word. .
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Elkhart is in North Polk Community School District.
A+School gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Sep 2026; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Elkhart is in ZIP code 50073
ZIP codes where Elkhart residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Elkhart | ZIP’s residents in Elkhart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50073 | Elkhart, IA | 100% | 63% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Elkhart
Who supplies Elkhart’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Des Moines Water Works (EPA ID IA7727031). It reported no health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026; 86% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2022–Dec 2024), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Elkhart?
MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Elkhart?
Huxley Communications Cooperative, Kinetic, Verizon (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Elkhart?
50073. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Elkhart in?
North Polk Community School District.
How do I register to vote in Elkhart?
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 Polk County Auditor. Check your registration at sos.iowa.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: Elkhart’s own website (elkhartiowa.com), read Oct 22, 2026, pickup and drop-off facts extracted and checked against the page they came from.
- 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.