GalvaIowaPopPlot, 2021
Galva’s story
149 years in pictures
Census counts: 456 in 1900, 435 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1969 on.
- 1877Galva is settled
GalvaIA
A town of 415, settled in 1877.
Population
415
2025 Census estimate · −4.6% since 2020
Typical home
$204K
+5.2% in a year
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
34.5
years
Jobs based here
79
A commuter town
Is Galva a good place to live?
Galva’s trail density is 1.0 miles per square mile, where Iowa’s towns sit at 0.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Galva has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
415 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 Galva: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Galva, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGalva Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Galva’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 hereIda County AuditorIda County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5102051020 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 Galva.
Work & commute
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, fewer of Galva’s working residents work locally
In Galva, the typical journey to work is 19 minutes, against 19 minutes in Iowa’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. 22% of residents live below the poverty line here. The top destinations are Holstein (29%), Storm Lake (8%) and Sioux City (7%).
2%work in town
| Galva | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.2% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Galva2%
Holstein29%
Storm Lake8%
Sioux City7%
Cherokee4%
19 mi
median commute distance
79
jobs based in Galva
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Galva’s kids attend
The public schools here belong to the Galva-Holstein Community School District. Its one school is below. Enrollment at the town’s public school: 105 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galva-Holstein Upper ElementaryLargest public middle schoolGrades 4–6 | Grades 4–6 | 105 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
The climate in Galva brings four seasons and pleasant summers
Expect July afternoons of 84° and January nights of 9°, with about 36 inches of snow a winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–30°
Spring36–59°
Summer60–82°
Fall38–61°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
Homes in Galva are worth about $204K, by Zillow’s estimate
Among 138 Iowa towns, just 8 have a lower typical rent than Galva. Values rose 5.2% in the 12 months to September 2026. Also worth knowing: for households in the town, the share who are owner-occupiers is 76%.
$204KZillow home value
| Galva | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $714 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 76% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Galva$204K
Iowa$237K
+5.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
How healthy Galva is
Among adults in Galva, 22% binge drink. Two figures for adults here: 42% have obesity, 75% had a checkup this year.
| Galva | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 78% | 79% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Galva | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.1% | 11.6% |
Horn Memorial Hospital
11.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: moderate risk in Galva, mostly inland flooding
Of the losses FEMA expects in Galva, 30% come from inland flooding and 26% from tornadoes. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage here than in 56% of U.S. communities. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2013.
44risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
0% of Galva is conserved land
Across 1 park or preserve: 0.7 miles of trail. One park or preserve covers 2 acres in Galva.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 479 acres
0.7 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Galva City Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Galva
17pages on Galva
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Galva
About 1 of every 100 Galva residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Galva for work
Where Galva’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
79jobs based in Galva
2%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Galva
City in Iowa, USA
Galva is a city in Ida County, Iowa, United States. The population was 435 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,299 ft
- ZIP code
- 51020
Questions about Galva
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Galva, IA a good place to live?
Galva has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.