GeorgeIowaPopPlot, 2021
George’s story
139 years in pictures
Census counts: 394 in 1900, 1,077 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and a map from 1971 on.
- 1887George is settled
Population
1,093
2025 Census estimate · +1.2% since 2020
Typical home
$199K
+11.7% in a year
Household income
$58K
median
Median age
46.1
years
Jobs based here
250
A commuter town
Is George a good place to live?
The best of George’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A for civic life; the weakest is a C− for incomes. 31% of residents are 65 or older in George, above both the Iowa town median (19%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). Only 14 of Iowa’s 276 towns score higher on cost of living. George’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, against 0.3 in Iowa’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. George has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes George stand out
Where George beats most towns.
Small town
1,093 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How George grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far George is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →Jobs & incomeC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 5% of households have no car; 2.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 37% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →HealthAvera Merrill Pioneer Hospital 10.2 miles awayB−Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trailsBOpen →History2 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life8.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 46.1; 20% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to George: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in George, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGeorge Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTuesdayTrash dayTown site
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 hereLyon County AuditorLyon County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2024
ZIP code5123751237 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 George.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of George’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave George for work: only 11% work in town. Since 2013, George has added 60 jobs, to 250 in 2023. George’s median household income is $58,000.
11%work in town
| George | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In George11%
Little Rock6%
Rock Rapids6%
Sheldon6%
Sibley5%
18 mi
median commute distance
250
jobs based in George
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 66% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB−
George’s public schools outperform 52% of Iowa districts
Its public schools are run by the George-Little Rock Community School District. Its two schools are below.
52%of IA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| George-Little Rock Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 61 | B |
| George-Little Rock Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 102 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
Climate
In George, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
George has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 7° and about 35 inches of snow falls in a winter.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–28°
Spring35–57°
Summer59–82°
Fall37–59°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade A+
The typical home in George is valued at about $199K
The typical George home is worth about $199,000, up 11.7% in a year, 16% below the Iowa typical home. The median rent in George is $810 a month.
$199KZillow home value
| George | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $810 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
George$199K
Iowa$237K
+11.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in George
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 1983, 10 flood insurance claims have been paid out in George.
37risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHailTornadoes
10
paid flood claims since 1983
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB−
George ranks healthier than 53% of the country’s towns
George beats the Iowa average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 39% of George adults have high blood pressure. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 10 have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than George.
53%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| George | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 80% | 78% | 79% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 26% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
2 better25 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | George | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.5% | 77.8% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 86.4% | 84.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.6% | 8.7% |
Avera Merrill Pioneer Hospital
10.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,465 acres
3.0 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Locker Park | 0.2 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about George
19pages on George
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of George
About 3 of every 100 George residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
89% of working residents leave George for work
Where George’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
250jobs based in George
11%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About George
City in Iowa, USA
George is a city in Lyon County, Iowa, United States, along the Little Rock River. The population was 1,077 at the time of the 2020 census. The ZIP Code for George is 51237.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,381 ft
- ZIP code
- 51237
- Area code
- 712
Questions about George
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is George, IA expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
What is George, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Bob Locker and Ro Foege.