Gilmore Locker Coke sign, Main Street, 1987
Gilmore City’s story
144 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1987.
- 1882Gilmore City is settled
Gilmore CityIA
A town of 471, settled in 1882.
Population
471
2025 Census estimate · −2.9% since 2020
Typical home
$60K
−15.7% in a year
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
34.0
years
Jobs based here
86
A commuter town
Is Gilmore City a good place to live?
37% of residents are under 18 in Gilmore City, above both Iowa’s towns (23%) and U.S. towns (22%). No town among the 140 in Iowa we compare has a lower value of a typical home than Gilmore City. Gilmore City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
471 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 Gilmore City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Gilmore City, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGilmore City Waterworks1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Gilmore City’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 hereHumboldt County AuditorHumboldt County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code5054150541 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 Gilmore City.
Housing
A typical Gilmore City home is worth about $60K
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home lost 16% of its value. In Gilmore City, nearly three quarters of households are owner-occupiers.
$60KZillow home value
Typical home value
Gilmore City$60K
Iowa$237K
−15.7%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Gilmore City’s kids attend
Public schools: the Gilmore City-Bradgate Community School District. Its one school is below. The town’s only public school teaches 59 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilmore City Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 59 | D− |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
Gilmore City stands out in Iowa and nationally, with fewer of its working residents who work locally
For half of commuters, work is under 20 miles away. Gilmore City had 86 jobs in 2023, up 55 from 2013. Its income of the median household is $53,000, against $69,000 in Iowa’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. Also worth knowing: the average trip to work for Gilmore City comes to 18 minutes.
1%work in town
| Gilmore City | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.9% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Gilmore City1%
Humboldt18%
Pocahontas9%
Fort Dodge8%
Laurens4%
20 mi
median commute distance
86
jobs based in Gilmore City
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers: that is Gilmore City’s year
Expect July afternoons of 83° and January nights of 8°, with about 39 inches of snow a winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–29°
Spring36–58°
Summer60–81°
Fall38–60°
Oct 7
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+0.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Gilmore City is
Among adults in Gilmore City, 40% have obesity. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Gilmore City is ahead of Iowa on 1 and behind on 11. 39% of adults in the town have high blood pressure; 13% have diabetes.
| Gilmore City | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better20 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Gilmore City | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.7% | 77.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.4% | 11.6% |
Humboldt County Memorial Hospital
10.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Gilmore City has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from drought
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Gilmore City after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2010. Compared with just over half of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage here is lower. 51% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from drought, followed by inland flooding at 18%.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingCold waves
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gilmore City
16pages on Gilmore City
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Gilmore City; the nearest are
Iowa Central Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fort Dodge20.2 mi$5,496 in-state tuitionIowa State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ames62.9 mi$10,787 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Gilmore City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Gilmore City for work
Where Gilmore City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
86jobs based in Gilmore City
1%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Gilmore City
City in Iowa, USA
Gilmore City is a city in Humboldt and Pocahontas counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 487 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,224 ft
- ZIP code
- 50541
Questions about Gilmore City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Gilmore City, IA a good place to live?
Gilmore City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.