Matchstick Marvels Museum, 2006
Gladbrook’s story
146 years in pictures
Census counts: 556 in 1890, 799 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1971 on.
- 1880Gladbrook is settled
GladbrookIA
A town of 779, settled in 1880.
Conant's Cabin and Park · Photo: Jon Roanhaus · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
779
2025 Census estimate · −2.9% since 2020
Typical home
$127K
+1.2% in a year
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
42.8
years
Jobs based here
152
A commuter town
Is Gladbrook a good place to live?
Gladbrook has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
779 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 Gladbrook: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Gladbrook, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGladbrook Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Gladbrook’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 hereTama County AuditorTama County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5063550635 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 Gladbrook.
Housing
The typical home in Gladbrook is valued at about $127K
In Gladbrook, 83% of households are owner-occupiers, against 70% in Iowa’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns. The town’s rent at the middle of the market is $844 a month. Typical home values rose 1.2% in the year to September 2026.
$127KZillow home value
| Gladbrook | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $844 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Gladbrook$127K
Iowa$237K
+1.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Gladbrook’s kids attend
Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gladbrook-Reinbeck PreschoolLargest public school before high schoolGrades PK | Grades PK | 11 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
The average trip to work in Gladbrook is longer than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
Commuting out is the norm in Gladbrook: 6% of working residents work locally. In Gladbrook, 15% of residents live below the poverty line, above both the Iowa town median (11%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Also worth knowing: since 2013, Gladbrook has lost 80 jobs, to 152 in 2023. The median commute is under 25 miles.
6%work in town
| Gladbrook | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 6.4% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Gladbrook6%
Marshalltown19%
Tama5%
Waterloo5%
Des Moines4%
25 mi
median commute distance
152
jobs based in Gladbrook
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers: that is Gladbrook’s year
A winter brings about 28 inches of snow, with January nights at 10° and July afternoons at 83°.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–30°
Spring37–58°
Summer60–81°
Fall39–61°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Gladbrook is
Against the Iowa average, Gladbrook comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 4. 19% of Gladbrook adults binge drink. Among adults in the town, 20% have been diagnosed with depression and 38% have high blood pressure.
| Gladbrook | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 32% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better27 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Gladbrook | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81% | 77.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11% | 8.7% |
Grundy County Memorial Hospital
12.2 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
Gladbrook faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Households in Gladbrook have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2020. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage here than in 56% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 34% come from inland flooding and 29% from drought.
44risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtStrong wind
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gladbrook
18pages on Gladbrook
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Gladbrook; the nearest are
Marshalltown Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Marshalltown16.2 mi$5,496 in-state tuitionUniversity of Northern IowaUniversity or college · Public · Cedar Falls26.2 mi$9,936 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Gladbrook residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Gladbrook for work
Where Gladbrook’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
152jobs based in Gladbrook
6%of working residents work in town
25 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Gladbrook
City in Iowa, United States
Gladbrook is a city in Tama County, Iowa, United States. As of 2023, its population is 767 people.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 974 ft
- ZIP code
- 50635
Questions about Gladbrook
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Gladbrook, IA a good place to live?
Gladbrook has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Gladbrook, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Clifford Berry and John Putney.