Residence of James Mickelwait, 1875
Glenwood’s story
178 years in pictures
Census counts: 614 in 1860, 5,073 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1875 and 3 maps from 1956 on.
- 1848Glenwood is settled
GlenwoodIA
A town of 5,287, settled in 1848. 26% more nonprofits per person than the typical Iowa town.
Photo: Iowaryan at English Wikipedia · Public domain
Population
5,287
2025 Census estimate · +3.8% since 2020
Typical home
$314K
+3.5% in a year
Household income
$72K
median
Median age
39.6
years
Jobs based here
1,965
Balanced
TownGrade
A−
#42 of 140 in IA
Is Glenwood a good place to live?
Glenwood gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $314K, 3.7 years of the Omaha metro’s $85K median household income. It grades A− overall, 42nd of 140 graded towns in Iowa. The low prices come with trade-offs. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 74% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. On the plus side, its schools rank ahead of 80% of Iowa towns. 20% of the land in Glenwood is conserved, against 3.1% in Iowa’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Glenwood's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 86% of U.S. towns. Among 140 Iowa towns, just 7 have a higher July high than Glenwood.
What makes Glenwood stand out
Where Glenwood beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Glenwood9.5
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical IA town7.5
Civic lifeA
26% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Iowa town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Glenwood Comm School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast Elementary School | PK–2 | 538 |
| West Elementary School | 3–5 | 440 |
| Glenwood Middle School | 6–8 | 453 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
How Glenwood grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Glenwood is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →SchoolsA−Open →HealthBellevue Medical Center 11.3 miles awayB+Open →Cost of livingB+Open →SafetyBOpen →Jobs & income$72K median household incomeBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.7 of 20; 8% of households have no car; 3.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsA−Open →History6 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life9.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 37 attractions →Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and 25 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Glenwood. Close and well known come first.
16 mi Zoo & aquariumOmaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
18 mi MuseumJoslyn Art Museum
30 mi MuseumStrategic Air and Space Museum
18 mi MuseumUSS Hazard
17 mi MuseumPottawattamie County Jail
32 mi LandmarkFort AtkinsonSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium: OmahaZoo, Public domain · Joslyn Art Museum: akasped, CC BY 2.0 · Strategic Air and Space Museum: User Kandykornhead on en.wikipedia, Public domain · USS Hazard: Dave Aldworth / Oldfarm at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Pottawattamie County Jail: Smallbones, CC0 · Fort Atkinson: Unknown, Public domain
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Glenwood: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Glenwood, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGlenwood Municipal UtilitiesNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Glenwood’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 hereMills County AuditorMills County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5153451534 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 Glenwood.
Glenwood pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices and sends many workers across the state line to Bellevue, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Iowa (mostly inland flooding).
OutdoorsA−
Conserved land covers 19.8% of Glenwood
1.7 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Glenwood Lake Park, at 90 acres.
#42for trails in IA
19.8%
conserved · 371 of 1,870 acres
1.7 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Glenwood Lake Park | 0.6 mi | 90 |
| 2. City Field Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA−
Glenwood earns an A− for schools
Its A− for schools comes with a B+ for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $314K.
Its public schools are run by the Glenwood Community School District. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Glenwood Senior High School, with 570 students.
80%of IA districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–2 | Grades PK–2 | 538 | – |
| Glenwood Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 570 | B+ |
| West Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 440 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade B+
Glenwood earns a B+ for cost of living
The typical Glenwood home is worth about $314,000, up 3.5% in a year, 33% above the Iowa typical home.
$314KZillow home value
| Glenwood | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 77% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $924 a month | $909 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Glenwood$314K
Iowa$237K
Market temperature
35
days on market
99.8%
sale-to-list price
+3.5%
value change, 1 year
7
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Glenwood faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 93% of Iowa towns, with expected losses of about $272 per resident a year; that rating is what its C− for hazard risk is built on.
Among 140 Iowa towns, just 10 have a higher FEMA risk score than Glenwood. Since 1984, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Glenwood.
74risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHail
6
paid flood claims since 1984
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB+
On CDC estimates, Glenwood is healthier than 68% of U.S. towns
Against the 10,657 U.S. towns with household incomes like Glenwood’s, it is healthier than 83%, so its B+ isn’t only a matter of income.
Glenwood beats the Iowa average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 21% of Glenwood adults binge drink, above both Iowa’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (16%). 31% of Glenwood adults sleep under 7 hours.
68%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Glenwood | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
3 better29 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Glenwood | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.4% | 12% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.8% | 7.3% |
Bellevue Medical Center
11.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
66th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Glenwood, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
January nights average 14.3°: colder than most of the country, but milder than 92% of Iowa places with climate records; July afternoons average 86°.
Glenwood has cold winters and warm summers. Among 140 Iowa towns, just 9 have a higher January low than Glenwood. About 25 inches of snow falls in a winter.
25″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–36°
Spring40–63°
Summer63–84°
Fall42–64°
Oct 11
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
With 0.8 jobs for every working resident, most of Glenwood’s workers commute out
38% of working residents cross a state line to work, Bellevue among the top destinations. Jobs based here fell from 2,762 in 2013 to 1,965.
About one in 4 of Glenwood’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Glenwood fell to 1,965 in 2023, 797 fewer than in 2013. The average trip to work in Glenwood is 22 minutes.
24%work in town
| Glenwood | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 24% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 8.5% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Glenwood24%
Omaha25%
Council Bluffs15%
Bellevue2%
Papillion1%
19 mi
median commute distance
1,965
jobs based in Glenwood
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 60% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
61%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Glenwood1.9
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Glenwood8.5
Iowa12.1
U.S.15.5
61st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
61st
percentile among IA towns
10
violent crimes reported in 2025
45
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Who lives here
An age mix much like Iowa’s
22% of residents are 65 or older in Glenwood. Glenwood has grown 3.8% since 2020, to 5,287 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 27% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
39.6median age · IA 38.6
| Glenwood | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 39.6 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
GlenwoodIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma1%
High school29%
Some college28%
Associate’s16%
Bachelor’s19%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.3 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Glenwood | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15.2% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.2% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.4% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.1% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.3% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.3% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.8% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.3% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.4% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.3% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.5% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 27.5% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.9% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.8% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Glenwood
20pages on Glenwood
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 80% of IA districts · 4 schoolsSafetyB1.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than IA on 3 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$314K typical home · up 3.5% in a yearWork & commuteB$72K median household income · 1,965 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 74% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Glenwood
About 5 of every 100 Glenwood residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Iowa.
Famous people from Glenwood
6 notable people were born in Glenwood.
D
Don HallAmerican film director · born 1969
D
Donald JacksonAmerican journalist and historian · 1919–1987L
Leland S. StranathanUnited States Air Force general · 1904–1983S
Scott DavisAmerican football player · born 1970About Glenwood
City in Iowa, United States
Glenwood is the largest city in and the county seat of Mills County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,073 in the 2020 census, a decline from 5,358 in 2000. The city was originally founded by Mormons, before they left for Utah. After the Second World War, Glenwood became a center for meatpacking, particularly kosher meatpacking. Glenwood was impacted by significant flooding in 2019.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1848
- Area
- 3.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,017 ft
- ZIP code
- 51534
- Area code
- 712
Questions about Glenwood
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Glenwood, IA a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Glenwood grades A− overall, better than 83% of U.S. towns and #42 of 140 in Iowa. It grades B+ for health, B for safety and A− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Glenwood, 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 B+.
What is Glenwood, IA known for?
6 notable people were born here, including Don Hall and Elmer Burkett.