First State Bank, Main Street, 1987
Holstein’s story
143 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1987.
- 1883Holstein is settled
HolsteinIA
A town of 1,470, settled in 1883. 24% more nonprofits per person than the typical Iowa town.
Population
1,470
2025 Census estimate · −2.6% since 2020
Typical home
$193K
+6.4% in a year
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
37.4
years
Jobs based here
1,059
Balanced
Is Holstein a good place to live?
Holstein’s best subject grades are an A for cost of living and an A+ for civic life; its weakest is a D for incomes. Only 24 of Iowa’s 276 towns score lower on incomes. Holstein’s average trip to work is 13 minutes, below both Iowa’s towns (19 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). On civic life, just 2 of Iowa’s 271 towns do better. Holstein has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Holstein stand out
Where Holstein beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Holstein9.4
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical IA town7.5
Civic lifeA+
24% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Iowa town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Typical home value
Holstein$193K
Iowa$237K
Cost of livingA
3.1 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 95% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Small town
1,470 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Holstein grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Holstein is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →Jobs & income$64K median household incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6 of 20; 5.3% of households have no car; 1.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →SchoolsC+Open →HealthHorn Memorial Hospital 11.1 miles awayC+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 44% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksDOpen →History2 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life9.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Holstein: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Holstein, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Holstein water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Holstein’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 code5102551025 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 Holstein.
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Holstein
Holstein has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 10° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–30°
Spring37–58°
Summer61–82°
Fall39–60°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SchoolsC+
Holstein’s public schools trail 65% of Iowa districts
Its public schools are run by the Galva-Holstein Community School District. Its two schools are below.
35%of IA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galva-Holstein Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–3 | Grades PK–3 | 175 | – |
| Ridge View High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 242 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade A
Holstein’s typical home value is about $193K
The typical Holstein home is worth about $193,000, up 6.4% in a year, 18% below the Iowa typical home. Holstein’s median rent is $848 a month, where Iowa’s towns sit at $911 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month.
$193KZillow home value
| Holstein | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $848 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Holstein$193K
Iowa$237K
+6.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Holstein has 1.4 jobs for every working resident, and 845 people commute in
About one in 3 of Holstein’s working residents works in town. 17% of residents live below the poverty line in Holstein. Jobs based in Holstein grew to 1,059 in 2023, 342 more than in 2013.
29%work in town
| Holstein | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 29% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Holstein29%
Storm Lake6%
Cherokee6%
Sioux City5%
Galva3%
19 mi
median commute distance
1,059
jobs based in Holstein
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 35% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Fewer middle-aged adults than Iowa overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 32% of residents (37% statewide). 35% of Holstein adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more. Holstein has lost 2.6% of its people since 2020, down to 1,470 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
37.4median age · IA 38.6
| Holstein | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 25% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 37.4 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
HolsteinIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school33%
Some college17%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s28%
Graduate7%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.2 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Holstein | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.7% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.9% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 11.6% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.4% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.1% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.5% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.8% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.3% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.8% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.7% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.3% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.5% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.9% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 28% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.6% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,500, single groups can be off by several points
HealthC+
Holstein is less healthy than 56% of U.S. towns
Holstein beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4.
44%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Holstein | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better27 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Holstein | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.1% | 77.8% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.2% | 3.3% |
Horn Memorial Hospital
11.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Moderate risk in Holstein, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 56% of U.S. communities.
44risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Holstein
17pages on Holstein
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Holstein; the nearest are
Buena Vista UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Storm Lake20.1 mi$41,798 tuitionWestern Iowa Tech Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Sioux City41.1 mi$5,186 in-state tuitionNebraska Indian Community CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Macy, NE48.6 mi$4,080 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Holstein residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Holstein
City in Iowa, USA
Holstein is a city in Ida County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,501 in the 2020 census, a 2% increase from 1,470 in 2000.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,450 ft
- ZIP code
- 51025
- Area code
- 712
Questions about Holstein
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Holstein, IA a good place to live?
24% more nonprofits per person than the typical Iowa town.
Is Holstein, 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 Holstein, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Foster Edwards and Biggs Wehde.