HoughtonIowaPopPlot, 2021
Houghton’s story
145 years in pictures
Census counts: 119 in 1970, 141 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and a map from 1981 on.
- 1881Houghton is settled
HoughtonIA
A town of 126, settled in 1881.
Photo: PopePompus · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
126
2025 Census estimate · −3.1% since 2020
Median home value
$253K
Census ACS
Household income
$106K
median
Median age
52.3
years
Jobs based here
47
Balanced
Is Houghton a good place to live?
Among 141 Iowa towns, just one has a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Houghton. Houghton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
126 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 Houghton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Houghton, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRathbun Reg Water Assn (Ft Madison)No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Houghton’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 hereLee County AuditorLee County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes52631, 5262552631 53% · 52625 47%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 Houghton.
Who lives here
Houghton is older than the Iowa average
Houghton has lost 3.1% of its people since 2020, down to 126 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. People 65 and older are 35% of residents (18% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 7% of residents (23% statewide). In Houghton, 37% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more, where Iowa’s towns sit at 25% and U.S. towns at 29%.
52.3median age · IA 38.6
HoughtonIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
25%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma0%
High school30%
Some college11%
Associate’s23%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate11%
| Houghton | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 16.7% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4.2% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.9% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 20.8% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 5.6% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.1% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 25% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.7% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 29.8% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 10.5% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 22.8% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.3% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.5% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 100, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers: that is Houghton’s year
A winter brings about 26 inches of snow, with January nights at 15° and July afternoons at 85°.
26″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–36°
Spring41–62°
Summer63–84°
Fall43–64°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 17
typical last frost
+0.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
A smaller share of working residents work locally in Houghton than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
Houghton’s average commute stands at 20 minutes, above the Iowa town median (19 minutes) but below the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Since 2013, Houghton has lost 73 jobs, to 47 in 2023. The median household income for Houghton comes to $106,000. The top destinations are Fort Madison (14%), Mount Pleasant (11%) and West Point (7%).
2%work in town
| Houghton | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.8% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $106,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Houghton2%
Fort Madison14%
Mount Pleasant11%
West Point7%
West Burlington7%
18 mi
median commute distance
47
jobs based in Houghton
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
A smaller share of adults in Houghton report frequent mental distress than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
For adults in Houghton, the share who smoke cigarettes is 12%. Among 141 Iowa towns, just one has a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Houghton. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Houghton is ahead of Iowa on 11 and behind on 6.
| Houghton | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 21% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
11 better15 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Houghton | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6% | 9.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13% | 8.7% |
Henry County Health Center
12.7 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
Top of a moderate hazard risk in Houghton: inland flooding
Compared with 59% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Houghton is lower. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Houghton once, in 2008. 43% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by drought at 16%.
41risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Houghton
16pages on Houghton
The big questions
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Houghton; the nearest are
Southeastern Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · West Burlington23 mi$6,420 in-state tuitionWestern Illinois UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Macomb, IL53.1 mi$15,264 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Houghton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Houghton
City in Iowa, USA
Houghton is a city in Lee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 141 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Fort Madison-Keokuk Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 715 ft
- ZIP code
- 52631
Questions about Houghton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Houghton, IA a good place to live?
Houghton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.