Humeston, Iowa, 2013
Humeston’s story
153 years in pictures
Census counts: 642 in 1890, a peak of 1,214 in 1920, 465 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1954 on.
- 1873Humeston is settled
HumestonIA
A town of 471, settled in 1873.
Photo: robertstinnett from Boonville, MO, USA · CC BY 2.0
Population
471
2025 Census estimate · +1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$82K
+3.7% in a year
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
44.7
years
Jobs based here
144
A commuter town
Is Humeston a good place to live?
Of the 138 Iowa towns we compare, none has a lower median rent than Humeston. Humeston 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 Humeston: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Humeston, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHumeston Water PlantNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Humeston’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 hereWayne County AuditorWayne County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code5012350123 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 Humeston.
Housing
Humeston’s typical home value is about $82K
The typical Humeston home is worth about $82,000, up 3.7% in a year, 66% below the Iowa typical home.
$82KZillow home value
Typical home value
Humeston$82K
Iowa$237K
+3.7%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Most of Humeston’s workers commute out: the town has 0.7 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Humeston for work: only 8% work in town. 16% of Humeston residents live below the poverty line, where Iowa’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Since 2013, Humeston has lost 38 jobs, to 144 in 2023.
8%work in town
| Humeston | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 8% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Humeston8%
Corydon17%
Des Moines8%
Chariton7%
Leon3%
22 mi
median commute distance
144
jobs based in Humeston
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Humeston
Humeston has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 14° and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–35°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
17% of adults in Humeston binge drink, against 20% in Iowa’s towns and 16% across U.S. towns
29% of Humeston adults sleep under 7 hours, below both Iowa’s towns (32%) and U.S. towns (36%). Only 4 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Humeston. 40% of Humeston adults have high blood pressure.
| Humeston | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 12% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
3 better22 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Humeston | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 73.1% | 66.6% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.4% | 77.8% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.2% | 6.6% |
Wayne County Hospital
12.1 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
Older than Iowa overall
People 65 and older are 23% of residents (18% statewide). The median age in Humeston is 44.7 years. 26% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
44.7median age · IA 38.6
| Humeston | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.7 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 19% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 25% | 23% | 22% |
HumestonIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school37%
Some college25%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate5%
Women and men · all residents
46% women, 54% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.1 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women. Among residents 45 to 54, 94% are men (IA 51%).
| Humeston | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.5% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 16.2% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.4% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6.4% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.2% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.2% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.2% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.7% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 36.6% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.1% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.1% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.9% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.5% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazards
Humeston faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by drought
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Humeston has set aside 0.3% of its land for conservation
0.2 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Only 3 of the 140 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of conserved land than Humeston.
0.3%conserved
| Humeston | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.3% | 3.1% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
0.3%
conserved · 1 of 404 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Christopher Street Memorial Park | 0.2 mi | 2 |
| 2. Wayne County Rail Road Right Of Way Wildlife Management Area | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Humeston
18pages on Humeston
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Humeston; the nearest are
Graceland University-LamoniUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Lamoni28.1 mi$20,950 tuitionSouthwestern Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Creston48.4 mi$8,064 in-state tuitionTruman State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Kirksville, MO66.9 mi$9,838 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Humeston residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Humeston for work
Where Humeston’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
144jobs based in Humeston
8%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Humeston
City in Iowa, USA
Humeston is a city in Wayne County, Iowa, United States. The population was 465 in the 2020 census, a decline from 542 in 2000.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,102 ft
- ZIP code
- 50123
Questions about Humeston
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Humeston, IA a good place to live?
Humeston has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.