Ionia, IA welcome sign, 2011
Ionia’s story
156 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1870Ionia is settled
IoniaIA
The town, settled in 1870, counts 220 residents.
Photo: RifeIdeas · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
220
2025 Census estimate · −3.9% since 2020
Typical home
$128K
+3.6% in a year
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
27.9
years
Jobs based here
16
A commuter town
Is Ionia a good place to live?
Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Ionia. Ionia has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
220 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 Ionia: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ionia, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterIonia Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ionia’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 hereChickasaw County AuditorChickasaw County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5064550645 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 Ionia.
Housing
The median rent in Ionia is lower than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
Home values are up 3.6% over the year to September 2026. In Ionia, just over four in five households live in a home they own.
$128KZillow home value
| Ionia | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $533 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 82% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Ionia$128K
Iowa$237K
+3.6%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Ionia has 0.2 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
The median commute is under 22 miles. Ionia’s average trip to work comes in at 16 minutes. 4.5% of Ionia residents live below the poverty line, where Iowa’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. The top destinations are New Hampton (25%), Charles City (6%) and Waverly (6%).
0%work in town
| Ionia | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Ionia0%
New Hampton25%
Charles City6%
Waverly6%
Cresco5%
22 mi
median commute distance
16
jobs based in Ionia
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Ionia, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Among 141 Iowa towns, just 5 have a lower typical July afternoon high than Ionia. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 8° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–28°
Spring35–56°
Summer59–80°
Fall38–59°
Oct 6
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Ionia faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
The risk rating from FEMA for Ionia comes to 64 of 100. Expected losses in Ionia break down as 43% from inland flooding and 19% from drought. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Ionia after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2008.
64risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
Fewer of Ionia’s adults have been diagnosed with depression than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
21% of adults binge drink in Ionia. Only 9 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Ionia.
| Ionia | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better26 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Ionia | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.6% | 8.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8% | 6.6% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4% | 3.3% |
Mercy Medical Center-New Hampton
7.2 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ionia
17pages on Ionia
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ionia; the nearest are
Wartburg CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Waverly21.3 mi$26,250 tuitionNortheast Iowa Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Calmar31.3 mi$6,780 in-state tuitionUniversity of Northern IowaUniversity or college · Public · Cedar Falls36 mi$9,936 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Ionia residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Ionia for work
Where Ionia’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
16jobs based in Ionia
0%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Ionia
City in Iowa, USA
Ionia is a city in Chickasaw County, Iowa, United States. The population was 226 at the time of the 2020 census. The Ionia post office opened in 1870.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,148 ft
- ZIP code
- 50645
Questions about Ionia
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ionia, IA a good place to live?
Ionia has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.