Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 315, settled in 1882.
No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a lower median household income than Irwin. Irwin Consolidated School and Pleasant View Stock Farm Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Irwin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 295 in 1900, a peak of 446 in 1970, 319 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1941 and 2 maps from 1978 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Irwin, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Irwin.
The typical Irwin home is worth about $142,000, up 2.4% in a year, 40% below the Iowa typical home. 83% of Irwin households own their home, where Iowa’s towns sit at 70% and U.S. towns at 73%.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Irwin for work: only 3% work in town. 16% of Irwin residents live below the poverty line, against 11% in Iowa’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Irwin’s average trip to work is 18 minutes.
| Irwin | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.9% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
29% of residents are 65 or older in Irwin. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 4 have a higher median age than Irwin. 25% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
| Irwin | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 29% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 48.5 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 25% | 25% | 29% |
45% women, 55% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±7.2 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Irwin | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.2% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 18.2% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.3% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 4.5% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.6% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.4% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 15.3% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.1% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 28.6% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.7% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.1% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.5% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 300, single groups can be off by several points
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Irwin has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 11° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
14% of Irwin adults report frequent mental distress. Only 4 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Irwin. 28% of Irwin adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Irwin | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| What stands out | Irwin | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.4% | 12% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.6% | 9.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.1% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ruhs Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Irwin; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Irwin residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Where Irwin’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Iowa, United States
Irwin is a city in Shelby County, Iowa, United States, along the West Nishnabotna River. The population was 319 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Irwin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.