Welcome to Kalona Sign, 2005
Kalona’s story
147 years in pictures
Census counts: 211 in 1890, 2,630 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1969 on.
- 1879Kalona is settled
KalonaIA
A town of 2,811, settled in 1879.
Photo: Crcjfly, Billwhittaker, Dnllnd, Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
2,811
2025 Census estimate · +6.5% since 2020
Typical home
$325K
+4.4% in a year
Household income
$80K
median
Median age
41.4
years
Jobs based here
1,033
Balanced
TownGrade
A−
#53 of 140 in IA
Is Kalona a good place to live?
Kalona is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades A− overall, ranked 53rd of 140 in Iowa, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is incomes: the median household earns $80K. It also does better than most on health: it is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns. A typical home there costs about $324K, 4.3 years of the Iowa City metro’s $75K median household income. On the outdoors, just 19 of Iowa’s 276 towns do worse. Kalona is more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns. On civic life, just 19 of Iowa’s 271 towns do worse.
What makes Kalona stand out
Where Kalona beats most towns.
A growing town
Kalona has grown 19% since 2010
2,363 counted in 2010 and 2,630 in 2020; an estimated 2,811 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 6.5% since 2020, after 11.3% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Kalona grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Kalona is from typical.
Jobs & incomeA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.5 of 20; 5.6% of households have no carA−Open →HealthWashington County Hospital and Clinics 13.8 miles awayB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →SchoolsC+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trailsC−Open →HistoryCOpen →Civic life3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+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 Kalona: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Kalona, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKalona Water DeptNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Kalona’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 hereWashington County AuditorWashington County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5224752247 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 Kalona.
HousingCost of living grade B
For cost of living, Kalona earns a B
Typical home values rose 4.4% in the year to September 2026. At $853 a month, Kalona’s median rent is where Iowa’s towns sit at $913 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month.
$325KZillow home value
| Kalona | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $853 a month | $913 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Kalona$325K
Iowa$237K
+4.4%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC+
Kalona’s schools rank behind 57% of Iowa districts
Its public schools are run by the Mid-Prairie Community School District. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
43%of IA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-Prairie Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 415 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
HealthB+
For health, Kalona earns a B+
29% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Kalona, below both the Iowa town median (32%) and the median of U.S. towns (36%). 15% of Kalona adults report frequent mental distress. Kalona beats the Iowa average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
73%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Kalona | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
8 better23 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Kalona | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.7% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.9% | 12% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.9% | 8.7% |
Iowa City VA Medical Center
13.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
72nd
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Kalona
Kalona has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 13° and about 28 inches of snow falls in a winter.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–34°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Older than Iowa overall
People 65 and older are 25% of residents (18% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 32% of residents (37% statewide). Kalona has grown 6.5% since 2020, to 2,811 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 31% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
41.4median age · IA 38.6
| Kalona | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 25% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 31% | 25% | 29% |
| Median age | 41.4 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
KalonaIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma9%
High school30%
Some college19%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate10%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.8 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Kalona | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.2% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.2% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.4% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.4% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.9% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.8% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.7% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.7% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10.7% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.1% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 29.7% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.5% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.3% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.2% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.2% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,800, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Most of Kalona’s workers commute out: the town has 0.8 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Kalona for work: only 10% work in town. 4.6% of residents live below the poverty line in Kalona. Jobs based in Kalona fell to 1,033 in 2023, 157 fewer than in 2013.
10%work in town
| Kalona | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 12% | 8.5% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Kalona10%
Iowa City29%
Cedar Rapids6%
Coralville5%
Riverside4%
15 mi
median commute distance
1,033
jobs based in Kalona
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Kalona faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 2013, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Kalona.
53risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windTornadoes
6
paid flood claims since 2013
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsC−
Conserved land covers 0% of Kalona
Just 0 of its 1,372 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Kalona itself; its outdoors grade is C−.
0.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is Kalona City Park, at 30 acres.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,372 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kalona City Park | — | 30 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 21 attractions →Kinnick Stadium and 10 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Kalona. Close and well known come first.
14 mi Stadium & arenaKinnick Stadium
22 mi MuseumHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
14 mi Stadium & arenaCarver–Hawkeye Arena
22 mi National Historic SiteHerbert Hoover National Historic Site107K visitors a year
33 mi MuseumNational Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
15 mi MuseumUniversity of Iowa Stanley Museum of ArtSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Kinnick Stadium: Count_de_Des_Moines (talk) (Uploads), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum: Shadow2700, Public domain · Carver–Hawkeye Arena: Asolsma1988, CC0 · Herbert Hoover National Historic Site: Billwhittaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library: ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0 · University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kalona
18pages on Kalona
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Kalona
About 3 of every 100 Kalona residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Kalona
City in Iowa, United States
Kalona is a city in Washington County, Iowa. It is part of the Iowa City metropolitan area. The population was 2,630 at the time of the 2020 census. Kalona is the second-largest city in Washington County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1879
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 659 ft
- ZIP code
- 52247
- Area code
- 319
Questions about Kalona
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Kalona, IA a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Kalona grades A− overall, better than 77% of U.S. towns and #53 of 140 in Iowa. It grades B+ for health and C+ for schools.
Is Kalona, IA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.