Living in Kent, IA: what to set up and who to call
Kent has no town government of its own, so Union County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Creston Community School District. For a library card, the closest branch is Lenox Public Library, 7.1 miles out.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Kent, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Kent.
Power comes from Interstate Power and Light
Interstate Power and Light (Interstate Power and Light Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Kent. Its homes paid an average of 17.8¢ per kWh in 2025, about $131 a month (its average across Iowa).
Start or move service: alliantenergy.com · (319) 786-4411
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
3 home internet providers serve Kent
100% of 23 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinetic | DSL, Fixed wireless | 100% | 200/20 |
| Lockridge Networks | Fixed wireless | 100% | 50/25 |
| Nextlink | Fixed wireless | 70% | 1,000/1,000 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Kent’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Kent.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Kent is in Creston Community School District.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
No town hall: the county runs things
Kent is unincorporated, so Union County is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2023; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Kent is in ZIP code 50851
ZIP codes where Kent residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Kent | ZIP’s residents in Kent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50851 | Lenox, IA | 100% | 2% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Kent
Who provides electricity in Kent?
Interstate Power and Light (Interstate Power and Light Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 17.8¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Kent?
Kinetic, Lockridge Networks, Nextlink (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Kent?
50851. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Kent in?
Creston Community School District.
How do I register to vote in Kent?
In 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). Elections here are run by the Union County Auditor. Check your registration at sos.iowa.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.