Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Kingsley’s best subject grade is an A+ for cost of living. In the comparison, Kingsley comes above both Iowa’s towns (19%) and U.S. towns (18%). On cost of living, just 24 of Iowa’s 276 towns do better. Kingsley’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, above both Iowa’s towns (0.3) and U.S. towns (0.4). Only 12 of Iowa’s 276 towns score lower on the outdoors. Kingsley has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Kingsley beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Kingsley is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 649 in 1890, 1,396 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1969 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Kingsley, 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 Kingsley.
Most working residents leave Kingsley for work: only 10% work in town. Since 2013, Kingsley has added 32 jobs, to 348 in 2023. Kingsley’s average trip to work is 22 minutes.
| Kingsley | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Kingsley-Pierson Community School District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsley Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 173 | B− |
| Kingsley-Pierson High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 141 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
Kingsley beats the Iowa average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 29% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Kingsley.
| Kingsley | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 9% | 12% | 14% |
| What stands out | Kingsley | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9% | 12% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.9% | 6.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.6% | 11.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Kingsley has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 9° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 24% of residents (18% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 18% of residents (23% statewide). The median age in Kingsley is 44.6 years. Kingsley has lost 2.3% of its people since 2020, down to 1,373 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Kingsley | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 24% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 44.6 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.1 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Kingsley | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.2% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.5% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.5% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.9% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.6% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 17.1% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.9% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.5% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.8% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.9% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.5% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.1% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.8% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.9% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.9% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,400, single groups can be off by several points
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Kingsley since 1996.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical Kingsley home is worth about $260,000, up 6.3% in a year, 10% above the Iowa typical home. 82% of Kingsley households own their home.
| Kingsley | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 82% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $886 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Kingsley; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Kingsley residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Where Kingsley’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Iowa, USA
Kingsley is a city in Plymouth County, Iowa, United States, which is located within Garfield Township. The population was 1,396 at the time of the 2020 census. The city was originally known as the village Quorn, which was founded by two brothers, Frederick and William B. Close. Quorn was named after the Quorn Hunt in England. The village was later relocated to a different part of Iowa and named Kingsley due to a railroad not running through the original area. The railroad was designed by the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company. Kingsley was founded on January 15, 1884, and the centennial celebration was held in June 1984. Kingsley includes organizations, recreational activities…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
2 notable people were born here, including Harry Gaspar and Forrest Twogood.