LaurelIA
A town of 211, settled in 1868.
Is Laurel a good place to live?
Laurel has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
211 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Laurel: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Laurel, 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Laurel.
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, the average trip to work in Laurel is longer
The income of the median household for Laurel comes to $61,000, against $69,000 in Iowa’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. The top destinations are Marshalltown (22%), Des Moines (10%) and Ames (9%). The median commute is under 35 miles.
| Laurel | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The schools Laurel’s kids attend
Its one school is below. The East Marshall Community School District runs its public schools. Laurel’s only public school teaches 242 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Marshall Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 242 | D− |
NCES · EDFacts
Four seasons and pleasant summers: that is Laurel’s year
A winter brings about 28 inches of snow, with January nights at 11° and July afternoons at 84°.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Top of a low hazard risk in Laurel: inland flooding
Of the losses FEMA expects in Laurel, 36% come from inland flooding and 33% from drought. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage in the town than in 63% of U.S. communities. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2020.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
A smaller share of adults in Laurel feel lonely than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
32% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Laurel. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 6 have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Laurel. The town beats the Iowa average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
| Laurel | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Laurel | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.5% | 12% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4.8% | 7.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.8% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
A typical Laurel home is worth about $262K
The share of households in Laurel who are owner-occupiers: 79%. Among 138 Iowa towns, just 3 have a lower median rent than Laurel. Home values are up 20% over the year to September 2026.
| Laurel | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $666 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 79% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about Laurel
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Laurel
About 1 of every 100 Laurel residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
100% of working residents leave Laurel for work
Where Laurel’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Laurel
City in Iowa, United States
Laurel is a city in Marshall County, Iowa, United States. The population was 220 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1880
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,043 ft
- ZIP code
- 50141
Questions about Laurel
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Laurel, IA a good place to live?
Laurel has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.