LehighBrick, 1904
Lehigh’s story
171 years in pictures
Census counts: 870 in 1890, a peak of 1,090 in 1920, 395 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1904 and 2 maps from 1923 on.
- 1855Lehigh is settled
LehighIA
A town of 396, settled in 1855.
Photo: Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
396
2025 Census estimate · −0.8% since 2020
Typical home
$134K
+0.9% in a year
Household income
$55K
median
Median age
42.7
years
Jobs based here
16
A commuter town
Is Lehigh a good place to live?
No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Lehigh. Lehigh has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
396 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lehigh: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lehigh, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of LehighEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterXenia RWD (Des Moines)No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Lehigh’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 hereWebster County AuditorWebster County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5055750557 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 Lehigh.
Housing
Lehigh stands out in Iowa and nationally, with the median rent lower than most
The typical home value in Lehigh is about $134,000, up 0.9% in a year, 44% below the Iowa typical home. The share of households in Lehigh who live in a home they own is 74%, where Iowa’s towns sit at 70% and U.S. towns at 73%.
$134KZillow home value
| Lehigh | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $669 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Lehigh$134K
Iowa$237K
+0.9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, fewer of Lehigh’s working residents work locally
The top destinations are Fort Dodge (29%), Dayton (8%) and Ames (4%). Lehigh had 16 jobs in 2023, down 104 from 2013. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 8 have a higher typical journey to work than Lehigh. The share of residents in Lehigh who live below the poverty line: 15%.
1%work in town
| Lehigh | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.6% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Lehigh1%
Fort Dodge29%
Dayton8%
Ames4%
Webster City3%
14 mi
median commute distance
16
jobs based in Lehigh
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Lehigh faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Lehigh’s FEMA risk score comes in at 68 of 100. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Lehigh after 7 declared disasters, most recently in 2019. 33% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 26%. Paid flood insurance claims locally since 1993: 9.
68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
9
paid flood claims since 1993
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
The climate in Lehigh brings four seasons and pleasant summers
July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 9° and about 33 inches of snow falls in a winter.
33″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–30°
Spring37–59°
Summer60–82°
Fall39–61°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Lehigh is
Among adults in Lehigh, 39% have high blood pressure. Of 32 CDC measures, Lehigh beats the Iowa average on 1 and trails it on 3.
| Lehigh | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better28 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Lehigh | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 72.1% | 66.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.3% | 8.7% |
Trinity Regional Medical Center
11.6 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lehigh
17pages on Lehigh
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Lehigh
About 3 of every 100 Lehigh residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Lehigh for work
Where Lehigh’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
16jobs based in Lehigh
1%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Lehigh
City in Iowa, United States
Lehigh is a city in Webster County, Iowa, United States. The population was 395 at the time of the 2020 census. Located in a valley, Lehigh is divided in two by the Des Moines River, unusual for such a small town. Originally the two halves of Lehigh were two separate towns. While the town on the west side of the River was always called Lehigh, the east town was called Slabtown, and a piece of history marks the east side's roots––a sign that hangs over the playground with the words "Slabtown Traders," perhaps alluding to the flea market which is held there every summer during Lehigh River Days. The "Slabtown Traders" sign was blown over by a gust of wind in the summer of 2010. It survived se…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1855
- Area
- 2.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 965 ft
- ZIP code
- 50557
Questions about Lehigh
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lehigh, IA a good place to live?
Lehigh has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.