Lone Tree, Iowa, 2013
Lone Tree’s story
167 years in pictures
Census counts: 217 in 1880, 1,357 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1969 on.
- 1859Lone Tree is settled
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,332
2025 Census estimate · −1.6% since 2020
Typical home
$249K
+1.3% in a year
Household income
$91K
median
Median age
43.3
years
Jobs based here
204
A commuter town
Is Lone Tree a good place to live?
Lone Tree’s best subject grades are an A− for cost of living and an A for civic life; its weakest is a D for schools. Only 22 of Iowa’s 276 towns score lower on walkability. Lone Tree has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Lone Tree stand out
Where Lone Tree beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Lone Tree$249K
Iowa$237K
Cost of livingA−
3.3 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 79% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Lone Tree Comm School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Lone Tree Elementary School | PK–5 | 196 |
| Lone Tree Middle-Senior High School | 6–12 | 205 |
Worth knowing · SchoolsD
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
Small town
1,332 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Lone Tree grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Lone Tree is from typical.
SchoolsDOpen →Cost of livingA−Open →HealthUniversity of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down 13.4 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$91K median household income; 204 jobs based hereA−Open →Hazard risktornadoes tops the listCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.6 of 20; 4.3% of households have no car; 0.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2% conserved landB−Open →History3 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
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 Lone Tree: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lone Tree, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLone Tree Muni Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpWednesdayTrash dayTown site
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 hereJohnson County AuditorJohnson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5275552755 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 Lone Tree.
SchoolsD
Lone Tree’s public schools trail 93% of Iowa districts
Its public schools are run by the Lone Tree Community School District. Its two schools are below.
7%of IA districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lone Tree Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 196 | C− |
| Lone Tree Middle-Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 205 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
On CDC estimates, Lone Tree is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Lone Tree beats the Iowa average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 22% of Lone Tree adults binge drink, above both Iowa’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (16%). 30% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Lone Tree.
76%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Lone Tree | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 38% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 26% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
3 better29 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Lone Tree | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.2% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults with obesity | 32.3% | 37.7% |
University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down
13.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About half of Lone Tree’s working residents commute to Iowa City
Most working residents leave Lone Tree for work: only 4% work in town. At 28 minutes, Lone Tree’s average trip to work is above both the Iowa town median (19 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). 4.8% of Lone Tree residents live below the poverty line.
4%work in town
| Lone Tree | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.7% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $91,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Lone Tree4%
Iowa City46%
Cedar Rapids7%
Coralville6%
North Liberty2%
14 mi
median commute distance
204
jobs based in Lone Tree
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 28% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Lone Tree faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by tornadoes
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities.
68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingDrought
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Lone Tree has four seasons and pleasant summers
Lone Tree 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
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Iowa overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 44% of residents (37% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 17% of residents (23% statewide). Lone Tree’s median age is 43.3 years. 23% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
43.3median age · IA 38.6
| Lone Tree | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 23% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 23% | 25% | 29% |
Lone TreeIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school40%
Some college23%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s15%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 34% and 59% women
The Census survey reached too few of Lone Tree’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±12.4 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Lone Tree | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.6% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.6% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.2% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.4% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.7% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.2% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.8% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.9% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.6% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.4% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 39.7% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.8% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.2% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.9% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,300, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade A−
Homes in Lone Tree are worth about $249K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Lone Tree home is worth about $249,000, up 1.3% in a year, 5% above the Iowa typical home.
$249KZillow home value
| Lone Tree | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 84% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $963 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Lone Tree$249K
Iowa$237K
+1.3%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1.7%conserved
1.7%
conserved · 11 of 677 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lone Tree recreational fields | — | 19 |
| 2. North Park | — | 5 |
| 3. Doughtery Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 23 attractions →Kinnick Stadium and 11 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lone Tree. Close and well known come first.
14 mi Stadium & arenaKinnick Stadium
13 mi MuseumHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
13 mi National Historic SiteHerbert Hoover National Historic Site107K visitors a year
14 mi Stadium & arenaCarver–Hawkeye Arena
35 mi MuseumNational Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
14 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 · Herbert Hoover National Historic Site: Billwhittaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carver–Hawkeye Arena: Asolsma1988, CC0 · 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 Lone Tree
19pages on Lone Tree
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Lone Tree
About 3 of every 100 Lone Tree residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Lone Tree for work
Where Lone Tree’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
204jobs based in Lone Tree
4%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Lone Tree
3 notable people were born in Lone Tree.
About Lone Tree
City in Iowa, United States
Lone Tree is a city in southeastern Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,357 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 725 ft
- ZIP code
- 52755
- Area code
- 319
Questions about Lone Tree
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lone Tree, IA expensive?
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−.
What is Lone Tree, IA known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Charles Allen Black and Claiborne Cary.