Untitled photo, 2021
McCallsburg’s story
143 years in pictures
Census counts: 309 in 1910, 353 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1975 on.
- 1883McCallsburg is settled
McCallsburgIA
A town of 353, settled in 1883.
Photo: David Wilson · CC BY 2.0
Population
353
2025 Census estimate · +0.6% since 2020
Typical home
$245K
+1.2% in a year
Household income
$65K
median
Median age
29.9
years
Jobs based here
63
A commuter town
Is McCallsburg a good place to live?
Only 3 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than McCallsburg. McCallsburg’s density of trails is 1.6 miles per square mile, where Iowa’s towns sit at 0.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. McCallsburg has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
353 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 McCallsburg: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in McCallsburg, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMccallsburg Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have McCallsburg’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 hereStory County AuditorStory County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2026
ZIP code5015450154 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 McCallsburg.
Work & commute
With only 0.4 jobs per working resident, most people in McCallsburg work out of town
McCallsburg’s average commute stands at 22 minutes, against 19 minutes in Iowa’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. For most workers, McCallsburg is a place to come home to: only 2% work in town. Jobs in McCallsburg grew by 26 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 63. The top destinations are Ames (27%), Nevada (10%) and Zearing (6%).
2%work in town
| McCallsburg | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In McCallsburg2%
Ames27%
Nevada10%
Zearing6%
Des Moines5%
16 mi
median commute distance
63
jobs based in McCallsburg
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
The climate in McCallsburg brings four seasons and pleasant summers
Expect July afternoons of 84° and January nights of 10°, with about 31 inches of snow a winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–31°
Spring38–59°
Summer61–82°
Fall40–61°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, more of McCallsburg’s adults binge drink
The share of adults in McCallsburg who sleep under 7 hours: 30%. Against the Iowa average, McCallsburg comes out ahead on 7 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 2. Two figures for adults locally: 30% have high blood pressure, 9.2% have diabetes.
| McCallsburg | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.2% | 12% | 12% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
7 better23 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | McCallsburg | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.2% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5.2% | 6.6% |
| More binge drinkers | 24.3% | 20.5% |
Story County Hospital
11.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in McCallsburg, with drought at the top
Households in McCallsburg have drawn federal disaster aid in 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2020. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage locally than in 54% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 50% come from drought and 28% from inland flooding.
54risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Conserved land covers 3.1% of McCallsburg
In 1 park or preserve, walkers have 0.8 miles of trail. McCallsburg has one park or preserve, 9 acres in all.
3.1%conserved
3.1%
conserved · 9 of 290 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Praeri Rail Trail | 0.8 mi | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Housing
The median rent in McCallsburg is lower than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
A typical home in McCallsburg is worth about $245,000, up 1.2% in a year, close to the Iowa typical home. Among households locally, 70% are owner-occupiers.
$245KZillow home value
| McCallsburg | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $676 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
McCallsburg$245K
Iowa$237K
+1.2%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about McCallsburg
18pages on McCallsburg
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of McCallsburg; the nearest are
Iowa State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ames16.3 mi$10,787 in-state tuitionEllsworth Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Iowa Falls25.9 mi$5,496 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 McCallsburg residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave McCallsburg for work
Where McCallsburg’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
63jobs based in McCallsburg
2%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About McCallsburg
City in Iowa, United States
McCallsburg is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States. The population was 353 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Ames, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a part of the larger Ames-Boone, Iowa Combined Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,083 ft
- ZIP code
- 50154
Questions about McCallsburg
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is McCallsburg, IA a good place to live?
McCallsburg has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.