Melbourne Iowa 20090215 City Hall, 2009
Melbourne’s story
144 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1882Melbourne is settled
MelbourneIA
A town of 760, settled in 1882.
Photo: Ashton B Crew · CC BY 3.0
Population
760
2025 Census estimate · −3.6% since 2020
Typical home
$242K
+7.6% in a year
Household income
$72K
median
Median age
38.8
years
Jobs based here
69
A commuter town
Is Melbourne a good place to live?
Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a higher average trip to work than Melbourne. Melbourne’s trail density is 1.8 miles per square mile, where Iowa’s towns sit at 0.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Melbourne has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
760 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 Melbourne: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Melbourne, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMelbourne Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Melbourne’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 hereMarshall County AuditorMarshall County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP code5016250162 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 Melbourne.
Work & commute
Fewer of Melbourne’s working residents work locally than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
2.2% of working residents work locally in Melbourne, below both the Iowa town median (31%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). 5.6% of Melbourne workers work from home. The top destinations are Marshalltown (24%), Ames (8%) and Des Moines (7%).
2%work in town
| Melbourne | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.2% | 31% | 8% |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 8.5% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Melbourne2%
Marshalltown24%
Ames8%
Des Moines7%
West Des Moines4%
28 mi
median commute distance
69
jobs based in Melbourne
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Melbourne, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Melbourne has cold winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 11° and about 25 inches of snow falls in a winter.
25″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–31°
Spring38–59°
Summer61–82°
Fall40–61°
Oct 7
typical first frost
Apr 28
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Low risk in Melbourne, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities.
37risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Melbourne is
Melbourne beats the Iowa average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 23% of adults binge drink in Melbourne. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 8 have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Melbourne.
| Melbourne | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 20% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
10 better22 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Melbourne | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.2% | 12% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.4% | 7.3% |
Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown
12.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
A typical Melbourne home is worth about $242K
The typical Melbourne home is worth about $242,000, up 7.6% in a year, close to the Iowa typical home. Melbourne’s median rent is $756 a month.
$242KZillow home value
| Melbourne | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $756 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 76% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Melbourne$242K
Iowa$237K
+7.6%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Outdoors
Melbourne has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
0.9 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 337 acres
0.9 mi
of trails · 1.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Meier Memorial Park | 0.7 mi | 10 |
| 2. Lollar Park | 0.2 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Melbourne
18pages on Melbourne
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Melbourne
About 3 of every 100 Melbourne residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Melbourne for work
Where Melbourne’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
69jobs based in Melbourne
2%of working residents work in town
28 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Melbourne
City in Iowa, United States
Melbourne is a city in Marshall County, Iowa, United States. The population was 786 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1882
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,043 ft
- ZIP code
- 50162
Questions about Melbourne
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Melbourne, IA a good place to live?
Melbourne has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.