MelvinIA
A town of 194, settled in 1896.
Is Melvin a good place to live?
Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Melvin. Melvin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
194 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Melvin: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Melvin, 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 Melvin.
In Melvin, the median rent runs lower than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
Melvin’s median rent is $538 a month, below both the Iowa town median ($911 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 91% of Melvin households own their home. The typical Melvin home is worth about $128,000, up 3.4% in a year, 46% below the Iowa typical home.
| Melvin | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 91% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $538 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Melvin stands out in Iowa and nationally, with fewer of its working residents who work locally
1.1% of Melvin working residents work locally, against 31% in Iowa’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. 14% of residents live below the poverty line in Melvin. The top destinations are Sibley (20%), Sheldon (12%) and Worthington (5%).
| Melvin | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.1% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Melvin has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Melvin has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Melvin is 83°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Hail leads a low hazard risk in Melvin
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
How healthy Melvin is
Melvin beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. Only 10 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Melvin.
| Melvin | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| What stands out | Melvin | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.1% | 77.8% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.9% | 6.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Melvin
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Melvin; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Melvin residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
99% of working residents leave Melvin for work
Where Melvin’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Melvin
City in Iowa, USA
Melvin is a city in Osceola County, Iowa, United States. The population was 199 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,581 ft
- ZIP code
- 51350
Questions about Melvin
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Melvin, IA a good place to live?
Melvin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.