MerrillIA
A town of 700, settled in 1873.
Is Merrill a good place to live?
Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a lower share of working residents who work in town than Merrill. Merrill has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
700 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Merrill: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Merrill, 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 Merrill.
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Merrill’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Merrill for work: only 0% work in town. 4.9% of Merrill residents live below the poverty line, against 11% in Iowa’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. The average trip to work in Merrill is 18 minutes.
| Merrill | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $83,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Merrill
Merrill has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 9° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, the median rent in Merrill is lower
Merrill’s median rent is $626 a month, where Iowa’s towns sit at $911 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. Typical home values rose 6.5% in the year to September 2026. 83% of Merrill households own their home.
| Merrill | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $626 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 83% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
A smaller share of adults in Merrill have been diagnosed with depression than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
19% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Merrill. Merrill beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 39% of adults have obesity in Merrill.
| Merrill | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Merrill | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.5% | 11.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Merrill faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Merrill since 2025.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about Merrill
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Merrill; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Merrill residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
100% of working residents leave Merrill for work
Where Merrill’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Merrill
City in Iowa, United States
Merrill is a city in Plymouth County, Iowa, United States, along the Floyd River. The population was 717 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1894
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,175 ft
- ZIP code
- 51038
Questions about Merrill
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Merrill, IA a good place to live?
Merrill has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.