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FI0006993
Iowa›Cerro Gordo County

MeserveyIA

A town of 211, settled in 1886.

Photo: Mavis Cook / FortepanIowa · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo of Meservey

Meservey, IA · Photo: Mavis Cook / FortepanIowa · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗

Is Meservey a good place to live?

Meservey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

211 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Untitled photo
Untitled photo, 2018
Meservey’s story

140 years in pictures

Census counts: 193 in 1900, a peak of 354 in 1970, 222 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1972 on.

  • 1886Meservey is settled
Explore the history →
Getting set up

Moving to Meservey: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Meservey, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMeservey 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 Meservey’s trash rules yet
SchoolsWest Fork Community School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereCerro Gordo County AuditorCerro Gordo County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code5045750457 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 Meservey.

Housing

The median rent in Meservey is lower than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town

The typical home value in Meservey is about $103,000, up 3.1% in a year, 57% below the Iowa typical home. Meservey: 72% of households are owner-occupiers, close to both Iowa’s towns (70%) and U.S. towns (73%).

$103KZillow home value
MeserveyIowa townsU.S. towns
Median rent$631 a month$911 a month$1,185 a month
Households that own their home72%70%73%

Typical home value

Meservey$103K
Iowa$237K
+3.1%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Work & commute

The average trip to work in Meservey is longer than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country

Among 141 Iowa towns, just 3 have a lower income of the median household than Meservey. The share of residents in Meservey who live below the poverty line: 32%. The top destinations are Mason City (30%), Rockwell (9%) and Clear Lake (7%). For half of commuters, work is under 21 miles away.

0%work in town
MeserveyIowa townsU.S. towns
Below the poverty line32%11%9.6%
Average trip to work32 minutes19 minutes25 minutes
Median household income$47,000$69,000$80,000

Where working residents work

In Meservey0%
Mason City30%
Rockwell9%
Clear Lake7%
Sheffield5%
21 mi
median commute distance
4
jobs based in Meservey
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

In Meservey, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers

In Meservey, the typical July afternoon high is 82°F.

44″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter12–28°
Spring36–57°
Summer59–80°
Fall38–59°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Meservey is

Nearly a fifth of adults binge drink in Meservey. Against the Iowa average, Meservey comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 6.

MeserveyIowa townsU.S. towns
Obesity (CDC PLACES)41%38%35%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)38%35%35%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)19%20%16%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)17%15%14%
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better25 too close to call6 worse
What stands outMeserveyIA
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth7.4%11.6%
More adults with heart disease8.5%6.6%
Iowa Specialty Hospital - Belmond
8.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazards

The biggest natural risk in Meservey is drought, at a moderate overall level

Federal aid has come to Meservey households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2008. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts just over two fifths of the town’s expected hazard losses down to drought, and 28% to inland flooding.

55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
55Moderate riskLowerHigher
DroughtInland floodingTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Meservey

16pages on Meservey
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Meservey; the nearest are

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave Meservey for work

Where Meservey’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

30% → Mason City Mason City 30% 9% → Rockwell Rockwell 9% 7% → Clear Lake Clear Lake 7% 5% → Sheffield Sheffield 5% 4% → Belmond Belmond 4% 3% → Des Moines Des Moines 3% Meservey · 0% stay
4jobs based in Meservey
0%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Meservey

City in Iowa, USA

Meservey is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 222 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established
1886
Area
1.5 sq mi
Elevation
1,250 ft
ZIP code
50457

Questions about Meservey

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Meservey, IA a good place to live?

Meservey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.