Lake Okoboji, 1900
Milford’s story
156 years in pictures
Census counts: 235 in 1880, 3,321 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 2 maps from 1970 on.
- 1870Milford is settled
Photo: Warby07-644-2010 · Public domain
Population
3,209
2025 Census estimate · −3.5% since 2020
Typical home
$291K
+0.9% in a year
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
47.3
years
Jobs based here
2,555
A job hub
TownGrade
A−
#50 of 140 in IA
Is Milford a good place to live?
Milford gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $290K for a typical one, or 3.9 years of the Spirit Lake area’s $75K median household income. It grades A− overall, 50th of 140 graded towns in Iowa. On the plus side, its public schools beat 77% of Iowa towns on state tests and graduation. Milford's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 89% of U.S. towns. Among 140 Iowa towns, just 2 have a lower January low than Milford. Milford is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 69% of U.S. towns.
What makes Milford stand out
Where Milford beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here2,555
Residents who work1,375
Work
1.9 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 92% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Okoboji Comm School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Okoboji Elementary School | PK–4 | 491 |
| Okoboji Middle School | 5–8 | 339 |
| Okoboji High School | 9–12 | 366 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
Typical home value
Milford$291K
Iowa$237K
Cost of livingB+
More affordable than 70% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
A growing town
Milford has grown 11% since 2010
2,898 counted in 2010 and 3,321 in 2020; an estimated 3,209 in 2025.
Since 2020 the trend has turned: down 3.5%, after 14.6% growth in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Milford grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Milford is from typical.
SchoolsA−Open →Cost of livingB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.7 of 20; 2.1% of households have no car; 2.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →HealthLakes Regional Healthcare 5.5 miles awayB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →Jobs & income$63K median household incomeC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3% conserved landB−Open →History1 notable person born hereCOpen →Civic life8.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market47 days on market–Open →Who lives here22% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Milford: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Milford, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of MilfordEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterMilford Municipal Utilities1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTuesdayTown pickupTown site
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 hereDickinson County AuditorDickinson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5135151351 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 Milford.
Milford pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices, draws workers from Spirit Lake and beyond and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
About one in four working residents works right in Milford
2,555 jobs are based in Milford, 1.9 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here grew from 825 in 2013 to 2,555.
About one in 4 of Milford’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Milford grew to 2,555 in 2023, 1,730 more than in 2013. At 19 minutes, Milford’s average trip to work is where Iowa’s towns sit at 19 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes.
23%work in town
| Milford | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 23% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.9% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Milford23%
Spirit Lake18%
Spencer10%
Arnolds Park4%
Okoboji2%
7 mi
median commute distance
2,555
jobs based in Milford
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 69% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsA−
Milford earns an A− for schools
Its A− for schools comes with a B+ for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $291K.
Its public schools are run by the Okoboji Community School District. Its three schools are below. The largest public high school is Okoboji High School, with 366 students.
77%of IA districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okoboji Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 491 | B+ |
| Okoboji High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 366 | A− |
| Okoboji Middle SchoolTop results in townGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 339 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Iowa overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 10% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 43% of residents (37% statewide). At 47.3 years, Milford’s median age is above both Iowa’s towns (38.7 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). 24% of Milford residents are 65 or older.
47.3median age · IA 38.6
| Milford | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.3 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 24% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 22% | 25% | 29% |
MilfordIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school28%
Some college30%
Associate’s17%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate5%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.2 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Milford | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.4% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.3% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.3% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.2% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 18.5% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.1% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 17.6% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.6% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.9% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.1% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 30.4% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 16.9% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.5% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 5.2% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,200, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade B+
Milford earns a B+ for cost of living
The typical Milford home is worth about $291,000, up 0.9% in a year, 23% above the Iowa typical home. The median rent in Milford is $887 a month.
$291KZillow home value
| Milford | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $887 a month | $913 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Milford$291K
Iowa$237K
Market temperature
47
days on market
101.1%
sale-to-list price
+0.9%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthB+
Milford is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns
Against the 9,628 U.S. towns with household incomes like Milford’s, it is healthier than 89%, so its B+ isn’t only a matter of income.
Milford beats the Iowa average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 20% of adults binge drink in Milford.
67%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Milford | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
3 better28 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Milford | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.7% | 12% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 8.7% |
Lakes Regional Healthcare
5.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
64th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Milford
Milford has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Milford’s July high is 83°F.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–27°
Spring35–56°
Summer60–81°
Fall37–59°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Milford faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities.
57risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
2.7%conserved
2.7%
conserved · 37 of 1,376 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Memorial Park | — | 14 |
| 2. Florence Park | — | 2 |
| 3. Calkins Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Milford
19pages on Milford
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Milford; the nearest are
Iowa Lakes Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Estherville16.2 mi$7,392 in-state tuitionMinnesota State University-MankatoUniversity or college · Public · Mankato, MN79.9 mi$9,572 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Milford residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,235 people come to Milford for work
Where Milford’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,555jobs based in Milford
23%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Milford
City in Iowa, United States
Milford is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,321 at the time of the 2020 census. The town includes many businesses related to its location in the Iowa Great Lakes region and is often referred to as the southern gateway to the Iowa Great Lakes.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,440 ft
- ZIP code
- 51351
- Area code
- 712
Milford’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Milford.
West OkobojiArnolds ParkMilford
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milford | #50 | A− | B+ | — | A− | B+ |
| West Okoboji | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Arnolds Park | — | — | B | — | A− | B+ |
Arnolds Park has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Milford and Arnolds Park report no FBI crime data of their own. West Okoboji isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Milford with a neighbor →
Questions about Milford
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Milford, IA a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Milford grades A− overall, better than 80% of U.S. towns and #50 of 140 in Iowa. It grades B+ for health and A− for schools.
Is Milford, IA expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.