Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Yes, by almost any measure. Monticello earns an A, 27th of 140 graded towns in Iowa. Homes are within reach, about $242K for a typical one, or 3.1 years of the Cedar Rapids metro’s $78K median household income, and crime is low: it reports less per resident than 75% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a B, is in schools. Monticello's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 98% of U.S. towns. 31% of working residents work locally in Monticello, where Iowa’s towns sit at 31% and U.S. towns at 8%. Monticello has 4 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Ely's Stone Bridge and S. S. Farwell House.
Where Monticello beats most towns.
Ely's Stone BridgeEach subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Monticello is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,337 in 1870, 4,040 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1867 and 2 maps from 1891 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Monticello, 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.
Ordered by what stands out in Monticello.
Monticello trades lower home prices for longer drives to work, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and sees little violent crime.
Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 residents.
Among 115 Iowa towns, just 10 have a lower violent crime rate than Monticello. The property crime rate here is 7.3 per 1,000 residents.
| Monticello | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.5 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.3 per 1,000 residents | 7.3 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
The public schools here belong to the Monticello Community School District. The largest public high school is Monticello High School, with 320 students. Two of its 5 schools are shown below, with the reason for each.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monticello Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 305 | B− |
| Monticello High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 320 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
Expect July afternoons of 83° and January nights of 11°, with about 31 inches of snow a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The top destinations are Cedar Rapids (12%), Anamosa (5%) and Marion (3%). 6% of residents live below the poverty line in Monticello. Its typical journey to work stands at 19 minutes.
| Monticello | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 6% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Households in Monticello have drawn federal disaster aid in 6 declared disasters, most recently in 2014. Compared with 64% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage here is higher. The national flood insurance program has paid 28 claims in the town since 1979. Expected losses in Monticello break down as 57% from inland flooding and 15% from tornadoes.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Against the 10,503 U.S. towns with household incomes like Monticello’s, it is healthier than 78%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income.
Among adults in Monticello, 20% binge drink. In Monticello, 30% of adults feel lonely, and 20% have been diagnosed with depression.
| Monticello | 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 mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Monticello | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.5% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Homes are within reach (about $243K for the typical one, A for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 21 miles.
Values rose 7.6% in the 12 months to September 2026. In Monticello, the typical rent is $722 a month. On the market in the town: a median 50 days to sell.
| Monticello | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $722 a month | $913 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 70% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Monticello’s trail network density comes in at 0.1 miles per square mile. 0.3 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Monticello City Park, at 21 acres. Among 139 Iowa towns, just 4 have a lower share of conserved land than Monticello.
| Monticello | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.6% | 3.1% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Monticello City Park | — | 21 |
| 2. Y Park | — | 6 |
| 3. Jacobs Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Monticello; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Monticello residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
4 places in Monticello on the National Register of Historic Places.
11 notable people were born in Monticello.
City in Iowa, United States
Monticello is a city in Jones County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 4,040.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. Monticello grades A overall, better than 92% of U.S. towns and #27 of 140 in Iowa. It grades B for health, A− for safety and B for schools.
Yes, by national standards. Monticello reports less crime per resident than 75% of U.S. towns, an A− Safety Grade: 2 violent and 30 property crimes in 2025.
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 A.
11 notable people were born here, including Ellen Dolan and Charles Henry Sloan.
