Mount SterlingIA
This town of 36 people was settled in 1854.
Is Mount Sterling a good place to live?
No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a higher home-ownership rate than Mount Sterling. 31% of the land in Mount Sterling is conserved, against 3.1% in Iowa’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Fox River Wildlife Management Area, at 50 acres. Mount Sterling has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
36 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Mount Sterling: who provides what
Mount Sterling is unincorporated, so Van Buren County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 Mount Sterling.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fox River Wildlife Management Area | — | 50 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The FEMA risk score in Mount Sterling is higher than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
One declared disaster, in 2008, has brought federal aid to Mount Sterling households. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 47% come from inland flooding and 13% from tornadoes. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Mount Sterling has four seasons and pleasant summers
Only 8 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a higher midsummer high than Mount Sterling. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 16° and about 23 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Mount Sterling stands out in Iowa and nationally: a larger share of its adults have diabetes
43% of adults have high blood pressure in Mount Sterling. No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Mount Sterling. Against the Iowa average, Mount Sterling comes out ahead on 2 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 14. Only 5 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Mount Sterling.
| Mount Sterling | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| What stands out | Mount Sterling | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 16.3% | 20.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83% | 77.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.7% | 6.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Mount Sterling
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Mount Sterling; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Mount Sterling residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Questions about Mount Sterling
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Mount Sterling, IA a good place to live?
Mount Sterling has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.