Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Yes, by almost any measure. Mount Vernon earns an A+, ranked 6th of 140 in Iowa. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 87% of the country, its schools outperform 80% of the state's, and it is more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a B, is in cost of living. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 96% of U.S. towns, with 17 places on the National Register. Mount Vernon’s median age is 25.3 years, below both the Iowa town median (38.7 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Its National Register listings include King Memorial Chapel and Wesley West House. Among 140 Iowa towns, just 5 have a lower share of residents 65 or older than Mount Vernon.
Where Mount Vernon beats most towns.
King Memorial Chapel| Widest gap | Mount Vernon | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.7% | 11.6% |
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Elementary School | PK–4 | 543 |
| Mount Vernon Middle School | 5–8 | 425 |
| Mount Vernon High School | 9–12 | 470 |
Census counts: 910 in 1870, 4,527 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1854 and 4 maps from 1891 on.
17 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Mount Vernon is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Mount Vernon. Close and well known come first.
20 mi Stadium & arenaKinnick Stadium
18 mi MuseumHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
18 mi National Historic SiteHerbert Hoover National Historic Site107K visitors a year
19 mi Stadium & arenaCarver–Hawkeye Arena
13 mi MuseumNational Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
13 mi MuseumMuseum of Art Cedar RapidsKinnick Stadium: Count_de_Des_Moines (talk) (Uploads), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum: Shadow2700, Public domain · Herbert Hoover National Historic Site: Billwhittaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carver–Hawkeye Arena: Asolsma1988, CC0 · National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library: ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Museum of Art Cedar Rapids: ericjames, CC BY 3.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Mount Vernon, 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 Mount Vernon.
Mount Vernon pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices, is shaped by its college students and trades workers with Cedar Rapids and other neighbors.
24% of Mount Vernon adults have high blood pressure. Only 2 of the 140 Iowa towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Mount Vernon. 8.1% of Mount Vernon adults have diabetes.
| Mount Vernon | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 8.1% | 12% | 12% |
| What stands out | Mount Vernon | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.7% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.5% | 6.6% |
| More adults with depression | 24.4% | 20.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its A− for schools comes with a B for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $353K.
Its public schools are run by the Mount Vernon Community School District. Its three schools are below. The largest public high school is Mount Vernon High School, with 470 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 543 | A |
| Mount Vernon High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 470 | A |
| Mount Vernon Middle SchoolTop results in townGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 425 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
The typical Mount Vernon home is worth about $353,000, up 4.3% in a year, 49% above the Iowa typical home. 86% of households own their home in Mount Vernon.
| Mount Vernon | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 86% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $780 a month | $913 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1.5 miles of trail in 8 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Nature Park, at 23 acres.
| Mount Vernon | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.2% | 3.1% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Nature Park | 0.4 mi | 23 |
| 2. Elliott Athletic Complex | — | 14 |
| 3. Ash Park | 0.1 mi | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 71% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Mount Vernon since 1993.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Mount Vernon has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 12° and about 34 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Mount Vernon has about as many jobs (1,706) as working residents, but only 388 people both live and work here. 20% of workers work from home, against 11.3% across Iowa.
Mount Vernon’s median household income is $113,000. Since 2013, Mount Vernon has added 185 jobs, to 1,706 in 2023. Only 9 of the 140 Iowa towns we compare have a higher share of workers working from home than Mount Vernon.
| Mount Vernon | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 20% | 8.5% | 11% |
| Median household income | $113,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 21% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
4 within 15 miles of the center of Mount Vernon
College town 25 of every 100 Mount Vernon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
17 places in Mount Vernon on the National Register of Historic Places.
11 notable people were born in Mount Vernon.
City in Iowa, United States
Mount Vernon is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States, adjacent to the city of Lisbon. The population was 4,527 at the time of the 2020 census. Mount Vernon is part of the Cedar Rapids metropolitan area. Mount Vernon is home of Cornell College, a private liberal arts college.
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. Mount Vernon grades A+ overall, among the top 2% of U.S. towns and #6 of 140 in Iowa. It grades A for health and A− for schools.
That is 4.5 years of the area's median household income ($78,080 across the Cedar Rapids, IA metro 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.
11 notable people were born here, including Dan Bern and Jefferson White.
