Only 8 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a higher average trip to work than Neola. Neola has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

903 people, and everyone knows the way

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

Nearby towns

Minden · 4 mi Underwood · 6 mi McClelland · 9 mi Persia · 9 mi Shelby · 10 mi Tennant · 13 mi

Historic Phoenix Theatre, 2017

Neola’s story

157 years in pictures

The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004.

1869Neola is settled

Explore the history →

Getting set up

Moving to Neola: who provides what

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

The full setup list →

PowerCity of NeolaEIAHIFLD · EIA

WaterNeola Light & WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Neola’s trash rules yet

SchoolsTri-Center 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 herePottawattamie County AuditorPottawattamie County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023

ZIP code5155951559 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 Neola.

Work & commute

Neola has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out

Most working residents leave Neola for work: only 4% work in town. Jobs based in Neola grew to 123 in 2023, 47 more than in 2013. 6.1% of Neola residents live below the poverty line, below both Iowa’s towns (11%) and U.S. towns (9.6%).

4%work in town

	Neola	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	4.3%	31%	8%
Below the poverty line	6.1%	11%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Neola4%

Omaha21%

Council Bluffs20%

Underwood4%

Minden2%

22 mi

median commute distance

123

jobs based in Neola

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageNeola’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here123 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work4% work in Neola Commute times26 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 22 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Housing

Homes in Neola are worth about $314K, by Zillow’s estimate

The typical Neola home is worth about $314,000, up 4.6% in a year, 33% above the Iowa typical home.

$314KZillow home value

	Neola	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	75%	70%	73%
Median rent	$968 a month	$911 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Neola$314K

Iowa$237K

+4.6%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageNeola’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 4.6% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 4.3 years of income Rents$968 a month · Median rent

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Climate

Four seasons and pleasant summers in Neola

Neola has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 13° and about 27 inches of snow falls in a winter.

27″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter16–34°

Spring39–61°

Summer62–84°

Fall40–63°

Oct 14

typical first frost

Apr 23

typical last frost

+0.8°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageNeola’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 85°, January lows 13°Rain & snow27″ of snow a winter · 34 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+0.8° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazards

Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Neola

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities.

61risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesDrought

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageNeola’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters6 federal disasters · Paid out in Neola Get ready1.3 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Health

How healthy Neola is

Neola beats the Iowa average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 22% of Neola adults binge drink, above both the Iowa town median (20%) and the median of U.S. towns (16%). 9.5% of adults have diabetes in Neola.

	Neola	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	22%	20%	16%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	9.5%	12%	12%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	12%	13%	14%
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	15%	18%	19%

32 measures vs. Iowa

2 better30 too close to call0 worse

What stands out	Neola	IA
Fewer adults with diabetes	9.5%	11.2%
Fewer adults with heart disease	5.7%	6.6%

CHI Health Missouri Valley

15.8 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

Full pageNeola’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore binge drinkers Hospitals & doctors nearby15.8 miles to an ER · CHI Health Missouri Valley How adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than IA on 2 of 32

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

Nearby attractions

Loess Hills and 25 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Neola. Close and well known come first.

All 28 attractions →

31 mi Park & preserveLoess Hills

23 mi Zoo & aquariumOmaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

22 mi MuseumJoslyn Art Museum

20 mi LandmarkFort Atkinson

22 mi Ancient siteBertrand

17 mi MuseumPottawattamie County Jail

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Loess Hills: Bill Whittaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium: OmahaZoo, Public domain · Joslyn Art Museum: akasped, CC BY 2.0 · Fort Atkinson: Unknown, Public domain · Bertrand: Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Pottawattamie County Jail: Smallbones, CC0

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