Samuel Nichols House · National Register of Historic Places
Nichols’s story
Nichols in pictures
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
NicholsIA
A town of 314.
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
314
2025 Census estimate · −4.6% since 2020
Typical home
$217K
+7.5% in a year
Household income
$73K
median
Median age
32.8
years
Jobs based here
49
A commuter town
Is Nichols a good place to live?
Only 1 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Nichols. Nichols has 4 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Big Slough Creek Bridge and Samuel Nichols House. Nichols has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
314 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Nichols: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nichols, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet4 providers89% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Nichols’ trash rules yet
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 hereMuscatine County AuditorMuscatine County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5276652766 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 Nichols.
Work & commute
In Nichols, the average trip to work runs longer than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
Nichols’ average trip to work is 27 minutes, above both the Iowa town median (19 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). 5.6% of Nichols residents live below the poverty line. Most working residents leave Nichols for work: only 0% work in town.
0%work in town
| Nichols | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Nichols0%
West Liberty27%
Iowa City25%
Muscatine10%
Coralville5%
15 mi
median commute distance
49
jobs based in Nichols
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Nichols, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Nichols has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 13° and about 24 inches of snow falls in a winter.
24″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–34°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Nichols is
Nichols beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 21% of Nichols adults binge drink, where Iowa’s towns sit at 20% and U.S. towns at 16%. 18% of adults smoke cigarettes in Nichols.
| Nichols | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Nichols | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 62.4% | 66.8% |
Trinity Muscatine
13.6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
The typical home in Nichols is valued at about $217K
The typical Nichols home is worth about $217,000, up 7.5% in a year, 8% below the Iowa typical home. The median rent in Nichols is $689 a month.
$217KZillow home value
| Nichols | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $689 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 82% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Nichols$217K
Iowa$237K
+7.5%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Nichols faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities. Since 1983, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Nichols.
43risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windDrought
4
paid flood claims since 1983
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 23 attractions →Kinnick Stadium and 17 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Nichols. Close and well known come first.
18 mi Stadium & arenaKinnick Stadium
40 mi Ancient siteRock Island Arsenal
13 mi MuseumHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
13 mi National Historic SiteHerbert Hoover National Historic Site107K visitors a year
18 mi Stadium & arenaCarver–Hawkeye Arena
38 mi MuseumBlack Hawk State Historic SiteSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Kinnick Stadium: Count_de_Des_Moines (talk) (Uploads), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rock Island Arsenal: Robert A, Ryan, J. Ceronia, and Bruce A. Harms, Photographers, Public domain · 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 · Black Hawk State Historic Site: Bill Whittaker (talk). Original uploader was Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nichols
16pages on Nichols
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Nichols; the nearest are
University of IowaUniversity or college · Public · Iowa City17.3 mi$11,283 in-state tuitionKirkwood Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Cedar Rapids34.7 mi$6,176 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Nichols residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Nichols for work
Where Nichols’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
49jobs based in Nichols
0%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
4 places in Nichols on the National Register of Historic Places.
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About Nichols
City in Iowa, United States
Nichols is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 340 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 633 ft
- ZIP code
- 52766
Questions about Nichols
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Nichols, IA a good place to live?
Nichols has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.