IAMap-doton-Odebolt, 2004
Odebolt’s story
149 years in pictures
Census counts: 637 in 1880, a peak of 1,445 in 1920, 994 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004 and a map from 1985 on.
- 1877Odebolt is settled
OdeboltIA
A town of 967, settled in 1877.
Population
967
2025 Census estimate · −2.8% since 2020
Typical home
$155K
+13.4% in a year
Household income
$65K
median
Median age
49.7
years
Jobs based here
265
A commuter town
Is Odebolt a good place to live?
Only 2 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a higher median age than Odebolt. Odebolt has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
967 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 Odebolt: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Odebolt, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterOdebolt Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Odebolt’s trash rules yet
SchoolsOdebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove 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.govWho runs elections hereSac County AuditorSac County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5145851458 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 Odebolt.
Housing
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, the median rent in Odebolt is lower
At $660 a month, Odebolt’s median rent is below both the Iowa town median ($911 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Typical home values rose 13% in the year to September 2026. 78% of Odebolt households own their home.
$155KZillow home value
| Odebolt | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $660 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Odebolt$155K
Iowa$237K
+13.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Odebolt’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove Community School District. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 186 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
With 0.6 jobs for every working resident, most of Odebolt’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Odebolt for work: only 8% work in town. At 18 minutes, Odebolt’s average trip to work is against 19 minutes in Iowa’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. 6.6% of residents live below the poverty line in Odebolt.
8%work in town
| Odebolt | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 8.1% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Odebolt8%
Wall Lake9%
Ida Grove9%
Lake View7%
Carroll4%
21 mi
median commute distance
265
jobs based in Odebolt
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Odebolt
Odebolt has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 10° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–30°
Spring37–58°
Summer60–82°
Fall39–61°
Oct 6
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Odebolt is
Odebolt beats the Iowa average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4.
| Odebolt | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
7 better21 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Odebolt | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.6% | 9.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.2% | 8.7% |
Horn Memorial Hospital
10.6 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Odebolt, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 54% of U.S. communities.
46risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHailTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Odebolt
17pages on Odebolt
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Odebolt; the nearest are
Buena Vista UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Storm Lake22.9 mi$41,798 tuitionIowa Central Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fort Dodge55 mi$5,496 in-state tuitionNebraska Indian Community CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Macy, NE57.8 mi$4,080 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Odebolt residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Odebolt for work
Where Odebolt’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
265jobs based in Odebolt
8%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Odebolt
City in Iowa, USA
Odebolt is a city in Sac County, Iowa, United States. The population was 994 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,362 ft
- ZIP code
- 51458
- Area code
- 712
Questions about Odebolt
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Odebolt, IA a good place to live?
Odebolt has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.