Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
94% more nonprofits per person than the typical Iowa town.
Osage is one of the best-graded places in America: an A+, 16th among Iowa's 140 graded towns. Homes are within reach, about $207K for a typical one, or 2.9 years of the county’s $71K median household income, and it reports less crime per resident than 75% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a B, is in incomes. 48% of working residents work locally in Osage, against 31% in Iowa’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Osage's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 99% of U.S. towns. Osage has 5 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Mitchell County Courthouse and Cedar Valley Seminary.
Where Osage beats most towns.
Mitchell County CourthouseEach subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Osage is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,400 in 1870, 3,627 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1972 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Osage, 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 Osage.
Osage pairs an A+ overall with homes cheaper than the Iowa norm and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
| Osage | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.3 per 1,000 residents | 7.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Osage Community School District. Its three schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 405 | B− |
| Osage High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 294 | B |
| Osage Middle SchoolTop results in townGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 289 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
The July high in Osage is 82°F. Osage has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 25% of residents (18% statewide); children under 18 are 19% of residents (23% statewide). Osage has lost 2.1% of its people since 2020, down to 3,552 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 26% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
| Osage | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 25% | 19% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 19% | 23% | 22% |
| Median age | 43.4 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.5 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Osage | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.2% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.7% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.7% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.8% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.5% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.4% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.6% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.5% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12.7% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.5% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 24% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.1% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.3% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,600, single groups can be off by several points
Since 2013, Osage has added 180 jobs, to 2,013 in 2023. 6.9% of Osage residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Mason City (6%), St.
| Osage | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 6.9% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Osage grades A+ overall with a typical home of about $207K, below the Iowa typical value; only 10 of the 55 Iowa towns graded A− or better can say that.
The typical Osage home is worth about $207,000, up 3.8% in a year, 13% below the Iowa typical home.
| Osage | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $692 a month | $913 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 76% | 70% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Against the 10,424 U.S. towns with household incomes like Osage’s, it is healthier than 73%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income.
Osage beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 19% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Osage. Only 9 of the 140 Iowa towns we compare have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Osage.
| Osage | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 32% | 36% |
| What stands out | Osage | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.8% | 77.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.2% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities. Since 2013, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Osage.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.8 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Among 139 Iowa towns, just 5 have a lower share of conserved land than Osage.
| Osage | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.7% | 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. Osage City Park | 0.6 mi | 11 |
| 2. Ash Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Osage; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Osage residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
5 places in Osage on the National Register of Historic Places.
10 notable people were born in Osage.
City in Iowa, United States
Osage is a city and the county seat of Mitchell County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,627 at the time of the 2020 census.
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. Osage grades A+ overall, better than 96% of U.S. towns and #16 of 140 in Iowa. It grades B for health, A− for safety and B+ for schools.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
10 notable people were born here, including Mike Johanns and Tiny Sandford.
