Equal Suffrage Convention attendees in Panora, Iowa November 1905, 1905
Panora’s story
175 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1905.
- 1851Panora is settled
PanoraIA
A town of 1,094, settled in 1851.
Population
1,094
2025 Census estimate · +0.4% since 2020
Typical home
$500K
+4% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
38.3
years
Jobs based here
621
A job hub
Is Panora a good place to live?
The best of Panora’s subject grades are an A for walkability and cost of living and an A+ for civic life. On walkability, just 13 of Iowa’s 276 towns do better. The biggest park or preserve is Lenon Mill State Wildlife Area, at 72 acres. Panora has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Panora stand out
Where Panora beats most towns.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 88% of U.S. towns
6.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Typical home value
Panora$500K
Iowa$237K
Cost of livingA
5.8 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 86% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Small town
1,094 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Lake PanoramaPanora
How Panora grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Panora is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.8 of 20; 2.5% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →Jobs & income$66K median household income; 621 jobs based hereC+Open →HealthGuthrie County Hospital 6.8 miles awayBOpen →SafetyB−Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors10% conserved landB+Open →History4 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life7.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Panora: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Panora, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of PanoraEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterLake Panorama Water CompanyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Panora’s 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 hereGuthrie County AuditorGuthrie County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5021650216 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 Panora.
HousingCost of living grade A
A typical Panora home is worth about $500K
The typical Panora home is worth about $500,000, up 4% in a year, about twice the Iowa typical home. 81% of Panora households own their home, above both Iowa’s towns (70%) and U.S. towns (73%).
$500KZillow home value
| Panora | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 81% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,040 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Panora$500K
Iowa$237K
+4%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsB−
On state tests, Panora’s schools beat 52% of Iowa districts
Its public schools are run by the Panorama Community School District. Its three schools are below.
52%of IA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panorama ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 306 | C |
| Panorama High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 220 | B− |
| Panorama Middle SchoolTop results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 146 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Panora has 1.6 jobs for every working resident, and 558 people commute in
Most working residents leave Panora for work: only 16% work in town. At 23 minutes, Panora’s average trip to work is where Iowa’s towns sit at 19 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. The top destinations are Guthrie Center (5%), Stuart (4%) and Perry (3%).
16%work in town
| Panora | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $66,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Panora16%
Guthrie Center5%
Stuart4%
Perry3%
West Des Moines3%
26 mi
median commute distance
621
jobs based in Panora
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 88% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Panora has four seasons and pleasant summers
Panora has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 11° and about 33 inches of snow falls in a winter.
33″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–33°
Spring38–61°
Summer61–83°
Fall40–63°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Residents of Panora are healthier than 64% of U.S. towns
Panora beats the Iowa average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 30% of adults feel lonely in Panora.
64%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Panora | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
5 better26 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Panora | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.5% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.3% | 12% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.8% | 8.7% |
Guthrie County Hospital
6.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Iowa overall
29% of Panora residents are under 18. 24% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa. 21% of Panora residents are 65 or older.
38.3median age · IA 38.6
| Panora | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 29% | 23% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 25% | 29% |
| Median age | 38.3 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
PanoraIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school39%
Some college21%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s14%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.6 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Panora | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15.6% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.6% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.1% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.4% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.4% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.4% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.1% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.4% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 39.4% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.8% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.1% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 14.3% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.4% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,100, single groups can be off by several points
OutdoorsB+
Panora has set aside 9.9% of its land for conservation
0.0 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
9.9%conserved
9.9%
conserved · 114 of 1,151 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lenon Mill State Wildlife Area | — | 72 |
| 2. Lenon Mill Park | — | 14 |
| 3. Lennon Mills Historical Site | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Panora faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities.
61risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SafetyB−
Panora reports less crime per resident than 52% of U.S. towns
Panora’s violent crime rate is 2.7 per 1,000 residents.
52%of U.S. towns report more crimeB−Safety Grade
| Panora | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.7 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 6.4 per 1,000 residents | 7.3 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Panora2.7
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Panora6.4
Iowa12.1
U.S.15.5
52nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
7
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Panora
20pages on Panora
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 52% of IA districts · 3 schoolsSafetyB−2.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than IA on 5 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$500K typical home · up 4% in a yearWork & commuteC+$66K median household income · 621 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 61% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Panora; the nearest are
Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical CenterUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · West Des Moines30.1 miDes Moines Area Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ankeny38.8 mi$5,790 in-state tuitionIowa State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ames43.5 mi$10,787 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Panora residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Iowa.
A job hub
Every workday, about 558 people come to Panora for work
Where Panora’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
621jobs based in Panora
16%of working residents work in town
26 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Panora
4 notable people were born in Panora.
About Panora
City in Iowa, USA
Panora is a city in Guthrie County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,091 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Des Moines metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1851
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,076 ft
- ZIP code
- 50216
- Area code
- 641
Questions about Panora
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Panora, IA expensive?
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.
What is Panora, IA known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Aubrey W. Dirlam and Charles McKinley Saltzman.