IAMap-doton-Paullina, 2004
Paullina’s story
144 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004.
- 1882Paullina is settled
Population
970
2025 Census estimate · −0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$182K
+8% in a year
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
51.6
years
Jobs based here
308
A commuter town
Is Paullina a good place to live?
Only 1 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a higher median age than Paullina. Paullina has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
970 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 Paullina: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Paullina, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of PaullinaEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterPaullina Municipal Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpMondayTrash dayTown site
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 hereO'Brien County AuditorO'Brien County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5104651046 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 Paullina.
Work & commute
With 0.7 jobs for every working resident, most of Paullina’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Paullina for work: only 10% work in town. At 16 minutes, Paullina’s average trip to work is below both Iowa’s towns (19 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Paullina’s median household income is $61,000.
10%work in town
| Paullina | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Paullina10%
Orange City11%
Sutherland6%
Cherokee6%
Sheldon4%
19 mi
median commute distance
308
jobs based in Paullina
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Paullina’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the South O'Brien Community School District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zion-St. John Lutheran School PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 97 | – |
| South O'Brien Secondary SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 241 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Housing
The typical home in Paullina is valued at about $182K
The typical Paullina home is worth about $182,000, up 8% in a year, 23% below the Iowa typical home. At $864 a month, Paullina’s median rent is where Iowa’s towns sit at $911 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month.
$182KZillow home value
| Paullina | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $864 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Paullina$182K
Iowa$237K
+8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Paullina, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Paullina has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 8° and about 35 inches of snow falls in a winter.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–29°
Spring35–58°
Summer60–82°
Fall37–60°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Paullina 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 floodingHailTornadoes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Paullina is
Paullina beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 19% of adults binge drink in Paullina.
| Paullina | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 35% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 21% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 32% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better28 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Paullina | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.7% | 8.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.9% | 6.6% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 3.9% | 3.3% |
Sanford Sheldon Medical Center
16.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 595 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Swanson Complex | — | 9 |
| 2. Paullina City Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Railroad Area | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Paullina
19pages on Paullina
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Paullina; the nearest are
Northwest Iowa Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Sheldon17.3 mi$7,350 in-state tuitionUniversity of South DakotaUniversity or college · Public · Vermillion, SD64.3 mi$9,432 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Paullina residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
90% of working residents leave Paullina for work
Where Paullina’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
308jobs based in Paullina
10%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Paullina
3 notable people were born in Paullina.
About Paullina
City in Iowa, USA
Paullina is a city in O'Brien County, Iowa, United States. The population was 982 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1882
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,411 ft
- ZIP code
- 51046
Questions about Paullina
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Paullina, IA a good place to live?
Paullina has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Paullina, IA known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Tim Kraayenbrink and Joachim Henry Appeldorn.