PetersonIA
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Peterson a good place to live?
Peterson’s median age is 57 years, above both the Iowa town median (38.7 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a lower share of working residents who work in town than Peterson. 27% of the land in Peterson is conserved, against 3.1% in Iowa’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Wanata State Park Picnic Shelter. Peterson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Peterson stand out
Where Peterson beats most towns.
313 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Peterson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Peterson, 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Peterson.
Older than Iowa overall
People 65 and older are 34% of residents (18% statewide); children under 18 are 16% of residents (23% statewide). Peterson has lost 2.5% of its people since 2020, down to 313 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 31% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.4 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women. Among residents 65 to 74, 68% are men (IA 49%).
| Peterson | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.8% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 2.7% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.7% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.4% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6.7% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.7% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.4% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 20.8% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12.8% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.9% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30.2% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.1% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.2% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.8% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.8% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 300, single groups can be off by several points
Peterson stands out in Iowa and nationally: trail density there is higher
Peterson’s trail density is 2.2 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Wanata State Park, at 38 acres. 1.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Wanata State Park | — | 38 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Peterson’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Peterson for work: only 1% work in town. 4.4% of residents live below the poverty line in Peterson. The top destinations are Spencer (40%), Sioux City (5%) and Milford (5%).
| Peterson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.4% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
High risk in Peterson, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Homes in Peterson are worth about $169K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Peterson home is worth about $169,000, up 7.2% in a year, 29% below the Iowa typical home. 89% of Peterson households own their home.
| Peterson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 89% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $983 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Peterson has four seasons and pleasant summers
Peterson 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.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Peterson is
Peterson beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3.
| Peterson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Peterson | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.9% | 77.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.8% | 11.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Peterson
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Peterson; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Peterson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
99% of working residents leave Peterson for work
Where Peterson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Peterson
City in Iowa, US
Peterson is a city in Clay County, Iowa, United States. The population was 322 in the 2020 census, a decline from 372 people in 2000.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,250 ft
- ZIP code
- 51047
Questions about Peterson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Peterson, IA a good place to live?
Peterson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.