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Iowa rankings · Outdoors

Best towns for the outdoors in Iowa

Polk City ranks first on outdoors among Iowa’s 140 towns of 2,500+; 50 of the 140 grade A− or better on outdoors nationally.

The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. How grades work

#1

Polk City

Polk County · 6,630 people
A+

Outdoors grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall A+ · #8 of 140 in IA

#2

Iowa City

Johnson County · 76,229 people
A+

Outdoors grade, better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #92 of 140 in IA

#3

West Branch

Cedar County · 2,956 people
A

Outdoors grade, better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #35 of 140 in IA

All 140 towns

Outdoors grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

140 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1Polk CityPolk County · 6,630 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall A+ · #8 of 140
2Iowa CityJohnson County · 76,229 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #92 of 140
3West BranchCedar County · 2,956 peopleAbetter than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #35 of 140
4Carter LakePottawattamie County · 3,670 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #126 of 140
5CoralvilleJohnson County · 23,960 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #88 of 140
6DecorahWinneshiek County · 7,417 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #9 of 140
7SolonJohnson County · 3,345 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #11 of 140
8SpencerClay County · 11,218 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #76 of 140
9Fort MadisonLee County · 9,935 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #125 of 140
10Des MoinesPolk County · 212,086 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #134 of 140
11ClivePolk County · 19,861 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #49 of 140
12GrinnellPoweshiek County · 9,430 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #81 of 140
13FairfieldJefferson County · 9,220 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #99 of 140
14Sioux CityWoodbury County · 86,356 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #129 of 140
15HumboldtHumboldt County · 4,675 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #86 of 140
16UrbandalePolk County · 48,570 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #23 of 140
17AmesStory County · 68,220 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #72 of 140
18WaterlooBlack Hawk County · 66,919 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #137 of 140
19JohnstonPolk County · 25,065 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #25 of 140
20West Des MoinesPolk County · 74,224 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #58 of 140
21Charles CityFloyd County · 7,013 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #111 of 140
22SibleyOsceola County · 2,762 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #106 of 140
23Clear LakeCerro Gordo County · 7,601 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #66 of 140
24WaverlyBremer County · 10,561 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #59 of 140
25AnkenyPolk County · 77,833 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #30 of 140
26GlenwoodMills County · 5,287 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #42 of 140
27TiffinJohnson County · 7,156 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #74 of 140
28West LibertyMuscatine County · 3,717 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #103 of 140
29BettendorfScott County · 40,710 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #44 of 140
30Mount PleasantHenry County · 8,500 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #83 of 140
31OsceolaClarke County · 5,679 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #136 of 140
32Forest CityWinnebago County · 4,143 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #14 of 140
33North LibertyJohnson County · 21,976 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #47 of 140
34MuscatineMuscatine County · 23,164 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #117 of 140
35DenisonCrawford County · 8,214 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #90 of 140
36DubuqueDubuque County · 59,148 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #96 of 140
37Council BluffsPottawattamie County · 62,680 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #127 of 140
38Cedar RapidsLinn County · 137,935 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #104 of 140
39HuxleyStory County · 4,715 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #26 of 140
40Fort DodgeWebster County · 24,837 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #132 of 140
41NevadaStory County · 6,974 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #43 of 140
42Le MarsPlymouth County · 10,760 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #41 of 140
43BurlingtonDes Moines County · 23,336 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #118 of 140
44DavenportScott County · 100,358 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #135 of 140
45HawardenSioux County · 2,665 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #71 of 140
46AsburyDubuque County · 6,035 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #61 of 140
47OelweinFayette County · 5,757 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #128 of 140
48BooneBoone County · 12,471 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #65 of 140
49CharitonLucas County · 4,347 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #101 of 140
50HiawathaLinn County · 7,432 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #107 of 140
51Center PointLinn County · 2,572 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #5 of 140
52WintersetMadison County · 5,520 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #33 of 140
53Cedar FallsBlack Hawk County · 41,240 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #46 of 140
54AltoonaPolk County · 22,796 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #85 of 140
55CarrollCarroll County · 10,085 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #40 of 140
56WilliamsburgIowa County · 3,408 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #37 of 140
57Iowa FallsHardin County · 5,013 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #100 of 140
58Missouri ValleyHarrison County · 2,616 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #73 of 140
59IndianolaWarren County · 16,829 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #62 of 140
60EvansdaleBlack Hawk County · 4,463 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #140 of 140
61DeWittClinton County · 5,704 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #64 of 140
62EldoraHardin County · 2,593 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #112 of 140
63WashingtonWashington County · 7,261 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #120 of 140
64ClintonClinton County · 24,049 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #121 of 140
65OnawaMonona County · 2,821 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #114 of 140
66Red OakMontgomery County · 5,388 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #133 of 140
67EmmetsburgPalo Alto County · 3,684 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #32 of 140
68HudsonBlack Hawk County · 3,028 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #12 of 140
69Mason CityCerro Gordo County · 26,853 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #110 of 140
70CentervilleAppanoose County · 5,327 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #123 of 140
71DyersvilleDubuque County · 4,574 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #21 of 140
72Pleasant HillPolk County · 11,239 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #116 of 140
73KeokukLee County · 9,510 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #138 of 140
74MarionLinn County · 42,732 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #31 of 140
75AdelDallas County · 7,098 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #19 of 140
76MarshalltownMarshall County · 27,536 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #113 of 140
77Mount VernonLinn County · 4,514 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #6 of 140
78EsthervilleEmmet County · 5,807 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #78 of 140
79Story CityStory County · 3,382 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #28 of 140
80Sioux CenterSioux County · 8,864 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #29 of 140
81Sergeant BluffWoodbury County · 5,324 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #18 of 140
82HarlanShelby County · 4,859 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #60 of 140
83TamaTama County · 3,011 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #131 of 140
84Grundy CenterGrundy County · 2,814 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #4 of 140
85MadridBoone County · 2,820 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #56 of 140
86ManchesterDelaware County · 5,357 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #98 of 140
87PellaMarion County · 10,992 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #7 of 140
88CherokeeCherokee County · 5,122 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #70 of 140
89JeffersonGreene County · 4,150 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #94 of 140
90OttumwaWapello County · 25,319 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #139 of 140
91AtlanticCass County · 6,676 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #115 of 140
92WaukonAllamakee County · 3,849 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #13 of 140
93IndependenceBuchanan County · 6,312 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #52 of 140
94ShenandoahPage County · 4,808 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #102 of 140
95Saylorvilleunincorporated, Polk County · 3,366 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #39 of 140
96Orange CitySioux County · 6,468 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 140
97ClarionWright County · 2,758 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #67 of 140
98NewtonJasper County · 15,741 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #105 of 140
99VintonBenton County · 5,004 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #48 of 140
100MilfordDickinson County · 3,209 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #50 of 140
101OskaloosaMahaska County · 11,493 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #80 of 140
102CrestonUnion County · 7,335 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #84 of 140
103WaukeeDallas County · 34,890 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #36 of 140
104GrimesPolk County · 17,405 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #15 of 140
105Rock ValleySioux County · 4,188 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #17 of 140
106BondurantPolk County · 9,647 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #45 of 140
107CarlisleWarren County · 4,532 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #24 of 140
108AlbiaMonroe County · 3,599 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #69 of 140
109PerryDallas County · 8,208 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #93 of 140
110CamancheClinton County · 4,557 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #75 of 140
111NorwalkWarren County · 15,004 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 140
112RobinsLinn County · 3,366 peopleC+better than 43% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #89 of 140
113Eagle GroveWright County · 3,653 peopleC+better than 43% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #122 of 140
114Windsor HeightsPolk County · 5,059 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #119 of 140
115Storm LakeBuena Vista County · 11,590 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #108 of 140
116SheldonO'Brien County · 5,575 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #77 of 140
117Rock RapidsLyon County · 2,733 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #20 of 140
118OsageMitchell County · 3,552 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #16 of 140
119Spirit LakeDickinson County · 5,525 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #68 of 140
120Webster CityHamilton County · 7,815 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #91 of 140
121HamptonFranklin County · 4,264 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #87 of 140
122New HamptonChickasaw County · 3,420 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #55 of 140
123FairfaxLinn County · 2,925 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #82 of 140
124WiltonMuscatine County · 2,892 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #63 of 140
125ClarindaPage County · 5,273 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #109 of 140
126AlgonaKossuth County · 5,309 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #51 of 140
127CrescoHoward County · 3,925 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #22 of 140
128MaquoketaJackson County · 6,027 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #124 of 140
129West BurlingtonDes Moines County · 3,358 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #130 of 140
130JesupBuchanan County · 2,557 peopleCbetter than 35% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #54 of 140
131AnamosaJones County · 5,901 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #97 of 140
132MonticelloJones County · 4,104 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #27 of 140
133EldridgeScott County · 6,954 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #10 of 140
134TiptonCedar County · 3,060 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #38 of 140
135KnoxvilleMarion County · 7,469 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #95 of 140
136Le ClaireScott County · 4,741 peopleC−better than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #57 of 140
137GarnerHancock County · 3,029 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #34 of 140
138KalonaWashington County · 2,811 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #53 of 140
139BloomfieldDavis County · 2,785 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #79 of 140
140MitchellvillePolk County · 2,671 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 140
Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which Iowa town is best for the outdoors?

Polk City (Polk County) ranks first on outdoors among 140 towns, with an A+; Iowa City and West Branch follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a outdoors grade (140 in Iowa). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Iowa page.

Go deeper

More Iowa lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Iowa rankings →
Best places to live140 towns · #1 Orange CityBest small towns99 towns · #1 Orange CityMost affordable towns140 towns · #1 EmmetsburgSafest towns105 towns · #1 Rock ValleyTowns with the best schools140 towns · #1 Grundy CenterHealthiest towns140 towns · #1 SolonBest towns for jobs & income140 towns · #1 EldridgeMost walkable towns140 towns · #1 Iowa CityTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk140 towns · #1 SaylorvilleMost historic towns140 towns · #1 VintonTowns with the most civic life138 towns · #1 AtlanticTowns with the least snow140 towns · #1 Fort MadisonDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns140 towns · #1 Clear LakeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters142 towns · #1 KeokukDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers142 towns · #1 Council BluffsDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers142 towns · #1 Postville and WaukonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes140 towns · #1 Polk CityDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes140 towns · #1 Fort MadisonDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns139 towns · #1 TiffinDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries51 towns · #1 CoralvilleDescribed, no letters
Other states

Best towns for the outdoors in other states

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