The only restaurant in Robin's iowa, 2016
Robins’s story
138 years in pictures
Census counts: 110 in 1920, 3,353 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 5 maps from 1888 on.
- 1888Robins is settled
RobinsIA
A town of 3,366, settled in 1888.
Population
3,366
2025 Census estimate · +0.1% since 2020
Typical home
$410K
+3.7% in a year
Household income
$122K
median
Median age
46.0
years
Jobs based here
579
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#89 of 140 in IA
Is Robins a good place to live?
Robins grades B− overall, ranked 89th of 140 in Iowa, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Residents are healthier than 88% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. On the other side, its public schools trail 91% of Iowa towns on state tests and graduation. 59% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Robins, above both Iowa’s towns (25%) and U.S. towns (29%). On history, just 10 of Iowa’s 276 towns do worse. The biggest park or preserve is South Troy Park, at 26 acres.
What makes Robins stand out
Where Robins beats most towns.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Robins for work
Where Robins’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
579jobs based in Robins
1%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Robins grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Robins is from typical.
SchoolsDOpen →HealthSt. Lukes Hospital 6.6 miles awayAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10.3 of 20; 0.7% of households have no carBOpen →Jobs & incomeBOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $410K, 5.2 years of the Cedar Rapids metro’s $78K median household incomeC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landC+Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life1.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−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 Robins: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Robins, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCedar Rapids Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Robins’ trash rules yet
SchoolsCedar Rapids Community School DistrictAlburnett Community School District2 districts serve Robins; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereLinn County AuditorLinn County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes52328, 5241152328 86% · 52411 14%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 Robins.
Robins has less no health insurance than most of Iowa and has household incomes well above the Iowa norm, but it has property taxes about twice the Iowa norm.
HousingCost of living grade C+
More of Robins’ households own their home than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
The median property tax bill is $5,509, against $2,897 across Iowa, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
93% of Robins households own their home. The typical Robins home is worth about $410,000, up 3.7% in a year, 73% above the Iowa typical home.
$410KZillow home value
Typical home value
Robins$410K
Iowa$237K
+3.7%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthA
Robins stands out in Iowa and nationally, with fewer of its adults who report frequent mental distress
Its widest gap with Iowa is no health insurance: 4% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 7.3% statewide. Against the 5,411 U.S. towns with household incomes like Robins’s, it is healthier than 71%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
14% of adults report frequent mental distress in Robins. Of the 140 Iowa towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults 18 to 64 who have no health insurance than Robins. 11% of adults report frequent physical distress in Robins.
88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Robins | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 26% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
15 better16 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Robins | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4% | 7.3% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.9% | 11.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.9% | 8.7% |
St. Lukes Hospital
6.6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
91st
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
More than half of Robins’ working residents commute to Cedar Rapids
Jobs based here grew from 440 in 2013 to 579. 20.9% of workers work from home, against 11.3% across Iowa.
Most working residents leave Robins for work: only 1% work in town. The median household income in Robins is $122,000. Since 2013, Robins has added 139 jobs, to 579 in 2023.
1%work in town
| Robins | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $122,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 8.9% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Robins1%
Cedar Rapids57%
Marion8%
Hiawatha7%
Iowa City3%
7 mi
median commute distance
579
jobs based in Robins
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 63% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Robins
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 2008, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Robins.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
2
paid flood claims since 2008
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Robins, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Robins has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 11° and about 34 inches of snow falls in a winter.
34″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–31°
Spring38–59°
Summer61–82°
Fall40–61°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 28
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Robins
Robins's reported crime rate is well below Iowa's. Robins’ property crime rate is 2.1 per 1,000 residents. Only 6 of the 115 Iowa towns we compare have a lower violent crime rate than Robins.
| Robins | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.1 per 1,000 residents | 7.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.3 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Robins0.3
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Robins2.1
Iowa12.1
U.S.15.5
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
7
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
OutdoorsC+
Robins has set aside 1.1% of its land for conservation
0.7 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
1.1%conserved
| Robins | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.1% | 3.1% | 4.3% |
1.1%
conserved · 44 of 3,842 acres
0.7 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. East Knoll Park | 0.6 mi | 8 |
| 2. South Troy Park | — | 26 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 22 attractions →Kinnick Stadium and 13 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Robins. Close and well known come first.
30 mi Stadium & arenaKinnick Stadium
33 mi MuseumHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
8 mi MuseumNational Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
29 mi Stadium & arenaCarver–Hawkeye Arena
33 mi National Historic SiteHerbert Hoover National Historic Site107K visitors a year
7 mi MuseumMuseum of Art Cedar RapidsSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Kinnick Stadium: Count_de_Des_Moines (talk) (Uploads), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum: Shadow2700, Public domain · National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library: ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carver–Hawkeye Arena: Asolsma1988, CC0 · Herbert Hoover National Historic Site: Billwhittaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Museum of Art Cedar Rapids: ericjames, CC BY 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Robins
19pages on Robins
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 91% of IA districtsSafety0.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than IA on 15 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC+$410K typical home · up 3.7% in a yearWork & commuteB$122K median household income · 579 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Robins
Mount Mercy UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Cedar Rapids5.5 mi$40,878 tuitionCoe CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Cedar Rapids6.3 mi$54,666 tuitionKirkwood Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Cedar Rapids11.7 mi$6,176 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Robins residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Robins
City in Iowa, United States
Robins is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,353 at the time of the 2020 census. It is a suburb of Cedar Rapids and part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 6.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 850 ft
- ZIP code
- 52328
- Area code
- 319
Robins’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Robins.
HiawathaCedar RapidsRobins
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robins | #89 | B− | C+ | — | D | A |
| Hiawatha | #107 | C | B | C | D | B |
| Cedar Rapids | #104 | C | B | C− | D | B |
Robins reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Robins with a neighbor →
Questions about Robins
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Robins, IA a good place to live?
Robins grades B− overall, better than 47% of U.S. towns and #89 of 140 in Iowa. It grades A for health and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Robins, IA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.