RoyalIA
A town of 375, settled in 1894.
Is Royal a good place to live?
Among 140 Iowa towns, just 3 have a lower midpoint home value than Royal. Royal has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
375 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Royal: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Royal, 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 Royal.
Homes in Royal are worth about $105K, by Zillow’s estimate
In Royal, the typical rent is $895 a month, near the Iowa town median ($911 a month) and below the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Home values are up 8.8% over the year to September 2026. Royal: nearly two thirds of households are owner-occupiers.
| Royal | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 66% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $895 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The schools Royal’s kids attend
Public schools: the Clay Central-Everly Community School District. Its one school is below. Enrollment at Royal’s public school: 53 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay Central-Everly ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 53 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Royal stands out in Iowa and nationally, with fewer of its working residents who work locally
Royal’s typical household income comes in at $57,000. The top destinations are Spencer (32%), Storm Lake (5%) and Spirit Lake (5%). In Royal, the typical journey to work is 24 minutes, against 19 minutes in Iowa’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Half commute less than 20 miles.
| Royal | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.6% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Royal faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Only 9 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a higher risk rating from FEMA than Royal. Expected losses in Royal break down as 53% from inland flooding and 15% from hail. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Royal after 6 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The climate in Royal brings snowy winters and pleasant summers
A winter brings about 43 inches of snow, with January nights at 8° and July afternoons at 83°.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Royal is
A fifth of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Royal. The town tracks Iowa closely on all 32 CDC measures.
| Royal | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 32% | 36% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Royal
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Royal; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Royal residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
98% of working residents leave Royal for work
Where Royal’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Royal
City in Iowa, USA
Royal is a city in Clay County, Iowa, United States. The population was 379 in the 2020 census, a decline from 479 in 2000.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,411 ft
- ZIP code
- 51357
- Area code
- 712
Questions about Royal
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Royal, IA a good place to live?
Royal has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.