Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 714, settled in 1879.
No town among the 138 in Iowa we compare has a lower going rate for rent than Ruthven. 28% of residents are under 18 in Ruthven, above both Iowa’s towns (23%) and U.S. towns (22%). Ruthven has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 73 in 1880, 725 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1936 and a map from 1985 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ruthven, 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.
Ordered by what stands out in Ruthven.
15% of Ruthven residents live below the poverty line, above both the Iowa town median (11%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Most working residents leave Ruthven for work: only 12% work in town. Its income of the median household comes in at $59,000. The top destinations are Spencer (19%), Emmetsburg (6%) and Sioux City (4%).
| Ruthven | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Public schools: the Ruthven-Ayrshire Community School District. Its two schools are below. The 2 public schools in Ruthven teach 147 students between them.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruthven-Ayrshire Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 89 | D− |
| Ruthven-Ayrshire High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 58 | D |
NCES · EDFacts
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 5.1%. For households in Ruthven, the share who are owner-occupiers is 78%.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
A winter brings about 37 inches of snow, with January nights at 8° and July afternoons at 83°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
31% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Ruthven. Against the Iowa average, Ruthven comes out ahead on 2 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 3. Only 10 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Ruthven.
| Ruthven | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| What stands out | Ruthven | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults seeing a dentist | 70.9% | 66.8% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.9% | 77.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.5% | 11.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Federal aid has come to Ruthven households in 6 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage in the town than in 57% of U.S. communities. 24% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from drought, followed by cold waves at 24%.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Ruthven; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Ruthven residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Where Ruthven’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Iowa, USA
Ruthven is a city in Palo Alto County, Iowa, United States. The population was 725 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Ruthven has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.