Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 496, established in 1835. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sabula’s average commute is 32 minutes, where Iowa’s towns sit at 19 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Sabula. 80% of the land in Sabula is conserved, where Iowa’s towns sit at 3.1% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Its National Register listings include Savanna-Sabula Bridge and Lafayette Lamb House. Sabula has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Sabula beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 168 in 1850, a peak of 1,223 in 1880, 506 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1859 and 2 maps from 1952 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sabula, 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 Sabula.
Trails total 0.1 miles in 4 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge | — | 36 |
| 2. South Sabula Lake Park | — | 7 |
| 3. Driscoll's Island | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Half of commuters travel less than 20 miles. For working residents in Sabula, the share who work locally is 3.8%. The top destinations are Preston (15%), Clinton (14%) and Maquoketa (5%).
| Sabula | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.8% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $78,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Households in Sabula have drawn federal disaster aid in 9 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. On expected storm and flood damage, Sabula sits above nearly three quarters of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 47% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 13% to drought. Since 1993, 12 flood insurance claims have been paid out locally.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 13° and about 33 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown. 20 crimes were reported in Sabula in 2025: 18 property and 2 violent.
Sabula is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
15% of adults have diabetes in Sabula. Only one of the 141 Iowa towns we compare has a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Sabula. CDC measures, 32 in all: Sabula beats Iowa on 2 and trails on 11.
| Sabula | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 35% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 32% | 36% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Sabula | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.9% | 77.8% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 86.9% | 84.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.5% | 11.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Typical home values rose 5.7% in the year to September 2026. For Sabula, the going rate for rent is $950 a month. The share of households in Sabula who own their home: 76%.
| Sabula | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 76% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $950 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
None within 15 miles of Sabula; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Sabula residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
79.7% of the town is conserved land, across 4 parks and preserves.
2 places in Sabula on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Iowa, United States
Sabula is a city in Jackson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 506 at the 2020 census. Sabula is the site of Iowa's only island city. The island has a beach and a campground, as well as a harbor with boat docks. Sabula is the northern terminus of U.S. Route 67.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Sabula 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.
