Bar in shellsbug Iowa, 2016
Shellsburg’s story
172 years in pictures
Census counts: 547 in 1880, 961 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1888 on.
- 1854Shellsburg is settled
ShellsburgIA
Population
997
2025 Census estimate · +3.6% since 2020
Typical home
$333K
+9.6% in a year
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
40.4
years
Jobs based here
111
A commuter town
Is Shellsburg a good place to live?
Shellsburg’s trail network density is 2.3 miles per square mile, where Iowa’s towns sit at 0.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Shellsburg has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Shellsburg stand out
Where Shellsburg beats most towns.
Small town
997 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Shellsburg: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Shellsburg, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterShellsburg Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Shellsburg’s trash rules yet
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 hereBenton County AuditorBenton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code5233252332 100%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 Shellsburg.
Housing
Homes in Shellsburg are worth about $333K, by Zillow’s estimate
Among 141 Iowa towns, just 8 have a higher share of households owning their home than Shellsburg. Values rose 9.6% in the 12 months to September 2026. Its midpoint rent stands at $967 a month, above the Iowa town median ($911 a month) but below the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
$333KZillow home value
| Shellsburg | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 87% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $967 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Shellsburg$333K
Iowa$237K
+9.6%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Shellsburg’s kids attend
Its one school is below. 269 students attend Shellsburg’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shellsburg Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 269 | A |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
Shellsburg stands out in Iowa and nationally, with fewer of its working residents who work locally
Only 2 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Shellsburg. The town’s average commute stands at 26 minutes. The top destinations are Cedar Rapids (40%), Vinton (6%) and Hiawatha (4%). Half the trips to work are shorter than 14 miles.
2%work in town
| Shellsburg | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.2% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 11% | 8.5% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Shellsburg2%
Cedar Rapids40%
Vinton6%
Hiawatha4%
Waterloo4%
14 mi
median commute distance
111
jobs based in Shellsburg
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Shellsburg has four seasons and pleasant summers
July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 10° and about 34 inches of snow falls in a winter.
34″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–31°
Spring37–59°
Summer61–82°
Fall40–61°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Shellsburg is
30% of adults feel lonely in Shellsburg. This Iowa town tracks Iowa closely on all 32 CDC measures.
| Shellsburg | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Virginia Gay Hospital
9.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Shellsburg, with inland flooding at the top
50% of Shellsburg’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by strong winds at 14%. Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 56% of U.S. communities. Paid flood insurance claims locally since 2009: 4.
56risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windDrought
4
paid flood claims since 2009
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
0% of Shellsburg is conserved land
In 2 parks and preserves, walkers have 1.8 miles of trail. Parks and preserves in Shellsburg: 2, covering 20 acres.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 523 acres
1.8 mi
of trails · 2.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Prairie Forest | — | 13 |
| 2. Shellsburg Memorial Park | 0.2 mi | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 18 attractions →Kinnick Stadium and 14 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Shellsburg. Close and well known come first.
34 mi Stadium & arenaKinnick Stadium
40 mi MuseumHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum33 mi Theme parkLost Island Theme Park
14 mi MuseumNational Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
34 mi Stadium & arenaCarver–Hawkeye Arena
39 mi National Historic SiteHerbert Hoover National Historic Site107K visitors a yearSources: 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
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Shellsburg
18pages on Shellsburg
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Shellsburg
Mount Mercy UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Cedar Rapids12.9 mi$40,878 tuitionCoe CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Cedar Rapids13.1 mi$54,666 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Shellsburg residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Shellsburg for work
Where Shellsburg’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
111jobs based in Shellsburg
2%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Shellsburg
City in Iowa, United States
Shellsburg is a city in Benton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 961 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1854
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 791 ft
- ZIP code
- 52332
Questions about Shellsburg
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Shellsburg, IA a good place to live?
Shellsburg has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.