Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Smithland’s typical journey to work is 35 minutes, against 19 minutes in Iowa’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Among 141 Iowa towns, just one has a higher age of the median resident than Smithland. Smithland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Smithland beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 369 in 1890, a peak of 435 in 1900, 181 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1936 and 2 maps from 1969 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Smithland, 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 Smithland.
The top destinations are Sioux City (39%), Des Moines (5%) and Sloan (4%). Half the trips to work are shorter than 30 miles. In Smithland, nearly one in ten residents live below the poverty line, close to both Iowa’s towns (11%) and U.S. towns (9.6%).
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Among 141 Iowa towns, just 7 have a higher owner-occupancy rate than Smithland. In Smithland, the rent at the middle of the market is $725 a month. Home values are up 6.2% over the year to September 2026.
| Smithland | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 90% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $725 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Winters in Smithland are cold, snowy and summers warm. Summer afternoons peak near 85° in July, and January nights bottom out around 11°; snowfall runs to about 31 inches a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
For adults in Smithland, the share who binge drink is 20%. Of 32 CDC measures, Smithland beats the Iowa average on 8 and trails it on 1. Only 8 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Smithland.
| Smithland | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 33% |
| What stands out | Smithland | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.5% | 12% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.4% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
30% of Smithland’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by drought at 21%. Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 52% of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Smithland households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Smithland Park | — | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Smithland; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Smithland residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Where Smithland’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Iowa, USA
Smithland is a city in Woodbury County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 181 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.
Smithland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.