SwaledaleIA
A town of 137, settled in 1887.
Is Swaledale a good place to live?
Swaledale’s median age is 56 years, above both the Iowa town median (38.7 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Swaledale. Swaledale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
137 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Swaledale: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Swaledale, 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 Swaledale.
Most of Swaledale’s workers commute out: the town has 0.5 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Swaledale for work: only 0% work in town. 4.7% of residents live below the poverty line in Swaledale, where Iowa’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. The median household income in Swaledale is $52,000.
| Swaledale | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $52,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
In Swaledale, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Swaledale has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Swaledale’s July high is 82°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
A larger share of adults have high blood pressure in Swaledale than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
43% of Swaledale adults have high blood pressure. Swaledale beats the Iowa average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 14% of Swaledale adults have diabetes.
| Swaledale | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 12% | 12% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Swaledale | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.5% | 9.4% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83.3% | 77.8% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.1% | 6.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Drought leads a moderate hazard risk in Swaledale
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
A home in Swaledale sells for about $70K at the median
81% of households own their home in Swaledale.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about Swaledale
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Swaledale; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Swaledale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
100% of working residents leave Swaledale for work
Where Swaledale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Swaledale
City in Iowa, United States
Swaledale is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 144 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,152 ft
- ZIP code
- 50477
Questions about Swaledale
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Swaledale, IA a good place to live?
Swaledale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.