Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
West Bend’s average trip to work is 12 minutes, against 19 minutes in Iowa’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. No town among the 138 in Iowa we compare has a lower median rent than West Bend. Its National Register listings include Grotto of the Redemption and First Presbyterian Church. West Bend has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where West Bend beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 325 in 1890, 791 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004 and a map from 1980 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Bend, 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 West Bend.
Most working residents leave West Bend for work: only 16% work in town. Since 2013, West Bend has added 82 jobs, to 457 in 2023. 7.4% of residents live below the poverty line in West Bend, where Iowa’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 9.6%.
| West Bend | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $86,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the West Bend-Mallard Community School District. Its three schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Bend-Mallard Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 173 | A+ |
| West Bend-Mallard High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 117 | C+ |
| West Bend-Mallard Middle SchoolTop results in townGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 132 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts
The typical West Bend home is worth about $164,000, up 1.9% in a year, 31% below the Iowa typical home. 85% of households own their home in West Bend.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Adults 35 to 64 are 25% of residents (37% statewide); people 65 and older are 27% of residents (18% statewide). West Bend’s median age is 35.6 years. 25% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
| West Bend | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 27% | 23% | 22% |
| Median age | 35.6 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
57% women, 43% men
About 75 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±4.8 points). Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| West Bend | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.2% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.3% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 13.3% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.1% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 3.6% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.8% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 14.5% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.2% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30.4% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.4% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 16.9% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.1% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 800, single groups can be off by several points
West Bend has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 8° and about 37 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
14% of West Bend adults report frequent mental distress. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 4 have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than West Bend. 18% of West Bend adults have been diagnosed with depression.
| West Bend | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 21% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| What stands out | West Bend | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.2% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.4% | 9.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.9% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 59% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of West Bend; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 West Bend residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Where West Bend’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Village in Iowa, US
West Bend is a village in Kossuth and Palo Alto (originally) counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 791 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.
West Bend 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.
