Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Home to 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
West Liberty grades C overall, ranked 103rd of 140 in Iowa, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. 5% of its land is conserved. On the other side, its schools rank behind 90% of the state's. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 91% of U.S. towns, with 5 places on the National Register. 12% of residents are 65 or older in West Liberty, below both the Iowa town median (19%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). Its National Register listings include Bridge near West Liberty and George H. and Loretta Ward House.
Where West Liberty beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
George H. and Loretta Ward House| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| West Liberty Elementary School | K–4 | 438 |
| West Liberty Middle School | 5–8 | 367 |
| West Liberty High School | 9–12 | 397 |
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far West Liberty is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,141 in 1880, 3,858 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1896 and 2 maps from 1894 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Liberty, 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 Liberty.
Below: Two of its 4 schools, each with why it was picked. Its public schools are run by the West Liberty Community School District. The largest public high school is West Liberty High School, with 397 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Liberty Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 438 | D |
| West Liberty High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 397 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 13° and about 28 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The level of property crime in West Liberty is 3 per 1,000 residents. The violent offense rate here is 2.2 per 1,000 residents.
| West Liberty | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3 per 1,000 residents | 7.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.2 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
West Liberty has about as many jobs (1,589) as working residents, but only 431 people both live and work here.
Half commute less than 15 miles. For West Liberty, the mean commuting time is 17 minutes. Roughly one working resident in four has a job in West Liberty itself. The top destinations are Iowa City (26%), Muscatine (5%) and Coralville (4%).
| West Liberty | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 27% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 11% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Among adults in West Liberty, 17% have been diagnosed with depression. Only 4 of the 140 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who had a checkup this year than West Liberty. Of 32 CDC measures, West Liberty beats the Iowa average on 4 and trails it on 8. Two figures for adults locally: 32% get no exercise outside work, 21% binge drink.
| West Liberty | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 7% | 8.1% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 21% | 23% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| What stands out | West Liberty | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.7% | 8.7% |
| Fewer adults with COPD | 5.6% | 6.9% |
| More uninsured adults | 17.1% | 7.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Federal aid has come to West Liberty households in 6 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024. Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 57% of U.S. communities. The national flood insurance program has paid 10 claims in the town since 1980. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 44% come from inland flooding and 11% from strong winds.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The biggest park or preserve is Wapsie Park, at 48 acres. Across 5 parks and preserves: 0.7 miles of trail.
| West Liberty | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 4.9% | 3.1% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kimberly Park | 0.3 mi | 7 |
| 2. Wapsie Park | — | 48 |
| 3. Heritage Park | 0.1 mi | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Values rose 4.3% in the 12 months to September 2026. For households in West Liberty, the share who own their home is 77%. Also worth knowing: the going rate for rent for West Liberty comes to $1,038 a month.
| West Liberty | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 77% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,038 a month | $909 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Liberty. Close and well known come first.
16 mi Stadium & arenaKinnick Stadium
8 mi MuseumHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
38 mi Ancient siteRock Island Arsenal
8 mi National Historic SiteHerbert Hoover National Historic Site107K visitors a year
16 mi Stadium & arenaCarver–Hawkeye Arena
37 mi MuseumBlack Hawk State Historic SiteKinnick Stadium: Count_de_Des_Moines (talk) (Uploads), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum: Shadow2700, Public domain · Rock Island Arsenal: Robert A, Ryan, J. Ceronia, and Bruce A. Harms, Photographers, Public domain · Herbert Hoover National Historic Site: Billwhittaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carver–Hawkeye Arena: Asolsma1988, CC0 · Black Hawk State Historic Site: Bill Whittaker (talk). Original uploader was Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
None within 15 miles of West Liberty; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 West Liberty residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
3 places in West Liberty on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in West Liberty.
City in Iowa, United States
West Liberty is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,858 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Muscatine micropolitan area. West Liberty is located five miles south of Interstate 80 on Historic Highway 6. The city is home to the West Liberty Raceway, located in the Muscatine County Fairgrounds. The Muscatine County Fair takes place in West Liberty in July of each year.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
West Liberty grades C overall, better than 33% of U.S. towns and #103 of 140 in Iowa. It grades C+ for health, B for safety and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
4 notable people were born here, including Samuel W. Koster and Donald Chelf.
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