Iowa Falls, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Iowa Falls, Iowa
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| Nickname(s):
The Scenic City
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Location of Iowa Falls, Iowa
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Hardin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.46 sq mi (14.15 km2) |
| • Land | 5.39 sq mi (13.95 km2) |
| • Water | 0.08 sq mi (0.20 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,106 ft (337 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,106 |
| • Density | 948.01/sq mi (366.06/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
50126
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| Area code(s) | 641 |
| FIPS code | 19-38640 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0457829 |
| Website | www.cityofiowafalls.com |
Iowa Falls is a city in Hardin County, Iowa, United States. It is known for being the home of Ellsworth Community College. The city is also an important place for transportation. Major roads like U.S. Routes 20 and 65 pass through it. Railroads like the Canadian National and Union Pacific also serve the area. In 2020, about 5,106 people lived in Iowa Falls.
Contents
History of Iowa Falls
Iowa Falls was officially planned and mapped out in 1856. Before it got its current name, the area was called Rocksylvania. This name was hard to say and spell, so it was changed to Iowa Falls. The city was named after the beautiful falls on the Iowa River.
Early Transportation and Entertainment
The Illinois Central Railroad was built through Iowa Falls in 1866. This helped the city grow by connecting it to other places.
The Metropolitan Opera House was built in 1899. It was a popular place for plays, operas, and variety shows in the early 1900s. This historic building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Oldest Popcorn Stand
Iowa Falls is home to the oldest popcorn stand in Iowa that is still open today. It is located in Estes Park. This famous popcorn stand first opened on May 29, 1948, and was originally called "Louie's Korn Krib."
Geography and Natural Features
Iowa Falls is located at 42°31′N 93°16′W / 42.517°N 93.267°W. The city covers about 5.44 square miles (14.15 square kilometers) in total. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
The Iowa River and Its Falls
The city gets its name from the Iowa River, which flows through a deep limestone gorge here. This gorge is about 70 feet (21 meters) deep. The bluffs on either side rise another 50 feet (15 meters).
The "falls" were originally rapids in the river. In 1926, a dam was built across the river. This dam is 26 feet (8 meters) high and 200 feet (61 meters) long. It created a hydroelectric power station that makes electricity for the area.
Climate in Iowa Falls
Iowa Falls has a type of climate called a hot-summer humid continental climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and cold winters. It experiences all four seasons clearly.
| Climate data for Iowa Falls, Iowa, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 68 (20) |
68 (20) |
87 (31) |
97 (36) |
107 (42) |
107 (42) |
111 (44) |
108 (42) |
101 (38) |
95 (35) |
79 (26) |
70 (21) |
111 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 46.6 (8.1) |
51.7 (10.9) |
67.5 (19.7) |
81.4 (27.4) |
87.4 (30.8) |
91.8 (33.2) |
92.6 (33.7) |
90.6 (32.6) |
89.0 (31.7) |
82.5 (28.1) |
67.2 (19.6) |
51.1 (10.6) |
92.6 (33.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 25.7 (−3.5) |
30.6 (−0.8) |
43.5 (6.4) |
58.3 (14.6) |
69.9 (21.1) |
79.9 (26.6) |
82.9 (28.3) |
80.8 (27.1) |
74.8 (23.8) |
61.7 (16.5) |
45.0 (7.2) |
31.5 (−0.3) |
57.1 (13.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 16.9 (−8.4) |
21.3 (−5.9) |
33.9 (1.1) |
46.8 (8.2) |
58.8 (14.9) |
69.1 (20.6) |
72.6 (22.6) |
70.2 (21.2) |
62.7 (17.1) |
50.0 (10.0) |
35.3 (1.8) |
23.2 (−4.9) |
46.7 (8.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 8.1 (−13.3) |
12.1 (−11.1) |
24.4 (−4.2) |
35.3 (1.8) |
47.7 (8.7) |
58.4 (14.7) |
62.2 (16.8) |
59.7 (15.4) |
50.6 (10.3) |
38.3 (3.5) |
25.6 (−3.6) |
14.9 (−9.5) |
36.4 (2.5) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −14.2 (−25.7) |
−8.7 (−22.6) |
3.1 (−16.1) |
21.5 (−5.8) |
33.5 (0.8) |
46.7 (8.2) |
51.9 (11.1) |
49.9 (9.9) |
36.0 (2.2) |
23.2 (−4.9) |
8.9 (−12.8) |
−6.0 (−21.1) |
−14.2 (−25.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −34 (−37) |
−32 (−36) |
−31 (−35) |
3 (−16) |
18 (−8) |
34 (1) |
36 (2) |
31 (−1) |
19 (−7) |
−5 (−21) |
−13 (−25) |
−31 (−35) |
−34 (−37) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.92 (23) |
1.16 (29) |
2.08 (53) |
3.80 (97) |
5.57 (141) |
6.13 (156) |
4.54 (115) |
4.37 (111) |
3.49 (89) |
2.56 (65) |
1.97 (50) |
1.54 (39) |
38.13 (968) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 7.1 (18) |
7.1 (18) |
4.5 (11) |
1.3 (3.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.6 (4.1) |
6.1 (15) |
27.7 (69.4) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 6.7 | 6.2 | 7.5 | 10.6 | 12.8 | 11.5 | 8.8 | 9.4 | 8.3 | 8.5 | 6.6 | 7.1 | 104 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.0 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 4.6 | 18.2 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
People of Iowa Falls: Demographics
The population of Iowa Falls has changed over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived there at different times:
| Historical populations | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1880 | 955 | — |
| 1890 | 1,796 | +88.1% |
| 1900 | 2,840 | +58.1% |
| 1910 | 2,797 | −1.5% |
| 1920 | 3,954 | +41.4% |
| 1930 | 4,112 | +4.0% |
| 1940 | 4,425 | +7.6% |
| 1950 | 4,900 | +10.7% |
| 1960 | 5,565 | +13.6% |
| 1970 | 6,454 | +16.0% |
| 1980 | 6,174 | −4.3% |
| 1990 | 5,435 | −12.0% |
| 2000 | 5,193 | −4.5% |
| 2010 | 5,238 | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 5,106 | −2.5% |
| Source: and Iowa Data Center Source: |
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Population in 2020
In 2020, the city had 5,106 people living in 2,146 households. About 1,235 of these were families. The city had about 948 people per square mile.
Most of the people (89.1%) were White. Other groups included Black or African American (1.1%), Native American (0.4%), and Asian (0.9%). About 6.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 26.1% of households had children under 18. Many households (42.3%) were married couples. The average age in the city was 40.7 years.
Population in 2010
According to the 2010 census, there were 5,238 people in Iowa Falls. There were 2,207 households and 1,295 families. The population density was about 977 people per square mile.
The racial makeup was mostly White (94.0%). Other groups included African American (2.7%), Native American (0.4%), and Asian (0.7%). About 3.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 26.8% of households had children under 18. The average age was 40.9 years.
Economy and Jobs
Iowa Select Farms, a very large hog producer in Iowa, has its main office in Iowa Falls. This company provides many jobs in the area.
Education in Iowa Falls
The Iowa Falls Community School District is in charge of the public schools in the city. They make sure students get a good education.
Media and Broadcasting
Iowa Falls has its own radio station, KIFG. It broadcasts on 95.3 FM and 1510 AM. The city also used to have a local cable television system. This system rebroadcast channels like Nickelodeon, TBS, and Lifetime.
Famous People from Iowa Falls
Many talented people have come from Iowa Falls. Here are a few:
- Nick Collison – A professional basketball player in the NBA.
- Joseph Gomer – A brave Tuskegee Airman who flew during World War II.
- Kurt Ploeger – A former player in the National Football League (NFL).
- Bill Riley Sr. – A well-known television personality.
- Randy Schultz – Another former NFL player.
- Jim Trickey – A football player.
- Christopher Whitesell – A writer.
- Jim Whitesell – A basketball coach.
- John Whitesell – A Hollywood director.
- Patrick Whitesell – A Hollywood agent and co-CEO of WME Entertainment.
- Sean Whitesell – An actor, writer, and producer.
- Jeff Hansen – The founder of Iowa Select Farms.
See also
In Spanish: Iowa Falls (Iowa) para niños
