City · Howard County, Iowa

Cresco, Iowa

Cresco is a city in Howard County, Iowa. It has 3,908 residents. Cresco, Iowa has a quality-of-life score of 83 out of 100 (very high), ranking #2,720 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Iowa it ranks #125 of 281 cities and towns. It ranks best on mammography screening (high), time spent in the emergency room (low) and drought exposure (low). It ranks worst on pharmacies (low), dentists (low) and distance to an airport (high).

83Very high

Quality-of-life score: #2,720 of 15,651 cities and towns
Iowa: #125 of 281 in IA
Population: 3,908 (2020-2024)
Land area: 3 mi²
Density: 1,170.2 /mi²
FIPS code: 1917220

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 72 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety84#2,513/15,637
Economy55#6,994/15,631
Housing87#1,906/14,977
Health56#6,848/15,609
Healthcare53#7,315/15,650
Environment97#524/15,453
Education58#6,560/15,649
Infrastructure54#7,127/15,650
Community88#1,927/15,651
Leisure & amenities59#6,469/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Cresco, Iowa ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Howard County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Mammography screening · high60.0%
98/100Iowa 57.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHoward County value
Time spent in the emergency room · low91 min
98/100Iowa 128 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesHoward County value
Drought exposure · low0%
98/100Iowa 13%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAHoward County value
Public libraries · high3.2 /10k
96/100Iowa 1.8 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesHoward County value
Property crime rate · low330 /100k
96/100Iowa 1,172 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationHoward County value
Social associations · high16.0 /10k
94/100Iowa 14.3 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHoward County value

Weaknesses

Pharmacies · low0.0 /10k
1/100Iowa 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsHoward County value
Dentists · low21 /100k
5/100Iowa 73 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHoward County value
Distance to an airport · high106 mi
9/100Iowa 44 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauHoward County value
Mental health providers · low75 /100k
10/100Iowa 226 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHoward County value
Arts, entertainment and recreation · low2.1 /10k
13/100Iowa 4.7 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsHoward County value
Average weekly wage · low$967
13/100Iowa $1,221United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsHoward County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

New homes permittedWorsening
2.3 /1k (2021) → 0.3 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−89%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
76.8% (2015-2019) → 92.9% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
24.9% (2015-2019) → 37.5% (2020-2024)
+13 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Child poverty rateWorsening
13.0% (2015-2019) → 20.6% (2020-2024)
+7.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Median household incomeImproving
$50,000 (2015-2019) → $60,608 (2020-2024)
+21%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
High school diploma or higherImproving
91.7% (2015-2019) → 95.5% (2020-2024)
+3.8 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Cresco, Iowa improved on 1 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 12 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved1

Broadband+16 points76.8% → 92.9%

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Cresco, Iowa between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	16.7 min2015-2019	17.8 min2020-2024	+1.1 min	Within the margin of error	36%
Bachelor's degree or higher	17.2%2015-2019	20.7%2020-2024	+3.5 points	Within the margin of error	55%
Broadband subscriptions	76.8%2015-2019	92.9%2020-2024	+16 points	Improved	83%
Child poverty rate	13.0%2015-2019	20.6%2020-2024	+7.6 points	Within the margin of error	15%
Effective property tax rate	1.76%2015-2019	1.57%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	57%
High school diploma or higher	91.7%2015-2019	95.5%2020-2024	+3.8 points	Within the margin of error	75%
Home price to income ratio	1.7×2015-2019	1.9×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	66%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3792015-2019	0.3672020-2024	−0.012	Within the margin of error	62%
Median household income	$50,0002015-2019	$60,6082020-2024	+21%	Within the margin of error	35%
Poverty rate	12.2%2015-2019	13.4%2020-2024	+1.2 points	Within the margin of error	32%
Rent as share of income	23.1%2015-2019	22.8%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	58%
Rent-burdened households	24.9%2015-2019	37.5%2020-2024	+13 points	Within the margin of error	18%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	3.0%2015-2019	4.1%2020-2024	+1.2 points	Within the margin of error	33%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Cresco, Iowa five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Cresco, Iowa in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Cresco, Iowa itself moved +2.6 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

3,908 residents (±18)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,598 households (±149)

Cresco, Iowa
Iowa share

Under $25k15%†244
$25k–50k26%†416
$50k–75k

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,598 households (±149)

Cresco, Iowa
Iowa share

Own75%1,198
Rent25%400

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,887 workers (±161)

Cresco, Iowa
Iowa share

Drive alone80%1,519
Carpool5.6%†105
Public transit0.0%0

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Howard County, the county holding most of Cresco's residents.

Howard County has 270 employer establishments, 287 for every 10,000 residents (1.16× the US rate of 248; 1.11× Iowa's), with 3,350 paid employees at an average annual pay of $46,401. The Census Bureau also counts 881 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 270; 881 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 287; US 248 · Iowa 259
Paid employees: 3,350
Average annual pay: $46,401; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Howard County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	24	25.5	1.65×More than typical	112	$73,196	101
Religious organizations	15	16	2.88×More than typical	95	$15,716	—
Restaurants and other eating places	12	12.8	0.70×Fewer than typical	94	$15,372	—
Construction of buildings	10	10.6	1.41×More than typical	29	$74,276	48
Insurance agencies and brokerages	10	10.6	2.42×More than typical	24	$71,167	19
Ambulatory health care services	8	8.5	0.41×Too few to compare	43	$39,651	14
Automotive repair and maintenance	8	8.5	1.69×Too few to compare	24	$25,250	29
Building equipment contractors	8	8.5	1.41×Too few to compare	40	$48,275	15
Building material and supplies dealers (hardware, home centers)	8	8.5	5.16×Too few to compare	59	$48,373	—
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	8	8.5	2.70×Too few to compare	30	$76,000	16
Gasoline stations	8	8.5	2.63×Too few to compare	109	$20,055	—
Truck transportation	8	8.5	1.68×Too few to compare	42	$54,786	47

Rank places for an industry Open Howard County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 9,400 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $2,763 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Cresco, Iowa: $0.71 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $2,763
Per resident: $0.71; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service$1,54656%
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration$1,21744%

Top recipients

ALUM-LINE, INC.$2,763100%

Spending by fiscal year

7.6KFY2017
-2.1KFY2018
270.5FY2019
2.5KFY2020
6.9KFY2021
3.4KFY2022
1.3KFY2023
2.5KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing · 3362$1,54656%
Boiler, tank, and shipping container manufacturing · 3324$1,21744%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Cresco, Iowa, so they do not add up across cities.

Cresco, Iowa's figures are part of those of Howard County, IA ($116.4K in FY2026), never added to them: 2.4% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Cresco is mostly in Howard County.

See federal money in Howard County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Cresco, Iowa is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Ashley HinsonR-IA-2 · 100% of residentsWith party 98%Missed 1.5%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Howard County88100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Howard County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1917220

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends