Charles City is a city in Floyd County, Iowa, home to about 7,232 people across 6.1 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50616.
Homes sold for a median of $99 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Charles City. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Charles City’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Charles City well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Des Moines International Airport (DSM)117 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Mason City Municipal Airport (MCW)34 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | St. Paul, MN132 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL268 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Charles City; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Charles City had 7,396 residents in the 2020 census, down 5% since 2000.
It’s the 57th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Floyd County grew from 17,754 residents in 1900 to 15,627 in 2020.
Floyd County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 9°F. About 37.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 38 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Charles City, IA weather station (about a mile away).
5,199 jobs at 371 businesses in Floyd County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
56 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Charles City.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 10 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 2 |
| Dentists | 9 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 13 |
| Mental health providers | 7 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 7 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 5 |
| Pharmacies | 4 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (24 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (2 nearby)
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1851.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Charles City Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Elementary SchoolCharles City | Pre-K–1 | 206 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Lincoln Elementary SchoolCharles City | 2–4 | 280 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Charles City Middle SchoolCharles City | 5–8 | 386 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Charles City High SchoolCharles City | 9–12 | 472 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immaculate Conception SchoolCharles City | Pre-K–6 | 172 | Roman Catholic | 0.3 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Charles City? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.