Town guide

Clarion, Iowa

Clarion is a city in Wright County, Iowa, home to about 2,770 people across 3.4 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50525.

Homes sold for a median of $98 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.

Population2,770824 per sq mi
Median home value$116,200Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$98Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking0%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Clarion

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Clarion. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up Clarion’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Clarion

Distances

Nearest major airportDes Moines International Airport (DSM)82 miles away
Closer regional airportFort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD)26 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Minneapolis, MN156 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL315 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Clarion; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Clarion

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Clarion had 2,810 residents in the 2020 census, down 5% since 2000.

It’s the 130th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.

Wright County grew from 18,227 residents in 1900 to 12,943 in 2020.

Clarion population by census2000: 2,968, 2010: 2,850, 2020: 2,8102,96820002,85020102,8102020

Wright County, 1900–2020

Wright County population, 1900 to 20201900: 18,227, 1910: 17,951, 1920: 20,348, 1930: 20,216, 1940: 20,038, 1950: 19,652, 1960: 19,447, 1970: 17,294, 1980: 16,319, 1990: 14,269, 2000: 14,334, 2010: 13,229, 2020: 12,94318K’00’1020K’20’3020K’40’5019K’60’7016K’80’9014K’00’1013K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 85°F in summer, and winter lows average 6°F. About 34.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 31 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near ClarionJan: high 26°F, low 6°F, 0.7 in; Feb: high 31°F, low 11°F, 0.9 in; Mar: high 44°F, low 25°F, 2 in; Apr: high 59°F, low 35°F, 3.8 in; May: high 72°F, low 48°F, 4.8 in; Jun: high 82°F, low 59°F, 5.8 in; Jul: high 85°F, low 62°F, 4 in; Aug: high 82°F, low 60°F, 4.1 in; Sep: high 76°F, low 51°F, 3.1 in; Oct: high 63°F, low 38°F, 2.3 in; Nov: high 45°F, low 25°F, 1.5 in; Dec: high 31°F, low 13°F, 1.2 in26°6°Jan0.731°11°Feb0.944°25°Mar2.059°35°Apr3.872°48°May4.882°59°Jun5.885°62°Jul4.082°60°Aug4.176°51°Sep3.163°38°Oct2.345°25°Nov1.531°13°Dec1.2Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Clarion, IA weather station (about a mile away).

Jobs in Wright County

4,315 jobs at 358 businesses in Wright County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Wright CountyManufacturing: 1,670 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 1,058 jobs; Retail trade: 404 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 225 jobs; Wholesale trade: 191 jobs; Construction: 157 jobs; Other services: 152 jobs; Finance and insurance: 138 jobsManufacturing 39% Health care and social assistance 25% Retail trade 9% Hotels and restaurants 5% Wholesale trade 4% Construction 4% Other services 4% Finance and insurance 3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2022 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

60 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Clarion.

Nearest hospitals

  • Iowa Specialty Hospital - ClarionCritical access hospital · emergency room · ClarionUnder a mile
  • Iowa Specialty Hospital - BelmondCritical access hospital · emergency room · Belmond10.0 miles
  • Van Diest Medical CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 5 of 5 · Webster City19.4 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors12
Specialist doctors15
Dentists3
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants16
Mental health providers8
Physical and occupational therapists2
Optometrists2
Chiropractors2
Pharmacies3

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.

Places in and around Clarion

Parks (4 nearby)

  • Hanson Park · 8 acres0.8 mi
  • East Park · 4 acres0.6 mi
  • Gazebo Park · 2 acres0.5 mi
  • Clarion City Park · 1 acres0.3 mi

Museums (2 nearby)

  • 4-H Schoolhouse Museum0.9 mi
  • Heartland Museum0.9 mi

Counts are within about 1.5 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.

Schools in Clarion

Public schools here are run by Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (3)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary SchoolClarionPre-K–4469Public0.5 mi
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Middle SchoolClarion5–8—Public0.6 mi
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows High SchoolClarion9–12291Public0.8 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Towns near Clarion

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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.