Cotter is a city in Louisa County, Iowa, home to about 31 people across 0.1 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 52738.
Homes sold for a median of $117 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Columbus Junction; part is in Cotter
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Cotter. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Cotter’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Des Moines International Airport (DSM)123 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Southeast Iowa Regional Airport (BRL)36 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Madison, WI157 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL191 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Cotter; 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.
Cotter had 39 residents in the 2020 census, down 19% since 2000.
It’s the 978th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Louisa County grew from 13,516 residents in 1900 to 10,837 in 2020.
Louisa County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 84°F in summer, and winter lows average 11°F. About 38.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 31 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Columbus Junction, IA weather station (3 miles away).
3,089 jobs at 211 businesses in Louisa County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2022 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
6 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Cotter.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 1 |
|---|---|
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 1 |
| Mental health providers | 1 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 1 |
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.
Pharmacies
Libraries
Counts are within about 1 mile 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.
Public schools here are run by Columbus Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roundy Elementary SchoolColumbus Junction | Pre-K–6 | 383 | Public | 4.0 mi |
| Columbus Community Junior High SchoolColumbus Junction | 7–8 | 104 | Public | 3.8 mi |
| Columbus Community High SchoolColumbus Junction | 9–12 | 220 | Public | 3.8 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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Shares ZIP codes with Columbus Junction and Fredonia.
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.