Town guide

Curlew, Iowa

Curlew is a city in Palo Alto County, Iowa, home to about 54 people across 0.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50527.

Population5472 per sq mi
Median home value$58,000Census, as estimated by owners

ZIP codes in Curlew

1 ZIP code
Curlew, IA50527Not enough recent sales for market figures yet.

Mostly Curlew

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  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
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Around Curlew

Distances

Nearest major airportDes Moines International Airport (DSM)115 miles away
Closer regional airportFort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD)42 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Omaha, NE134 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL371 miles away

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

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

Who represents Curlew

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

Curlew had 37 residents in the 2020 census, down 40% since 2000.

It’s the 935th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.

Palo Alto County grew from 14,354 residents in 1900 to 8,996 in 2020.

Curlew population by census2000: 62, 2010: 58, 2020: 37622000582010372020

Palo Alto County, 1900–2020

Palo Alto County population, 1900 to 20201900: 14,354, 1910: 13,845, 1920: 15,486, 1930: 15,398, 1940: 16,170, 1950: 15,891, 1960: 14,736, 1970: 13,289, 1980: 12,721, 1990: 10,669, 2000: 10,147, 2010: 9,421, 2020: 8,99614K’00’1015K’20’3016K’40’5015K’60’7013K’80’9010K’00’109K’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 7°F. About 33.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 37 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near CurlewJan: high 26°F, low 7°F, 0.7 in; Feb: high 31°F, low 12°F, 0.9 in; Mar: high 44°F, low 24°F, 1.8 in; Apr: high 59°F, low 36°F, 3.7 in; May: high 71°F, low 49°F, 4.5 in; Jun: high 82°F, low 59°F, 5.5 in; Jul: high 85°F, low 63°F, 3.8 in; Aug: high 82°F, low 60°F, 4.4 in; Sep: high 76°F, low 51°F, 3.4 in; Oct: high 63°F, low 38°F, 2.4 in; Nov: high 46°F, low 26°F, 1.5 in; Dec: high 32°F, low 14°F, 1.1 in26°7°Jan0.731°12°Feb0.944°24°Mar1.859°36°Apr3.771°49°May4.582°59°Jun5.585°63°Jul3.882°60°Aug4.476°51°Sep3.463°38°Oct2.446°26°Nov1.532°14°Dec1.1Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Emmetsburg, IA weather station (11 miles away).

Jobs in Palo Alto County

2,881 jobs at 272 businesses in Palo Alto County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Palo Alto CountyHealth care and social assistance: 677 jobs; Manufacturing: 579 jobs; Retail trade: 404 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 369 jobs; Construction: 158 jobs; Wholesale trade: 129 jobs; Finance and insurance: 125 jobs; Transportation and warehousing: 118 jobsHealth care and social assistance 24% Manufacturing 20% Retail trade 14% Hotels and restaurants 13% Construction 6% Wholesale trade 5% Finance and insurance 4% Transportation and warehousing 4%

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

Health care

Nearest hospitals

  • Palo Alto County HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Emmetsburg12.0 miles
  • Pocahontas Community HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Pocahontas16.3 miles
  • Spencer Municipal HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Spencer21.7 miles

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.

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Towns near Curlew

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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.