Leon is a city in Decatur County, Iowa, home to about 1,899 people across 3.1 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50144.
Homes sold for a median of $108 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Leon. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Leon’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)55 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Kansas City, MO119 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL323 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Leon; 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.
Leon had 1,822 residents in the 2020 census, down 8% since 2000.
It’s the 174th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Decatur County grew from 18,115 residents in 1900 to 7,645 in 2020.
Decatur County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 86°F in summer, and winter lows average 13°F. About 39.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 29 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Leon 6 Ese, IA weather station (5 miles away).
1,744 jobs at 146 businesses in Decatur County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
39 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Leon.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 4 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 5 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 12 |
| Mental health providers | 12 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 2 |
| Pharmacies | 3 |
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 (6 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
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.
Public schools here are run by Central Decatur Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Elementary SchoolLeon | Pre-K–2 | 173 | Public | 0.2 mi |
| North Elementary SchoolLeon | 3–6 | 168 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Central Decatur MS/HS High SchoolLeon | 7–12 | 291 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Christian Day SchoolLeon | 1–12 | 36 | Mennonite | 3.9 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.
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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.