Town guide

Milford, Iowa

Milford is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, home to about 3,311 people across 2.2 square miles. Its ZIP code is 51351.

Homes sold for a median of $184 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.

Population3,3111,519 per sq mi
Median home value$218,400Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$184Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking17%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Milford

1 ZIP code

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

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We’re writing up Milford’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 Milford

Distances

Nearest major airportEppley Airfield (OMA)144 miles away
Closer regional airportFort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD)72 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Minneapolis, MN147 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL394 miles away

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

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

Who represents Milford

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

Milford had 3,321 residents in the 2020 census, up 34% since 2000.

It’s the 117th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.

Dickinson County grew from 7,995 residents in 1900 to 17,703 in 2020.

Milford population by census2000: 2,474, 2010: 2,898, 2020: 3,3212,47420002,89820103,3212020

Dickinson County, 1900–2020

Dickinson County population, 1900 to 20201900: 7,995, 1910: 8,137, 1920: 10,241, 1930: 10,982, 1940: 12,185, 1950: 12,756, 1960: 12,574, 1970: 12,565, 1980: 15,629, 1990: 14,909, 2000: 16,424, 2010: 16,667, 2020: 17,7038K’00’1010K’20’3012K’40’5013K’60’7016K’80’9016K’00’1018K’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 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 8°F. About 29.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 38 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near MilfordJan: high 24°F, low 8°F, 0.7 in; Feb: high 29°F, low 12°F, 0.7 in; Mar: high 42°F, low 24°F, 1.6 in; Apr: high 57°F, low 35°F, 3.3 in; May: high 70°F, low 48°F, 4.2 in; Jun: high 79°F, low 59°F, 4.5 in; Jul: high 83°F, low 62°F, 3.4 in; Aug: high 80°F, low 60°F, 3.5 in; Sep: high 74°F, low 52°F, 3.2 in; Oct: high 60°F, low 39°F, 2.2 in; Nov: high 43°F, low 25°F, 1.4 in; Dec: high 29°F, low 13°F, 0.8 in24°8°Jan0.729°12°Feb0.742°24°Mar1.657°35°Apr3.370°48°May4.279°59°Jun4.583°62°Jul3.480°60°Aug3.574°52°Sep3.260°39°Oct2.243°25°Nov1.429°13°Dec0.8Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Milford 4 Nw, IA weather station (5 miles away).

Jobs in Dickinson County

7,749 jobs at 784 businesses in Dickinson County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Dickinson CountyManufacturing: 1,703 jobs; Retail trade: 1,293 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 1,235 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 1,024 jobs; Construction: 429 jobs; Other services: 329 jobs; Transportation and warehousing: 296 jobs; Administrative and support: 291 jobsManufacturing 22% Retail trade 17% Hotels and restaurants 16% Health care and social assistance 13% Construction 6% Other services 4% Transportation and warehousing 4% Administrative and support 4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

23 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Milford.

Nearest hospitals

  • Lakes Regional HealthcareGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Spirit Lake7.0 miles
  • Spencer Municipal HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Spencer11.8 miles
  • Avera Holy Family HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Estherville17.6 miles

Providers with an office here

Dentists3
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants4
Mental health providers6
Physical and occupational therapists3
Optometrists1
Chiropractors6
Pharmacies2

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 Milford

Parks (5 nearby)

  • Memorial Park · 14 acres0.9 mi
  • Florence Park · 3 acres0.4 mi
  • Calkins Park · 2 acres0.7 mi
  • Buchanan Park · 2 acres0.8 mi
  • Millstone Park0.8 mi

Grocery stores (1 nearby)

  • Sunshine Foods1.0 mi

Pharmacies (1 nearby)

  • Hy-Vee Clinic Pharmacy0.7 mi

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Milford Memorial Library0.6 mi

Museums (1 nearby)

  • Clark Museum of Area History1.1 mi

Theaters and performance venues

  • Preservation Plaza3.5 mi

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.

Schools in Milford

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

Public schools (3)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Okoboji Elementary SchoolMilfordPre-K–4491Public0.5 mi
Okoboji Middle SchoolMilford5–8339Public0.2 mi
Okoboji High SchoolMilford9–12366Public0.3 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 Milford

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Shares ZIP codes with West Okoboji, Wahpeton and Arnolds Park.

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.