Northwood is a city in Worth County, Iowa, home to about 2,040 people across 4.0 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50459.
Homes sold for a median of $108 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Northwood. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Northwood’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Northwood well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)99 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Mason City Municipal Airport (MCW)21 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | St. Paul, MN104 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL303 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Northwood; 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.
Northwood had 2,072 residents in the 2020 census, up 1% since 2000.
It’s the 165th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Worth County grew from 10,887 residents in 1900 to 7,443 in 2020.
Worth County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 79°F in summer, and winter lows average 4°F. About 35.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 40 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Northwood, IA weather station (about a mile away).
1,634 jobs at 163 businesses in Worth County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
3 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Northwood.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 1 |
|---|---|
| Physical and occupational therapists | 1 |
| 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.
Parks (4 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (2 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 Northwood-Kensett Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwood-Kensett ElementaryNorthwood | Pre-K–5 | 287 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Northwood-Kensett Middle/High SchoolNorthwood | 6–12 | 265 | Public | 0.9 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.
Buying or selling around Northwood? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
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.