Town guide

Portland, Iowa

Portland is a community in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, home to about 29 people across 1.0 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 50401.

Homes sold for a median of $123 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.

Population2929 per sq mi
Price per sq ft$123Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026

ZIP codes in Portland

1 ZIP code, 1 shared with neighboring towns

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

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We’re writing up Portland’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

Are you a local agent who knows Portland well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked

Around Portland

Distances

Nearest major airportDes Moines International Airport (DSM)114 miles away
Closer regional airportMason City Municipal Airport (MCW)7 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+St. Paul, MN124 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL295 miles away

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

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

Who represents Portland

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

Portland had 28 residents in the 2020 census, down 20% since 2010.

It’s the 984th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.

Cerro Gordo County grew from 20,672 residents in 1900 to 43,127 in 2020.

Portland population by census2010: 35, 2020: 28352010282020

Cerro Gordo County, 1900–2020

Cerro Gordo County population, 1900 to 20201900: 20,672, 1910: 25,011, 1920: 34,675, 1930: 38,476, 1940: 43,845, 1950: 46,053, 1960: 49,894, 1970: 49,335, 1980: 48,458, 1990: 46,733, 2000: 46,447, 2010: 44,151, 2020: 43,12721K’00’1035K’20’3044K’40’5050K’60’7048K’80’9046K’00’1043K’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 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 7°F. About 36.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near PortlandJan: high 24°F, low 7°F, 0.9 in; Feb: high 29°F, low 11°F, 1.1 in; Mar: high 41°F, low 23°F, 2 in; Apr: high 56°F, low 35°F, 3.9 in; May: high 69°F, low 47°F, 5.6 in; Jun: high 79°F, low 58°F, 5.7 in; Jul: high 82°F, low 62°F, 4.6 in; Aug: high 80°F, low 59°F, 3.7 in; Sep: high 74°F, low 50°F, 3.2 in; Oct: high 60°F, low 38°F, 2.6 in; Nov: high 43°F, low 25°F, 1.8 in; Dec: high 30°F, low 14°F, 1.3 in24°7°Jan0.929°11°Feb1.141°23°Mar2.056°35°Apr3.969°47°May5.679°58°Jun5.782°62°Jul4.680°59°Aug3.774°50°Sep3.260°38°Oct2.643°25°Nov1.830°14°Dec1.3Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Mason City, IA weather station (about a mile away).

Jobs in Cerro Gordo County

20,024 jobs at 1,357 businesses in Cerro Gordo County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Cerro Gordo CountyHealth care and social assistance: 4,329 jobs; Retail trade: 3,602 jobs; Manufacturing: 3,262 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 2,153 jobs; Wholesale trade: 1,324 jobs; Construction: 970 jobs; Transportation and warehousing: 809 jobs; Other services: 782 jobsHealth care and social assistance 22% Retail trade 18% Manufacturing 16% Hotels and restaurants 11% Wholesale trade 7% Construction 5% Transportation and warehousing 4% Other services 4%

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

Health care

597 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Portland.

Nearest hospitals

  • Mercyone North Iowa Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Mason City1.0 miles
  • Mitchell County Regional HealthCritical access hospital · no emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Osage21.7 miles
  • Floyd County Medical CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Charles City26.7 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors106
Specialist doctors148
Dentists34
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants120
Mental health providers136
Physical and occupational therapists30
Optometrists9
Chiropractors14
Pharmacies15

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 Portland

Parks (16 nearby)

  • East Park · 57 acres0.6 mi
  • Margaret MacNider Park · 22 acres0.8 mi
  • Muse Norris Youth Softball Complex · 17 acres0.9 mi
  • Parkers Woods · 11 acres0.9 mi
  • West Park · 4 acres0.8 mi
  • Norris Park · 3 acres0.5 mi

Grocery stores (3 nearby)

  • Martin Brothers Food Market0.5 mi
  • Fareway0.5 mi
  • Hy-Vee1.0 mi

Pharmacies (1 nearby)

  • Hy-Vee Pharmacy1.0 mi

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Mason City Public Library0.1 mi

Museums (1 nearby)

  • Charles H. Macnider Art Museum<0.1 mi

Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)

  • Mason City Communit Theatre0.2 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 Portland

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

Public schools (9)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Harding Elementary SchoolMason CityPre-K–4387Public1.2 mi
Hoover Elementary SchoolMason CityPre-K–4361Public1.3 mi
Jefferson Elementary SchoolMason CityPre-K–4292Public1.1 mi
Roosevelt Elementary SchoolMason CityPre-K–4348Public0.9 mi
Lincoln IntermediateMason City5–6485Public1.0 mi
John Adams Middle SchoolMason City7–8463Public1.3 mi
Mason City Virtual AcademyMason City8–1288Public1.4 mi
Alternative SchoolMason City9–1291Alternative Education1.4 mi
Mason City High SchoolMason City9–12891Public1.4 mi
Private schools (2)
SchoolGradesStudentsAffiliationDistance
Newman Catholic Elementary SchoolMason CityK–12558Roman Catholic2.4 mi
North Iowa Christian SchoolMason CityK–1284Christian (no specific denomination)0.4 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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Towns near Portland

All Iowa towns →

Shares ZIP codes with Mason City and Rock Falls.

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.