Rathbun is a city in Appanoose County, Iowa, home to about 30 people across 0.2 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 52544.
Homes sold for a median of $119 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly Centerville; part is in Rathbun
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Rathbun. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Rathbun’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)69 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Kirksville Regional Airport (IRK)47 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Kansas City, MO142 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL280 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Rathbun; 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.
Rathbun had 43 residents in the 2020 census, down 51% since 2000.
It’s the 980th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Appanoose County grew from 25,927 residents in 1900 to 12,317 in 2020.
Appanoose 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 12°F. About 36.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 22 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Centerville, IA weather station (about a mile away).
3,731 jobs at 302 businesses in Appanoose County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
89 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Rathbun.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 11 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 6 |
| Dentists | 4 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 37 |
| Mental health providers | 16 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 6 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 6 |
| Pharmacies | 6 |
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 (1 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (3 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (2 nearby)
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.
Public schools here are run by Centerville Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centerville Community PreschoolCenterville | Pre-K | 60 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Lakeview ElementaryCenterville | K–5 | 498 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Howar Middle SchoolCenterville | 6–8 | 298 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Centerville High SchoolCenterville | 9–12 | 368 | Public | 0.3 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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Shares ZIP codes with Centerville and Numa.
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.