Town guide

Red Oak, Iowa

Red Oak is a city in Montgomery County, Iowa, home to about 5,510 people across 3.9 square miles. Its ZIP code is 51566.

Homes sold for a median of $109 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.

Population5,5101,402 per sq mi
Median home value$99,700Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$109Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking5%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Red Oak

1 ZIP code

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

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We’re writing up Red Oak’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 Red Oak

Distances

Nearest major airportEppley Airfield (OMA)40 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Omaha, NE47 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL395 miles away

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

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

Who represents Red Oak

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

Red Oak had 5,596 residents in the 2020 census, down 10% since 2000.

It’s the 75th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.

Montgomery County grew from 17,803 residents in 1900 to 10,330 in 2020.

Red Oak population by census2000: 6,197, 2010: 5,742, 2020: 5,5966,19720005,74220105,5962020

Montgomery County, 1900–2020

Montgomery County population, 1900 to 20201900: 17,803, 1910: 16,604, 1920: 17,048, 1930: 16,752, 1940: 15,697, 1950: 15,685, 1960: 14,467, 1970: 12,781, 1980: 13,413, 1990: 12,076, 2000: 11,771, 2010: 10,740, 2020: 10,33018K’00’1017K’20’3016K’40’5014K’60’7013K’80’9012K’00’1010K’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 86°F in summer, and winter lows average 13°F. About 37.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 27 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near Red OakJan: high 33°F, low 13°F, 0.9 in; Feb: high 38°F, low 16°F, 1.1 in; Mar: high 51°F, low 28°F, 2 in; Apr: high 63°F, low 38°F, 3.8 in; May: high 73°F, low 51°F, 6 in; Jun: high 83°F, low 61°F, 5.4 in; Jul: high 86°F, low 66°F, 4 in; Aug: high 85°F, low 63°F, 3.9 in; Sep: high 78°F, low 53°F, 3.6 in; Oct: high 66°F, low 41°F, 3.3 in; Nov: high 50°F, low 28°F, 1.9 in; Dec: high 37°F, low 18°F, 1.4 in33°13°Jan0.938°16°Feb1.151°28°Mar2.063°38°Apr3.873°51°May6.083°61°Jun5.486°66°Jul4.085°63°Aug3.978°53°Sep3.666°41°Oct3.350°28°Nov1.937°18°Dec1.4Rain and melted snow, inches

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

Jobs in Montgomery County

3,420 jobs at 294 businesses in Montgomery County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Montgomery CountyHealth care and social assistance: 769 jobs; Manufacturing: 713 jobs; Retail trade: 512 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 262 jobs; Wholesale trade: 199 jobs; Construction: 192 jobs; Information: 190 jobs; Other services: 140 jobsHealth care and social assistance 23% Manufacturing 21% Retail trade 15% Hotels and restaurants 8% Wholesale trade 6% Construction 6% Information 6% Other services 4%

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

Health care

70 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Red Oak.

Nearest hospitals

  • Montgomery County Memorial HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Red Oak1.4 miles
  • Shenandoah Medical CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · Shenandoah19.0 miles
  • Clarinda Regional Health CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Clarinda20.4 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors9
Specialist doctors9
Dentists5
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants12
Mental health providers12
Physical and occupational therapists17
Optometrists3
Chiropractors3
Pharmacies3

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 Red Oak

Parks (7 nearby)

  • Legion Park · 21 acres1.0 mi
  • Kelly Park · 11 acres0.6 mi
  • Chautauqua Park · 11 acres0.7 mi
  • Wilson Park · 6 acres0.9 mi
  • College Park · 2 acres0.3 mi
  • Fountain Square Park · 1 acres0.1 mi

Grocery stores (2 nearby)

  • Fareway0.5 mi
  • Hy-Vee0.9 mi

Pharmacies (1 nearby)

  • Hy-Vee Pharmacy0.9 mi

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Red Oak Public Library0.2 mi

Museums (2 nearby)

  • The Restored Burlington Northern Depot & World War II Memorial Museum0.4 mi
  • Montgomery County Historical Center1.5 mi

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.

Colleges, teams and notable people

Notable people born here

  • Fred Lawrence Whipple (1906) · American astronomer
  • Joni Ernst (1970) · American politician (born 1970)
  • Raymond Hatton (1887) · American silent film actor (1887-1971)
  • Duane Thompson (1903) · American actress (1903-1970)

Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.

Schools in Red Oak

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

Public schools (3)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Red Oak Early Childhood CenterRed OakPre-K51Public0.4 mi
Inman Elementary SchoolRed OakK–6461Public0.9 mi
Red Oak Junior/Senior High SchoolRed Oak7–12420Public1.1 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 Red Oak

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Shares ZIP codes with Coburg.

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.