Town guide

Story City, Iowa

Story City is a city in Story County, Iowa, home to about 3,398 people across 2.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50248.

Homes sold for a median of $155 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.

Population3,3981,236 per sq mi
Median home value$215,600Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$155Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking18%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Story City

1 ZIP code

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

The Story City guide is on the way

We’re writing up Story City’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 Story City

Distances

Nearest major airportDes Moines International Airport (DSM)45 miles away
Closer regional airportFort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD)40 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Omaha, NE142 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL304 miles away

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

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

Who represents Story City

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

Story City had 3,352 residents in the 2020 census, up 4% since 2000.

It’s the 113th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.

Story County grew from 23,159 residents in 1900 to 98,537 in 2020.

Story City population by census2000: 3,228, 2010: 3,431, 2020: 3,3523,22820003,43120103,3522020

Story County, 1900–2020

Story County population, 1900 to 20201900: 23,159, 1910: 24,083, 1920: 26,185, 1930: 31,141, 1940: 33,434, 1950: 44,294, 1960: 49,327, 1970: 62,783, 1980: 72,326, 1990: 74,252, 2000: 79,981, 2010: 89,542, 2020: 98,53723K’00’1026K’20’3033K’40’5049K’60’7072K’80’9080K’00’1099K’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 84°F in summer, and winter lows average 11°F. About 36.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near Story CityJan: high 29°F, low 11°F, 0.6 in; Feb: high 33°F, low 15°F, 0.8 in; Mar: high 47°F, low 27°F, 2 in; Apr: high 61°F, low 38°F, 3.9 in; May: high 72°F, low 50°F, 5.2 in; Jun: high 81°F, low 60°F, 5.2 in; Jul: high 84°F, low 63°F, 4.4 in; Aug: high 82°F, low 60°F, 4.9 in; Sep: high 76°F, low 51°F, 3.3 in; Oct: high 63°F, low 39°F, 2.8 in; Nov: high 47°F, low 27°F, 1.9 in; Dec: high 34°F, low 17°F, 1.1 in29°11°Jan0.633°15°Feb0.847°27°Mar2.061°38°Apr3.972°50°May5.281°60°Jun5.284°63°Jul4.482°60°Aug4.976°51°Sep3.363°39°Oct2.847°27°Nov1.934°17°Dec1.1Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Ames Muni Ap, IA weather station (13 miles away).

Jobs in Story County

33,500 jobs at 2,162 businesses in Story County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Story CountyHealth care and social assistance: 6,026 jobs; Manufacturing: 5,564 jobs; Retail trade: 5,375 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 4,873 jobs; Construction: 2,021 jobs; Other services: 1,708 jobs; Professional services: 1,385 jobs; Administrative and support: 1,141 jobsHealth care and social assistance 18% Manufacturing 17% Retail trade 16% Hotels and restaurants 15% Construction 6% Other services 5% Professional services 4% Administrative and support 3%

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

Health care

26 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Story City.

Nearest hospitals

  • Mary Greeley Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Ames10.5 miles
  • Story County HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Nevada14.9 miles
  • Boone County HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Boone16.8 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors3
Dentists3
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants4
Mental health providers2
Physical and occupational therapists10
Optometrists1
Chiropractors3
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 Story City

Parks (6 nearby)

  • Story City Park · 54 acres0.7 mi
  • Jacobsen Park · 32 acres0.9 mi
  • Story City Soccer Field · 26 acres0.7 mi
  • North Park · 9 acres0.7 mi
  • Prairie Park · 3 acres1.0 mi
  • Larson Park · 1 acres0.1 mi

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Bertha Bartlett Public Library (Story City Library)0.3 mi

Museums

  • City of Roland Museum5.1 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

Established in 1881.

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

Schools in Story City

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

Public schools (2)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Roland-Story Elementary SchoolStory CityPre-K–4446Public0.8 mi
Roland-Story High SchoolStory City9–12317Public0.6 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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Where Story City is

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Towns near Story City

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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.