Town guide

Washta, Iowa

Washta is a city in Cherokee County, Iowa, home to about 180 people across 1.0 square miles. Its ZIP code is 51061.

Population180178 per sq mi
Median home value$48,600Census, as estimated by owners

ZIP codes in Washta

1 ZIP code
Washta, IA51061Not enough recent sales for market figures yet.

Mostly Washta

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Around Washta

Distances

Nearest major airportEppley Airfield (OMA)88 miles away
Closer regional airportSioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field (SUX)35 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Omaha, NE92 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL415 miles away

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

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

Who represents Washta

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

Washta had 209 residents in the 2020 census, down 26% since 2000.

It’s the 720th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.

Cherokee County grew from 16,570 residents in 1900 to 11,658 in 2020.

Washta population by census2000: 282, 2010: 248, 2020: 209282200024820102092020

Cherokee County, 1900–2020

Cherokee County population, 1900 to 20201900: 16,570, 1910: 16,741, 1920: 17,760, 1930: 18,737, 1940: 19,258, 1950: 19,052, 1960: 18,598, 1970: 17,269, 1980: 16,238, 1990: 14,098, 2000: 13,035, 2010: 12,072, 2020: 11,65817K’00’1018K’20’3019K’40’5019K’60’7016K’80’9013K’00’1012K’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 81°F in summer, and winter lows average 9°F. About 33.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 35 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near WashtaJan: high 26°F, low 9°F, 0.9 in; Feb: high 31°F, low 13°F, 1.1 in; Mar: high 45°F, low 25°F, 2 in; Apr: high 59°F, low 36°F, 3.4 in; May: high 70°F, low 49°F, 4.5 in; Jun: high 79°F, low 59°F, 5.1 in; Jul: high 81°F, low 63°F, 3.8 in; Aug: high 79°F, low 61°F, 4.2 in; Sep: high 73°F, low 52°F, 3.1 in; Oct: high 60°F, low 39°F, 2.4 in; Nov: high 44°F, low 25°F, 1.5 in; Dec: high 31°F, low 14°F, 1.2 in26°9°Jan0.931°13°Feb1.145°25°Mar2.059°36°Apr3.470°49°May4.579°59°Jun5.181°63°Jul3.879°61°Aug4.273°52°Sep3.160°39°Oct2.444°25°Nov1.531°14°Dec1.2Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Holstein, IA weather station (11 miles away).

Jobs in Cherokee County

4,505 jobs at 340 businesses in Cherokee County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Cherokee CountyTransportation and warehousing: 1,073 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 954 jobs; Retail trade: 578 jobs; Manufacturing: 370 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 308 jobs; Wholesale trade: 224 jobs; Construction: 216 jobs; Other services: 145 jobsTransportation and warehousing 24% Health care and social assistance 21% Retail trade 13% Manufacturing 8% Hotels and restaurants 7% Wholesale trade 5% Construction 5% Other services 3%

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

Health care

Nearest hospitals

  • Cherokee Regional Medical CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Cherokee15.5 miles
  • Horn Memorial HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Ida Grove21.5 miles
  • Buena Vista Regional Medical CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Storm Lake26.2 miles

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.

Places in and around Washta

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Washta Public Library0.6 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 Washta

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

Public schools (1)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
River Valley ElementaryWashtaPre-K–5154Public0.5 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 Washta is

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Towns near Washta

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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.