West Bend is a city in Palo Alto County, Iowa, home to about 855 people across 0.9 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50597.
Mostly West Bend; also Rodman
We’re writing up West Bend’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)106 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD)31 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Omaha, NE143 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL354 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of West Bend; 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.
West Bend had 791 residents in the 2020 census, down 5% since 2000.
It’s the 328th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Palo Alto County grew from 14,354 residents in 1900 to 8,996 in 2020.
Palo Alto County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 6°F. About 34.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Algona, IA weather station (14 miles away).
2,881 jobs at 272 businesses in Palo Alto County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2022 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
2 doctors and other health care providers list an office in West Bend.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Mental health providers | 1 |
|---|---|
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 1 |
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.
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 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 West Bend-Mallard Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Bend-Mallard Elementary SchoolWest Bend | Pre-K–4 | 173 | Public | 0.3 mi |
| West Bend-Mallard Middle SchoolWest Bend | 5–8 | 132 | Public | 0.3 mi |
| West Bend-Mallard High SchoolWest Bend | 9–12 | 117 | 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 Rodman.
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.