Town guide

Winterset, Iowa

Winterset is a city in Madison County, Iowa, home to about 5,416 people across 4.6 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50273.

Homes sold for a median of $200 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.

Population5,4161,180 per sq mi
Median home value$192,500Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$200Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking11%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Winterset

1 ZIP code

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

The Winterset guide is on the way

We’re writing up Winterset’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 Winterset

Distances

Nearest major airportDes Moines International Airport (DSM)23 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Omaha, NE106 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL328 miles away

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

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

Who represents Winterset

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

Winterset had 5,353 residents in the 2020 census, up 12% since 2000.

It’s the 77th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.

Madison County grew from 17,710 residents in 1900 to 16,548 in 2020.

Winterset population by census2000: 4,768, 2010: 5,190, 2020: 5,3534,76820005,19020105,3532020

Madison County, 1900–2020

Madison County population, 1900 to 20201900: 17,710, 1910: 15,621, 1920: 15,020, 1930: 14,331, 1940: 14,525, 1950: 13,131, 1960: 12,295, 1970: 11,558, 1980: 12,597, 1990: 12,483, 2000: 14,019, 2010: 15,679, 2020: 16,54818K’00’1015K’20’3015K’40’5012K’60’7013K’80’9014K’00’1017K’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 10°F. About 34.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 31 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near WintersetJan: high 30°F, low 10°F, 0.8 in; Feb: high 35°F, low 13°F, 1.3 in; Mar: high 48°F, low 25°F, 2.1 in; Apr: high 61°F, low 35°F, 3.6 in; May: high 71°F, low 48°F, 5 in; Jun: high 80°F, low 58°F, 4.6 in; Jul: high 84°F, low 62°F, 4.1 in; Aug: high 82°F, low 59°F, 3.6 in; Sep: high 76°F, low 51°F, 3.6 in; Oct: high 63°F, low 38°F, 2.9 in; Nov: high 48°F, low 26°F, 2 in; Dec: high 35°F, low 16°F, 1.2 in30°10°Jan0.835°13°Feb1.348°25°Mar2.161°35°Apr3.671°48°May5.080°58°Jun4.684°62°Jul4.182°59°Aug3.676°51°Sep3.663°38°Oct2.948°26°Nov2.035°16°Dec1.2Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Winterset 1s, IA weather station (2 miles away).

Jobs in Madison County

2,850 jobs at 435 businesses in Madison County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Madison CountyRetail trade: 638 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 469 jobs; Construction: 315 jobs; Wholesale trade: 279 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 275 jobs; Other services: 169 jobs; Finance and insurance: 133 jobs; Administrative and support: 122 jobsRetail trade 22% Health care and social assistance 17% Construction 11% Wholesale trade 10% Hotels and restaurants 10% Other services 6% Finance and insurance 5% Administrative and support 4%

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

Health care

57 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Winterset.

Nearest hospitals

  • Madison County Health Care SystemCritical access hospital · emergency room · WintersetUnder a mile
  • Adair County Memorial HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Greenfield23.1 miles
  • Clarke County HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 5 of 5 · Osceola25.0 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors9
Specialist doctors2
Dentists6
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants10
Mental health providers17
Physical and occupational therapists4
Optometrists1
Chiropractors8
Pharmacies5

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 Winterset

Parks (7 nearby)

  • Winterset City Park · 84 acres0.9 mi
  • Middle River Park · 71 acres1.5 mi
  • Giffin Fields · 12 acres0.5 mi
  • Memory Lane Park · 1 acres0.2 mi
  • Whistle Stop Park · 1 acres0.5 mi

Grocery stores (2 nearby)

  • Hy-Vee0.3 mi
  • Fareway0.8 mi

Pharmacies (2 nearby)

  • Hy-Vee Pharmacy0.3 mi
  • Montross Pharmacy, Gift Shop, and Fountain0.4 mi

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Winterset Public Library0.3 mi

Museums (3 nearby)

  • Iowa Quilt Museum0.4 mi
  • John Wayne Birthplace Museum0.5 mi
  • John Wayne Birth House0.5 mi

Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)

  • Winterset Art Center0.5 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

Established in 1849.

Notable people born here

  • John Wayne (1907) · American actor (1907–1979)

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

Schools in Winterset

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

Public schools (4)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Winterset Elementary SchoolWintersetPre-K–3488Public0.6 mi
Winterset Middle SchoolWinterset4–6351Public1.4 mi
Winterset Junior High SchoolWinterset7–8256Public1.2 mi
Winterset Senior High SchoolWinterset9–12530Public1.2 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 Winterset

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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.