Townapedia

De Soto, Iowa

De Soto is a city of 1,041 people in Dallas County, Iowa, founded in 1868.

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Population1,041 +1.6% since 2019
Elevation942 ft 287 m
Founded1868
Land area1.9 sq mi
ZIP codes50003, 50069
Nearest airportWinterset Municipal Airport (3Y3) 12 mi

Why visit De Soto

Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark and 1 park or trail in and around town.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 10°F, and about 31 inches of snow fall in a normal year.

About De Soto

De Soto is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 915 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.

From the Wikipedia article De Soto, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Museums and landmarks1

Oak Hill Plantation

Monument and historic site · 0.6 mi

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Parks, trails and playgrounds1

Little Bridge Park

Park · 0.7 mi

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Churches and places of worship2

De Soto Calvary Baptist Church

Church · Baptist · 1.0 mi

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De Soto United Methodist Church

Church · Methodist · 0.5 mi

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Advertisement

Gas and EV charging3

goodstop by Casey's

Gas station

1203 Guthrie Street, De Soto

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gooodstop by Casey's

Gas station

1203 Guthrie Street, De Soto

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Casey's General Store

Gas station

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History

De Soto got its start in the year 1868, following construction of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad through the territory. De Soto is the name of a railroad official.

From the History section of De Soto, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Schools, colleges and libraries8

Map of De Soto

15 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 0.8 in of rainFebruary: 1.3 in of rainMarch: 2.1 in of rainApril: 3.6 in of rainMay: 5.0 in of rainJune: 4.6 in of rainJuly: 4.1 in of rainAugust: 3.6 in of rainSeptember: 3.6 in of rainOctober: 2.9 in of rainNovember: 2.0 in of rainDecember: 1.2 in of rainJanuary: 30°FFebruary: 35°FMarch: 48°FApril: 60°FMay: 71°FJune: 80°FJuly: 84°FAugust: 82°FSeptember: 76°FOctober: 63°FNovember: 48°FDecember: 35°FJanuary: 10°FFebruary: 13°FMarch: 25°FApril: 35°FMay: 48°FJune: 58°FJuly: 62°FAugust: 59°FSeptember: 51°FOctober: 38°FNovember: 26°FDecember: 16°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan30°F10°F0.8 in7.3 in
Feb35°F13°F1.3 in8.3 in
Mar48°F25°F2.1 in4.7 in
Apr60°F35°F3.6 in0.8 in
May71°F48°F5.0 in0.1 in
Jun80°F58°F4.6 in0.0 in
Jul84°F62°F4.1 in0.0 in
Aug82°F59°F3.6 in0.0 in
Sep76°F51°F3.6 in0.0 in
Oct63°F38°F2.9 in0.9 in
Nov48°F26°F2.0 in2.7 in
Dec35°F16°F1.2 in5.9 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Winterset 1S (15 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$97,109median household income
$227,700median home value
$1,089median monthly rent
32.0median age
28.9%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
84.8%of homes are owner-occupied
32.1 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1828%18 to 3426%35 to 6431%65 and over15%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Dallas County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.

  • 2024-05-24: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
  • 2020-08-17: Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
  • 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
  • 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
  • 2019-03-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
  • 2018-08-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Winterset Municipal Airport (3Y3) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.

  • Waukee 8 mi northeast, about 12 min by car
  • West Des Moines 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
  • Clive 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
  • Urbandale 14 mi northeast, about 22 min by car
  • Grimes 14 mi northeast, about 23 min by car
  • Norwalk 16 mi east, about 27 min by car
  • Johnston 18 mi northeast, about 29 min by car
  • Des Moines 21 mi east, about 33 min by car
  • Ankeny 25 mi northeast, about 40 min by car
  • Indianola 26 mi southeast, about 42 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.