Marshalltown, Iowa
Marshalltown is a city of 27,626 people in Marshall County, Iowa, founded in 1853.
Why visit Marshalltown
Townapedia lists 13 museums and landmarks, 23 parks and trails, 31 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Fridley Theatres Plaza 9, C.H. Whitehead House and Glick-Sower House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 9°F, and about 25 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Marshalltown
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Marshalltown
Marshalltown is a city in and the county seat of Marshall County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,591 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 27,886 in 2024, making it the 17th-most populous city in Iowa. Marshalltown is home to the Iowa Veterans Home and Marshalltown Community College.
From the Wikipedia article Marshalltown, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Fridley Theatres Plaza 9
Cinema and theater · 1.2 mi
2500 S Center Street, Marshalltown
Museums and landmarks13
C.H. Whitehead House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Glick-Sower House
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Leroy R. Willard House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Marshalltown, Iowa, NRHP-listed
Marshall County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Courthouse in Marshalltown, Iowa, United States
Marshalltown Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic district located in Marshalltown, Iowa, United States
Newton Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Nationally recognized historic district located in Newton, Iowa, United States
Quarry Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 5.1 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Robert H. Sunday House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Thaddeus Binford House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
1 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds23
11 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes31
Holy Grounds Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.0 mi
507 Iowa Avenue West, Marshalltown
Mo-Th 07:00-16:00; Fr 07:00-17:00; Sa 08:00-17:00
Taylor's Maid-Rite
Restaurant · 0.9 mi
106 South 3rd Avenue
Mo-Sa 09:00-21:00; Su 09:30-21:00
China Buffet
Restaurant · Chinese · 1.4 mi
2500 South Center Street, Marshalltown
19 more on the map.
History
Henry Anson was the first European settler in what is now called Marshalltown. In April 1851, Anson found what he described as “the prettiest place in Iowa.” On a high point between the Iowa River and Linn Creek, Anson built a log cabin. A plaque at 112 West Main Street marks the site of the cabin. In 1853 Anson named the town Marshall, after Marshall, Michigan, a former residence of his.
The town became Marshalltown in 1862 because another Marshall already existed in Henry County (In 1880, Marshall's name changed to Wayland). With the help of Potawatomi chief Johnny Green, Anson persuaded early settlers to stay in the area. In the mid-1850s, Anson donated land for a county courthouse. Residents donated money for the building's construction.
In 1863 the title of county seat transferred from the village of Marietta to Marshalltown. This event was the result of a considerable amount of political wrangling bordering on warfare. The determining factor was the location of the east/west railroad across Iowa and the winning company was the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River railroad under lease by the pioneer parent of the Chicago Northwestern Railway.
The young town then began growing. By 1900, Marshalltown had 10,000 residents. Many industries began developing in Marshalltown, like Fisher Controls, Lennox International and Marshalltown Company.
From the History section of Marshalltown, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Churches and places of worship38
First Church of Christ, Scientist
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Grace Church
Church · Evangelical Free · 1.9 mi
3111 South 6th Street, Marshalltown
Our Savior Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 1.9 mi
301 South 6th Street, Marshalltown
Theravada Dhamma Society of Iowa
Place of worship · Theravada · 3.3 mi
2942 240th St, Marshalltown
Shopping7
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries18
Healthcare7
UnityPoint Health Care and Urgent Care Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.3 mi
55 Central Iowa Drive, Marshalltown
Hy-Vee Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.4 mi
802 South Center Street, Marshalltown
Hy-Vee Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.5 mi
1706 South Center Street, Marshalltown
Map of Marshalltown
152 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 9°F | 1.0 in | 6.3 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 13°F | 1.2 in | 5.3 in |
| Mar | 45°F | 25°F | 2.1 in | 3.3 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 36°F | 3.8 in | 0.7 in |
| May | 71°F | 48°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 5.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 51°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 39°F | 2.7 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 26°F | 2.1 in | 1.7 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 16°F | 1.4 in | 7.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Marshalltown (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Marshall County has had 12 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)
- 2018-09-12: Severe Storm And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Marshalltown Municipal Airport (MIW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Albion 7 mi northwest, about 11 min by car
- Ames 37 mi west, about 59 min by car
- Altoona 40 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Ankeny 41 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Cedar Falls 41 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Des Moines 48 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Johnston 48 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Boone 50 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Grimes 52 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Clive 55 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Main Street Marshalltown, Kepper66, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Quarry Bridge 1, Kepper66, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 1stChChrSciMarshalltownIA-068327pr, Robert Thall, photographer, Public domain
- Glick Sower House, Daniel Hartwig, CC BY 2.0
- Robert Sunday House 1, Kepper66, CC BY-SA 3.0
- C.H. Whitehead House, Kepper66, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Willard Mansion, Kepper66, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Capitol Theater 116 1st. street, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Marshall County Courthouse DH, Daniel Hartwig, CC BY 2.0
- Thaddeus Binford House, Kepper66, CC BY-SA 3.0
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