Why visit Palo
Townapedia lists 7 parks and trails, 2 places to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Chain Lakes Bridge and Hanging Bog State Preserve.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 12°F, and about 34 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Palo
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Palo
Palo is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,407 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Palo, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Chain Lakes Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historic structure located west of Palo, Iowa, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Hanging Bog State Preserve
Park · 2.4 mi
Park in Linn County, Iowa, United States of America
Restaurants and cafes2
Churches and places of worship1
History
In 1849 a regional post office was named by Marion resident Dr. Bardwell, shortly after the Battle of Palo Alto in the Mexican-American War. Dr. Bardwell, used the short name Palo. The town was surveyed in 1854 and the first building in Palo was built in the same year and the town took its name from the local post office.
From the History section of Palo, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Map of Palo
15 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 12°F | 1.2 in | 8.7 in |
| Feb | 35°F | 17°F | 1.3 in | 8.3 in |
| Mar | 49°F | 28°F | 2.1 in | 4.0 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 38°F | 4.0 in | 1.5 in |
| May | 74°F | 50°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 60°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 63°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 61°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 53°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 42°F | 3.0 in | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 29°F | 2.2 in | 2.2 in |
| Dec | 35°F | 19°F | 1.7 in | 9.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cedar Rapids #1 (11 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
Linn County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-08-17: Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-10-31: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2014-08-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2013-07-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 13 miles away.
- Hiawatha 6 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Robins 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Center Point 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Cedar Rapids 9 mi southeast, about 15 min by car
- Fairfax 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Marion 11 mi east, about 18 min by car
- Urbana 12 mi north, about 20 min by car
- Vinton 13 mi northwest, about 22 min by car
- Swisher 16 mi south, about 26 min by car
- Ely 17 mi southeast, about 27 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
- Chain Lakes Bridge, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.