Iola is a growing economic hub in southeast Kansas
Located in southeast Kansas, the city of Iola serves as the political and economic hub of rural Allen County. “Iola is at the heart of southeast Kansas, and it’s an up-and-coming community with a new state lake,” says Jennifer Chester, a broker with Crown Realty who has sold nearly 100 properties here. Though Iola’s economy once depended on natural gas extraction, its current employment scene includes big-box retailers, manufacturers like Russell Stover Chocolates and a growing presence of remote workers. “We’re centrally located between Kansas City, Tulsa and Wichita. Many people work remotely and only have to commute to those cities around once a week,” Chester says. Around 5,400 people now call this rural city home, and new investment in housing, businesses and parks is bringing new life to this once-quiet part of the state.
New construction is coming to Iola for the first time in a decade
Iola’s vast network of grid-patterned streets is home to a mixture of homes built as early as the 1870s and as recently as the 2020s. “Iola is in the beginning stages of a rebirth,” Chester says. “We have plenty of people who are trying to relocate here, but there are a lot of homes that need upgrades or are undergoing repairs. New-construction homes are currently being built, and we haven’t had new construction in ten years.” Ranch-style homes and bungalows are the most common styles along Iola’s streets, although the occasional 1890s-built Victorian home and 1920s-built Craftsman property add aesthetic variety. Homes smaller than 1,750 square feet tend to sell for between $50,000 and $200,000, while larger properties go for between $100,000 and $400,000.
Downtown Iola's vintage shops host diverse modern businesses
In downtown Iola, brick storefronts built in the early 1900s now house law offices, boutique shops and eateries. El Charro serves Mexican food in a neon-lit and colorfully painted dining area. King’s Sandwich Shop has served burgers from its small drive-in restaurant since 1955. Rookies Sports Bar & Grill doubles as the local pizzeria and a local sports bar decked out in Kansas City Chiefs flair. Residents can also grab a bite at Sharky’s, which specializes in surf-and-turf. Iola has plenty of grocery options, including Walmart and G&W Foods. Just north of the city, Tucker’s Flea Market sells everything from World War II memorabilia to mattresses and video games.
Iola has city green spaces and Kansas' newest state park
Riverside Park is Iola’s largest outdoor recreation area. It has four baseball fields, the municipal pool and skate park, a large playground and the city’s recreation center. Across the street, the Iola Riverside Park Stadium hosts high school football games. The Happy Tails Dog Park is also nearby, offering a space for off-leash exercise. On the north side of town, Cofachique Park’s open spaces host yoga classes, a tank from the nearby Kansas National Guard Armory and the 51-mile-long trailhead for the Prairie Spirit Trail, which follows a railroad built in the 1860s. On the southern edge of Iola, the Lehigh-Portland State Park preserves 100 acres of woodland for hiking and mountain biking. Created in 2023, this park will soon include a swimming beach and docks for kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing on the park’s lake. “The lake was created in a former quarry, so the water is clear,” Chester says. “They’re trying to get scuba diving courses down here as well. The actual buildings from the old quarry are still under the water, and we also have amazing trails that go all the way around the quarry.”
Iola USD 257 schools
Iola Unified School District 257 serves kids in town and gets an overall B-minus from Niche. Students can start their education at Iola Elementary School, which does not yet have a rating, before attending the C-rated Iola Middle School and the B-rated Iola High School. Iola High offers Family, Career and Community Leaders of America and Future Business Leaders of America programs to prepare students for their future careers, and it also offers dual enrollment programs with Allen Community College.
Iola is around 100 miles from several major urban hubs
Iola is connected to major cities by a network of nearby highways, including state highways 54, 169 and 75. Wichita is about 115 miles west, Kansas City is about 100 miles north and Joplin is about 100 miles southeast. Residents don’t have to travel far for health care, as the Allen County Regional Hospital is situated at the northern edge of town.
Written By
Jacob Adelhoch
