Small-town roots near big-time research
Nevada, Iowa—population 9,900—sits 10 miles east of Ames along the former Chicago & North Western rail line. Founded in 1853, the city honors its rail and early-auto heritage each August at Lincoln Highway Days. Indian Creek skirts downtown, feeding parks and trails that double as snowshoe routes in winter. The median age is about 40, and the typical household earns roughly $75,000. Many residents share a 13-mile commute to Ames labs, Story City factories or home offices.Manufacturing, ag-tech and renewable-products companies give Nevada a diverse tax base, while the Nevada Economic Development Council touts access to a 685,000-worker labor shed within an hour’s drive. Downtown’s historic district—listed on the National Register of Historic Places—holds more than 30 Italianate and Queen Anne storefronts dating to the 1870s.
Ranch-style affordability meets painted Victorians
The median sale price is about $255,000. Most listings are 1960s ranch-style homes on cul-de-sacs, but new three-bedroom builds on the west edge top 2,000 sq ft. Painted Victorians near the courthouse square draw premium bids thanks to walkable coffee shops and summer concerts. Property taxes run below the state average, and first-time-buyer grants from the Story County Housing Trust help young families. About 71 percent of residents own their homes, buoyed by a median property value near $178,000.
STEM-forward schools with dual-credit options
Nevada Community School District serves roughly 1,600 students. Central Elementary holds an A rating for its Wonder Lab and 94 percent kindergarten-literacy rate. Nevada Middle School and Nevada High School carry B ratings; every student receives a Chromebook. The high school’s FFA chapter ranks among Iowa’s top 20, and its robotics team often reaches state finals. Dual-credit classes with Des Moines Area Community College let juniors earn up to 24 transferable college credits.
Lazy-river pool and pickleball courts
The Parks and Recreation Department oversees 17 parks and a 6-mi limestone trail loop. The Recreation–Nevada Trail links downtown to East and West Peterson Park on opposite banks of Indian Creek. East Peterson features pickleball courts and a splash pad; West Peterson offers summer softball under LED lights. The outdoor aquatic center, revamped with a lazy river in 2023, draws regional crowds, while winter brings cross-country skiers to the Story County Conservation prairie north of town.
All-day breakfast, craft coffee and late-night tacos
Snack-Time Family Restaurant anchors downtown with cinnamon-roll French toast and chicken-fried steak. Reno Café, two blocks east, roasts beans in-house and hosts Thursday open-mic nights. Bricktown Bistro folds Story County sweet corn into flatbreads, while Toreador Tacos—named for the high-school mascot—keeps tortillas rolling until midnight after games. Summer Saturdays add a farmers market on Sixth Street, and fall brings Pizza Pie Looza, a live-music-and-pizza festival that draws regional crowds.
U.S. 30 access plus CyRide links to Iowa State
Nevada lies 2 miles north of four-lane U.S. 30, with Ames 10 miles west and Des Moines 39 miles southwest. Interstate 35 sits 8 mi west via 13th Street, routing road-trippers toward Minneapolis and Kansas City. Inside city limits, low-traffic streets and new sharrows on Lincoln Way favor bicycles, and the limestone trail is being extended south to the county prairie. CyRide’s Purple Route buses link Nevada and Iowa State University on weekdays, while HIRTA vans provide curb-to-curb rides for seniors and riders with disabilities. Des Moines International Airport, 47 mi southwest, offers commercial flights; Ames Municipal Airport, 10 mi west, handles general aviation.
