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Mason City, IA


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Mason City, Iowa

Introduction to Mason City, Iowa

Mason City, Iowa, in Cerro Gordo county, is located 63 miles NW of Waterloo, Iowa (center to center) and is 124 miles S of St. Paul, Minnesota. There are 29,172 residents in the city.

Mason City History

Mason City is the county seat of the Cerro Gordo County, which was founded in 1851. The county was named after the Battle of Cerro Gordo. The early settlers of the place were the Freemasons and it is from here that the city has derived its name. Mason city is renowned for its heritage in music. The city is the hometown of Meredith Wilson who was famous for ‘The Music Man’.

Mason City and nearby Attractions

  • Charles H. MacNider Museum
  • Meredith Willson Music Museum
  • Kinney Pioneer Museum
  • McIntosh Woods State Park
  • Lime Creek Nature Center
  • Frank Lloyd Wright Stockman House

Things To Do In Mason City

Tourists can visit the Africa and North America Wildlife Museum and the Van Horn's Antique Truck Museum. The Clear Lake State Park and the Pilot Knob State Park includes facilities for camping, fishing, and boating. They also have shelters for picnic. The Southport Mall, Southbridge Mall, and Regency Square Mall are favorite shopping haunts. There are also a number of churches in the city. Mason City hosts a number of festivals including the Fiber Arts Festival, Greek Festival, North Iowa Band Festival, and the Iowa Independent Film Festival every year.

Mason City Transportation

Rochester International Airport provides air transportation facilities.

Mason City Higher Education

Higher education facilities are provided by the North Iowa Area Community College and Hamilton College - Mason City Branch. One can also opt for the Hawkeye Community College and the University of Northern Iowa.

High Points

Mason City strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Iowa):

CategoryTrophy
Short Commute Times
(vs. Peers)		Top 1%trophyMason City Short Commute Times
Affordability of Rents
(vs. Peers)		Top 2%trophyMason City Affordability of Rents
Public Transportation Use
(vs. State)		Top 7%Mason City Public Transportation Use
Racial Diversity
(vs. State)		Top 9%Mason City Racial Diversity
Affordability of Property Taxes
(vs. Peers)		Top 16%Mason City Affordability of Property Taxes
College Educated Adults
(vs. State)		Top 19%Mason City College Educated Adults

Comparative Profile of Mason City, IA

Comparing Mason City to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Iowa (State):

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Senior Citizens105
Female Share of the Population97
Age of the Population85
Well-Paid Single Women58
Well-Paid Single Men46
Children Under 5 Years Old45
Male Share of the Population24
Racial Diversity110

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Portion of People Married41
Average Household Size23

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
People Above Poverty53
People in Middle Class or Better54
College Educated Adults49
Median Family Income46

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Short Commute Times1010
Walking and Biking to Work88
Working at Home64
Public Transportation Use410

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Affordability of Rents105
People Living Alone98
Affordability of Property Taxes95
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals710
Seasonal and Vacation Housing66
Housing Recently Built25

Crime

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Low Violent Crime84
Low Property Crime31

Detailed pages on related topics: Mason City colleges • Mason City travel • Mason City mortgage and property.

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Additional Details

Mason City CollegesMason City Colleges
Mason City colleges and trade schools.
Mason City Hotels & TravelMason City Hotels & Travel
Mason City hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation.
Mason City MortgageMason City Mortgage
Mason City property, mortgage, and real estate.

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