What are the schools like in Wellman, IA?

Wellman is served primarily by Mid-Prairie Comm School District. The district operates 2 elementary schools, 1 middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 12.2:1.

What is the median household income in Wellman?

The median household income in Wellman, IA is $55,833 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 1.4%.

What is the weather like in Wellman, IA?

Wellman has an average high temperature of 30.2°F in January and 85.0°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 38.1 inches and annual snowfall averages 25.2 inches.

Wellman, IA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Wellman, IA affordable or expensive?

Wellman's cost of living index is 92, where 100 represents the national average. This means Wellman is 8% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $147,300 and the median rent is $755 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Wellman, IA?

Wellman has a violent crime rate of 259.5 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1028.9 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Wellman, IA a Good Place to Live?

Wellman is a small town of 1,474 in Iowa, with a median household income of $55,833 and a 1.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is 8% below the national average.

Strengths: Wellman stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Wellman is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Wellman city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 91.8

Wellman's overall cost of living index is 91.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Wellman costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.

Metric	Wellman, IA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$147,300	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$755	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	71.5%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$55,833	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Wellman's violent crime rate is 259.5 per 100,000 residents — 32% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

259.5 /100k

Property Crime

1028.9 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Wellman is served primarily by Mid-Prairie Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Wellman, IA	National Avg
School District	Mid-Prairie Comm School District	—
Elementary Schools	2	—
Middle Schools	1	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	12.2:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	20.0%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	93.1%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Wellman sees average highs of 30.2°F in January and 85.0°F in July, with 38.1 inches of annual precipitation and 25.2 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Wellman, IA
Average High — January	30.2°F
Average High — July	85.0°F
Annual Precipitation	38.1"
Annual Snowfall	25.2"

Demographics

Metric	Wellman, IA	National Avg
Population	1,474	—
Median Age	43.2	38.9
Unemployment Rate	1.4%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	24.4 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	95.3%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.3%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1.5%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	22.5%	22.2%
65 and over	26.7%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Kalona, IA 7 mi Kinross, IA 8 mi Frytown, IA 9 mi West Chester, IA 9 mi Keota, IA 9 mi

ZIP Codes in Wellman

Wellman, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

52356

Wellman vs Other Cities

Wellman, IA vs Kalona, IA Wellman, IA vs Kinross, IA Wellman, IA vs Frytown, IA Wellman, IA vs West Chester, IA Wellman, IA vs Keota, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wellman, IA affordable or expensive?

Wellman's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average. That makes Wellman roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $147,300 and median rent is $755/month.

What is the crime rate in Wellman, IA?

Wellman's violent crime rate is 259.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1028.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Wellman?

Public schools in Wellman are operated by Mid-Prairie Comm School District. The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.2:1. 20.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Wellman, IA a good place to live?

Wellman, IA has a population of 1,474, a median household income of $55,833, and an unemployment rate of 1.4%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Wellman?

Wellman averages 30.2°F in January and 85.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.1 inches with about 25.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Wellman?

Wellman, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52356.

What is the population of Wellman?

The population of Wellman, Iowa is 1,474 with a median age of 43.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Wellman?

Key numbers for living in Wellman: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $147,300, median household income $55,833, crime index 61 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Wellman side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.