Charles City, Iowa
7 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Charles City City. It lies in ZIP code area 50616. The Survey maps it on the Charles City quadrangle. 7,396 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,007 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Charles City
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 12 of 15 shown
Dr. Salsbury's Laboratories, Main Office and Production Laboratory Buildinglisted 1996
Charles Walter Hart Houselisted 1980
Lucius and Maria Clinton Lane Houselisted 1995
Main Street Bridgelisted 1999
Sherman Nursery Company Historic Districtlisted 2014
Wildwood Park Historic Districtlisted 1998- Brooks Round Barnlisted 1986
- Central Park-North Main Street Historic Districtlisted 1976
- Charles City Junior-Senior High Schoollisted 2017
- Cook Farmlisted 1979
- A. B. C. Dodd Houselisted 1978
- Floyd County Court Houselisted 2003
Population over time
2 figuresCharles City fell from 7,652 to 7,396 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 7,652 | |
| 2020 | 7,396 | -256 (-3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
5 surveys from 7 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1954 USGS Mason City quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1957 USGS Mason City quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Mason City quadrangle1:250000
- 1971 USGS Charles City quadrangle1:24000
- 1985 USGS Charles City quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
10 since 2006Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 10 fires within 5 miles of Charles City between 2006 and 2018, burning about 21 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 8 |
| Smoking | 1 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 September 2009 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 24 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | 12 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 22 April 2009 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.2 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 18 April 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 11 April 2009 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 11 April 2009 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 21 March 2015 | Smoking | 5.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 15 October 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
8 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 8 workings within 5 miles of Charles City: 6 past producers, 2 unknowns. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meyer | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Nims Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Becker Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| La Coste Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown |
Storms near this place
60 of 92 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Charles City in 92 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 38 hail, 21 thunderstorm wind, 18 flood, 7 heavy rain. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1996 | Hail | Charles City | 1 hurt, $600,000 | no account filed |
| April 2026 | Hail | Charles City | $415,000 | The public reported baseball sized hail on the east side of Charles City. |
| August 1997 | Tornado (F1) | Charles City | $400,000 | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Hail | Charles City | $250,000 | no account filed |
| June 2024 | Flood | Charles City | $172,000 | Significant rainfall later in June pushed the Cedar River at Charles City into flood stage late on June 22nd. The river stage crested during the morning on June 24th in major flood stage at 21.57 ft. |
| May 2004 | Hail | Charles City | $150,000 | no account filed |
| April 2025 | Hail | Charles City | $100,000 | Emergency Management reported 2 inch diameter hail in Charles City. |
| August 2007 | Flash Flood | Charles City | $100,000 | Water was reported in numerous basements. Flooding was also reported along Highway 18 in the Charles City area. |
| May 2004 | Hail | Charles City | $100,000 | no account filed |
| August 1994 | Hail | Charles City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $35,000 | no account filed |
| July 1999 | Hail | Charles City | $35,000 | no account filed |
| July 1999 | Hail | Charles City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| August 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| September 2016 | Flood | Charles City | $15,000 | Runoff from heavy rain pushed the Cedar River out of its banks in Charles City. The river crested nine feet above the flood stage at 21 feet. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $15,000 | A semi-truck was blown over on Highway 18 just west of Charles City. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $15,000 | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Hail | Charles City | $12,500 | no account filed |
| June 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $10,000 | An estimated 60 mph wind gust occurred just south of Charles City. A section of the Avenue of Saints was closed to allow utility crews to repair power lines. |
| August 2016 | Lightning | Charles City | $10,000 | A house fire in Charles City was started by lightning. Damage to the house was minimal and confined to the attic. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $8,000 | A severe thunderstorm produced an estimated 60 mph wind gust. The winds from the storm blew down several large trees across Charles City with one tree falling on a house. Riverside Cemetery was hit especially hard with numerous trees down. |
| September 2005 | Hail | Charles City | $7,500 | no account filed |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $5,000 | Trees were blown down. One home was damaged. |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $5,000 | no account filed |
| August 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $5,000 | no account filed |
| June 2000 | Hail | Charles City | $4,000 | no account filed |
| May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $3,000 | Numerous trees were blown down in Charles City. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $3,000 | Several large trees were blown down. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $3,000 | One to three foot diameter trees were blown down in Charles City. |
| July 2003 | Hail | Charles City | $2,500 | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $2,500 | no account filed |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $2,000 | Trees were knocked down at the intersection of 8th and Johnson Streets in Charles City. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $2,000 | Several trees were blown down in Charles City by estimated 50 to 60 mph winds. |
| August 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $2,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Flash Flood | Charles City | $2,000 | no account filed |
| April 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $1,250 | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Hail | Charles City | $1,250 | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Hail | Charles City | $800 | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | $750 | no account filed |
| August 2025 | Flood | Charles City | - | Heavy rain during the middle of August allowed the Cedar River at Charles City to rise into flood stage during the morning on August 19th. The site crested at 13.48 ft in minor flood stage just after midnight on August 20th before falling below flood stage during the late afternoon on August 20th. |
| September 2025 | Hail | Charles City | - | The public reported quarter sized hail in Charles City. The report was provided via social media. |
| May 2024 | Tornado (EF0) | Charles City | - | Multiple sources reported a very short lived non-supercell tornado south of Charles City, IA. Video footage showed a brief touchdown in an open field. No damage was observed. |
| April 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | - | An estimated 60 mph wind gust occurred at the fire station in Charles City. |
| August 2021 | Flood | Charles City | - | Runoff from heavy rains pushed the Cedar River out of its banks in Charles City. The river crested over four feet above the flood stage at 16.27 feet on the 29th. |
| August 2021 | Flash Flood | Charles City | - | Runoff from heavy rains causes several streets in Charles City to become flooded. Some of the streets were impassable. |
| August 2021 | Heavy Rain | Charles City | - | In Charles City, 4.38 inches of rain fell. |
| December 2021 | Hail | Charles City | - | Quarter sized hail fell in Charles City. |
| March 2019 | Flood | Charles City | - | Runoff from rain and melting snow pushed the Cedar River out of its banks in Charles City. The river crested over three feet above the flood stage at 15.79 feet on March 16th. |
| April 2018 | Flood | Charles City | - | Runoff from rain and snowmelt pushed the Cedar River out of its banks in Charles City. The river crested just over the flood stage at 12.1 feet. |
| May 2018 | Flood | Charles City | - | Runoff from heavy rain pushed the Cedar River to go out of its banks in Charles City. The river crested less than a foot above the flood stage at 12.73 feet. |
| September 2018 | Flood | Charles City | - | Runoff from heavy rains pushed the Cedar River out of its banks in Charles City. The river crested almost two feet above the flood stage at 13.84 on September 22nd. |
| June 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | - | An estimated 60 mph wind gust occurred west of Charles City. |
| June 2018 | Hail | Charles City | - | Up to golf ball sized hail fell west of Charles City. |
| June 2018 | Flood | Charles City | - | Runoff from heavy rain pushed the Cedar River out of its banks in Charles City. The river exceeded the flood stage twice. The first crest was about a quarter of a foot above the flood stage at 12.24 feet on the 8th. The second crest was a half foot above the flood stage at 12.55 feet on the 10th. |
| July 2017 | Heavy Rain | Charles City | - | In Charles City, 6.63 inches of rain fell. |
| July 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Charles City | - | An estimated 60 mph wind gust occurred in Charles City. |
| June 2016 | Heavy Rain | Charles City | - | The COOP observer in Charles City measured 3.48 inches of rain. |
| September 2016 | Heavy Rain | Charles City | - | The COOP observer in Charles City measured 6.35 inches of rain. |
| September 2016 | Heavy Rain | Charles City | - | The COOP observer in Charles City measured 3.35 inches of rain. |
| August 2016 | Flood | Charles City | - | Runoff from heavy rain pushed the Cedar River out of its banks in Charles City. The river crested just under a foot above the flood stage at 12.96 feet. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doubleday (historical) | 2.5 miles | 7 | |
| Floyd Crossing | 4.1 miles | 7 | |
| Floyd | 5.4 miles | 7 | |
| Midway | 5.5 miles | 7 | |
| Nilesville | 6.0 miles | 7 | |
| Carrville | 6.5 miles | 7 | |
| Oakwood | 6.8 miles | 7 | |
| Colwell | 7.4 miles | 7 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Charles City | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q537877 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 455354. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.




