Mason City, Iowa
9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Mason City City. It lies in ZIP code area 50401. It stands on Willow Creek. The Survey maps it on the Mason City quadrangle. 27,338 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,129 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Mason 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 42 shown
A. J. Andrus Duplexlisted 1980
Cannon, Amaziah and Cornelia (Wait), Houselisted 2004
City National Bank Buildinglisted 1972
East Park Band Shelllisted 2009
East Park Historic Districtlisted 2014
William C. & Margaret Egloff Houselisted 2017
First Church of Christ Scientistlisted 1997
First National Bank of Mason Citylisted 1997
Forest Park Historic Districtlisted 2015
C. F. Franke Houselisted 1980
E. R. Gibson Houselisted 1980
Hotel Lester-Lester Cafelisted 2002
Population over time
2 figuresMason City fell from 28,079 to 27,338 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 | 28,079 | |
| 2020 | 27,338 | -741 (-3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
6 surveys from 9 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
- 1959 USGS Mason City quadrangle1:62500
- 1959 USGS Mason City quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1985 USGS Mason City quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
3 since 2007Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 3 fires within 5 miles of Mason City between 2007 and 2011, burning about 8 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 | 3 |
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 April 2007 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 1 April 2010 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | 14259 300TH ST., MASON CITY, IOWA |
| 28 March 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 6.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | 2211 F-52 TRAIL WILIAMSBURG, IA 52361, IA |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 of 35 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 35 workings within 5 miles of Mason City: 18 producers, 16 past producers, 1 unknown. 18 still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Faught Pit | Clay | Producer | ||
| Kirk Pit | Clay | Producer | ||
| Lehigh Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken, Clay | Producer | ||
| Mason City Brick and Tile | Clay | Past Producer | ||
| Northwestern States Qry Cemt Plnt | Stone, Crushed/Broken, Clay | Producer | ||
| Oswald Clay Pit | Clay | Producer | ||
| Unknown | Clay | Past Producer | ||
| Willowbrook Shale Pit | Clay | Producer | ||
| Cerro Gordo County Pits | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown |
Storms near this place
60 of 160 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Mason City in 160 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 54 thunderstorm wind, 52 hail, 23 heavy rain, 11 flash flood. The reports record 2 injuries. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | 1 hurt, $25,000 | no account filed |
| August 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | 1 hurt, $25,000 | no account filed |
| July 1999 | Flash Flood | Mason City | $1,000,000 | no account filed |
| August 2014 | Flash Flood | Mason City | $500,000 | The roof of a Walmart collapsed form water weight. Water was deep enough to reach the roof on cars with several submerged along Highways 65 and 122. Several roads were impassable in the city until around 0820 CST. |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Mason City | $500,000 | The levee failed along North Hampshire Avenue in Mason City. A subdivision near the river is flooding. |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Mason City | $200,000 | Numerous streets were flooded in Mason City, with water up to the door or higher in places. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $150,000 | Emergency manager reported trees on multiple homes and power lines down. |
| June 1998 | Flood | Mason City | $150,000 | no account filed |
| June 2013 | Flash Flood | Mason City | $100,000 | Multiple fields under water across northeast Cerro Gordo County. Many gravel roads have water over them. Three campgrounds were evacuated: Camp at the Woods, Wilkinson County Park and Shell Rock Preserve due to water impacting the entrances/exits. |
| June 2002 | Hail | Mason City | $100,000 | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Hail | Mason City | $100,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Flash Flood | Mason City | $100,000 | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Hail | Mason City | $75,000 | Accompanied by 40 to 50 MPH winds. |
| May 2018 | Hail | Mason City | $50,000 | Trained spotter reported hail for 5 minutes with up to quarter sized hail being driven by high winds and heavy rain. |
| July 2016 | Flash Flood | Mason City | $50,000 | Law Enforcement reported 1st street blocked off with water 3 to 4 feet deep and a submerged vehicle. Various locations across Mason City with 4 to 6 inches deep. Time and location estimated. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $50,000 | Trees were blown down in several areas of the city. |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Mason City | $50,000 | Flooding was reported at Autumn Creek Apartments. Evacuations were taking place at Rock Falls Camp Woods. Twelfth |Street was closed by the water plant. |
| March 2010 | Flash Flood | Mason City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| March 2007 | Flood | Mason City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| July 2004 | Flash Flood | Mason City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Flood | Mason City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Flood | Mason City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $45,000 | no account filed |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $40,000 | Damage to numerous signs and other buildings around the intersection of hwy 122 and Monroe Ave. Damage done to the roof and exterior of a business at the intersection of hwy 122 and South Monroe. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $40,000 | no account filed |
| August 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $40,000 | no account filed |
| August 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $30,000 | no account filed |
| September 2016 | Flash Flood | Mason City | $25,000 | Cerro Gordo County dispatch noted that East Park had been fully closed due to flooding. |
| September 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $25,000 | Large trees toppled power lines along State Street in downtown Mason City. |
| August 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Hail | Mason City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| July 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $20,000 | Trees and Branches down in Mason City. Report of at least one tree on a vehicle. Several power poles on fire. |
| May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $15,000 | Emergency manager reported multiple tree limbs down throughout the town of Mason City. Some have fallen on power lines or are blocking roads. A few power poles snapped as well. Power out in multiple locations. Time estimated by radar. |
| October 2013 | Hail | Mason City | $15,000 | Sheriff's department reported hail up to ping pong ball size. |
| October 2013 | Hail | Mason City | $15,000 | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Hail | Mason City | $15,000 | no account filed |
| October 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $15,000 | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Lightning | Mason City | $15,000 | no account filed |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $10,000 | Trained spotter reported widespread tree damage including branches up to 2 to 3 inches in diameter down. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $10,000 | Trained spotter reported numerous 3 to 4 inch diameter tree branches down throughout Mason City along with a few larger trees down as well. Hail sized was unknown at the time. Time was estimated from radar. |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $10,000 | Local 911 call center reported a power line down on a tree and an associated fire along Birch Dr. Time estimated from radar. |
| July 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $10,000 | Emergency manager reported multiple locations with trees down in Mason City. This is a delayed report and time estimated from radar. |
| September 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $10,000 | Several 6 inch diameter limbs were down. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $10,000 | Five inch diameter branch down on 9th St. Several branches down around the city. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $10,000 | Trees were down on the zero block of 10th Street NW. |
| May 2008 | Hail | Mason City | $10,000 | Dime to golf ball size hail nearly covered the ground. |
| April 2007 | Flood | Mason City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| July 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| March 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| March 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Hail | Mason City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| July 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Hail | Mason City | $5,000 | Pea to quarter size hail was reported in the town of Mason City. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $5,000 | Tree down on the 1000 block of 9th Street NE. Sixty MPH wind gust estimated by storm spotter. |
| July 2011 | Hail | Mason City | $5,000 | no account filed |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $5,000 | no account filed |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $5,000 | no account filed |
| July 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason City | $5,000 | no account filed |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason City Junction | 2.5 miles | 8 | |
| Central Heights | 2.5 miles | 9 | |
| Registry Park | 2.9 miles | 7 | |
| Freeman | 4.1 miles | 9 | |
| Emery | 4.4 miles | 7 | |
| Portland | 4.5 miles | 8 | |
| Cameron | 4.9 miles | 8 | |
| Plymouth Junction | 6.3 miles | 9 |
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 Mason City | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1444028 | 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 458840. 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.





