Sheldon, Iowa
7 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Floyd Township. It lies in ZIP code area 51201. It stands on Wolf Creek. The Survey maps it on the Sheldon quadrangle. 5,512 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,427 feet above sea level.
On record in Sheldon
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 1 record
Carnegie Librarylisted 1977
Population over time
2 figuresSheldon grew from 5,188 to 5,512 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 | 5,188 | |
| 2020 | 5,512 | +324 (+6%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
4 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 Fairmont quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1958 USGS Fairmont quadrangle1:250000
- 1964 USGS Sheldon quadrangle1:24000
- 1985 USGS Iowa Great Lakes quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
12 since 2008Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 12 fires within 5 miles of Sheldon between 2008 and 2020, burning about 59 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 |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 8 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 July 2020 | Equipment and vehicle use | 2.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 11 July 2020 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 5 June 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 7 April 2020 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 20 April 2019 | Debris and open burning | 5.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 16 April 2019 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 11 April 2019 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 7 November 2020 | Debris and open burning | 3.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 of 25 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 25 workings within 5 miles of Sheldon: 21 past producers, 4 producers. 4 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faber Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Floyd River Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Frisbee Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Hanson Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Oelrich Fm | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| R J Skewis | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Ruby Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sheldon Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sheldon Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sheldon Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 62 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Sheldon in 62 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 28 hail, 22 thunderstorm wind, 7 tornado, 3 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2009 | Hail | Sheldon | $2,000,000 | Large hail caused widespread damage in and near Sheldon. The hail broke windows on vehicles and buildings, including 35 out of the 37 skylights on the local high school. The hail also severely dented vehicles, roofs, and siding, and caused tree damage. The hail also damaged crops near the city, but the amount of crop damage was not known. |
| July 2010 | Flash Flood | Sheldon | $100,000 | Heavy rain caused flash flooding of numerous streets, basements, and small streams, and a golf course. Several homes and businesses were flooded. |
| July 2000 | Tornado (F1) | Sheldon | $100,000 | A tornado blew down trees, turned a trailer on its side, and damaged warehouses and a motorhome. |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | $50,000 | Thunderstorm winds blew half the roof off a Hog confinement building, and also tore off large parts of roofing from a turkey farm. The winds also damaged power lines. |
| April 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | $50,000 | Thunderstorm winds blew down a garage and extensively damaged two cars inside. |
| June 1994 | Hail | Sheldon | $50,000 | no account filed |
| August 2011 | Hail | Sheldon | $25,000 | Golf ball size hail damaged vehicles and windows, and also caused an unknown amount of damage to crops in the area. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | $20,000 | Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including some trees blown down. |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | $10,000 | Thunderstorm winds blew down trees and power lines. |
| April 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 2014 | Tornado (EF0) | Sheldon | $5,000 | A tornado damaged a trees, and damaged a vehicle with flying debris. |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds of unknown speed blew siding off of a house and blew over a camper. |
| April 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | $5,000 | no account filed |
| June 1994 | Hail | Sheldon | $5,000 | no account filed |
| June 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | $5,000 | no account filed |
| July 2025 | Flash Flood | Sheldon | - | Rapid runoff from heavy rainfall which totaled up to 2 inches in less than an hour resulted in multiple flooded roadways in Sheldon, IA. |
| June 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | Campers were tossed as well as buildings and trees damaged, including to a fireworks stand, as thunderstorm outflow winds pushed through the east side of Sheldon. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | Multiple tree limbs were downed by thunderstorm winds in Sheldon. |
| March 2019 | Flood | Sheldon | - | Snow melt and heavy rainfall (measured 1.82 inches at Sheldon and 1.92 inches at Sanborn) resulted in significant flooding of agricultural lands. On the evening of March 13, water flowing over 330th St. near the intersection with Oak Hill Avenue east of Sheldon washed a car off the road, and a fast moving water rescue of the driver was necessary. The Little Floyd River near Sanborn (gage site LFSI4) reached a crest 0.75 feet above flood stage on March 13. |
| July 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | Tree blown over. |
| May 2019 | Hail | Sheldon | - | Visibility in rain and hail about 1/2 mile. |
| September 2018 | Flood | Sheldon | - | Widespread rainfall from September 18-20 totaled generally 6 to 10 inches, resulting in minor flooding of agricultural land. The Little Floyd River near Sanborn (gage site LFSI4) crested 2.4 feet above flood stage on September 20. |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | Numerous trees and power lines down in Sheldon. Some minor street flooding as well. |
| June 2018 | Flash Flood | Sheldon | - | Rainfall from 2 to 5 inches in the Wolf Creek watershed produced a flash flood along Wolf Creek from near the Sheldon Country Club to the confluence with the Floyd River near Sheldon. Water flowed over old highway 60 north of Hills Park just north of Sheldon. |
| May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | A few trees were knocked down. |
| October 2015 | Tornado (EF0) | Sheldon | - | A brief tornado in a field caused little damage. |
| August 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including several branches blown down. |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including several branches blown down. |
| September 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including numerous branches blown down. |
| June 2010 | Hail | Sheldon | - | Large hail was accompanied by very heavy rain. |
| May 2008 | Tornado (EF0) | Sheldon | - | A brief tornado caused no reported damage. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | Thunderstorm winds blew down tree branches and power lines. |
| March 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | Thunderstorm winds damaged the doors and windows of a residence, bent street signs, and overturned a truck. |
| September 2005 | Hail | Sheldon | - | Large hail stripped numerous trees. |
| July 2004 | Hail | Sheldon | - | Large hail severely damaged crops over the western and southern parts of O'Brien County. The hail was wind driven and severely damaged 94 thousand acres of crops, which is over a quarter of the cropland in the county. About half of the damaged crops were deemed to be totally lost. The hail covered the ground in many places. The hail also dented vehicles, cracked windows, and damaged siding and roofs in places. The amount of property damage could not be determined. |
| June 2002 | Tornado (F0) | Sheldon | - | A brief tornado, with a debris cloud, was observed by the county emergency manager in a field. |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including up to three foot diameter trees blown down. |
| July 1995 | Hail | Sheldon | - | Thunderstorm winds of unknown speed blew siding off of a house and blew over a camper. |
| May 2023 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| April 2022 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| May 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| September 2010 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| June 2007 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| March 2007 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| August 2005 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| August 2005 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| April 2004 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| July 2004 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| July 2004 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| July 2004 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Tornado (F0) | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Tornado (F0) | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Hail | Sheldon | - | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sheldon | - | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ritter | 4.7 miles | 7 | |
| Evander (historical) | 5.0 miles | 7 | |
| Archer | 7.4 miles | 7 | |
| Philby | 8.2 miles | 7 | |
| Sanborn | 10.6 miles | 7 | |
| Primghar | 13.8 miles | 7 | |
| Max | 13.8 miles | 7 | |
| Germantown | 16.2 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 Sheldon | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1590850 | 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 461558. 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.



