Story County is a county in Iowa, United States, about 30 miles north of Des Moines. It had a population of 98,537 at the 2020 census, an estimated 100,466 by 2024, and covers 574 square miles (1,490 km2) centred near 42°02′N 93°28′W.<\/p>\n
Nevada is the county seat; its postal code is 50201. Ames, the county’s largest city and home to Iowa State University, lies a few miles west of Nevada. The county holds 15 cities and 5 unincorporated communities across 16 townships, and it runs on Central Time. Its FIPS code is 19169.<\/p>\n
Story County has 20 named places on record: 15 incorporated cities — Iowa has a single municipal class, so there is no separate “town” designation — and 5 unincorporated communities with no local government of their own. Unincorp. covers small crossroads settlements with no city limits.<\/p>\n
| Place<\/th>\n | Type<\/th>\n | Township<\/th>\n | Pop.<\/th>\n | ZIP<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Washington<\/td>\n | 66,427<\/td>\n | 50010<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Nevada<\/td>\n | City · seat<\/td>\n | Nevada<\/td>\n | 6,925<\/td>\n | 50201<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Huxley<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Palestine<\/td>\n | 4,244<\/td>\n | 50124<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Story City<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Lafayette<\/td>\n | 3,352<\/td>\n | 50248<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Slater<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Palestine<\/td>\n | 1,543<\/td>\n | 50244<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Roland<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Howard<\/td>\n | 1,362<\/td>\n | 50236<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Gilbert<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Franklin<\/td>\n | 1,211<\/td>\n | 50105<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Maxwell<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Indian Creek<\/td>\n | 859<\/td>\n | 50161<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Colo<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | New Albany<\/td>\n | 845<\/td>\n | 50056<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Cambridge<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Union<\/td>\n | 827<\/td>\n | 50046<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Zearing<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Lincoln<\/td>\n | 528<\/td>\n | 50278<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Collins<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Collins<\/td>\n | 495<\/td>\n | 50055<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| McCallsburg<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Warren<\/td>\n | 353<\/td>\n | 50154<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Kelley<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Palestine<\/td>\n | 304<\/td>\n | 50134<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Sheldahl<\/td>\n | City<\/td>\n | Palestine<\/td>\n | 297<\/td>\n | 50243<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Fernald<\/td>\n | Unincorp.<\/td>\n | Richland<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Shipley<\/td>\n | Unincorp.<\/td>\n | Grant<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Iowa Center<\/td>\n | Unincorp.<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Midvale<\/td>\n | Unincorp.<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Ontario<\/td>\n | Unincorp.<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n | —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n Three places on this list cross township or county lines. Ames’s city limits reach into Franklin, Grant and Milford townships as well as Washington, though the great majority of its population sits in Washington Township. Kelley is split between Palestine and Washington townships. Sheldahl sits at the tripoint of Story, Polk and Boone counties — its population figure above is citywide, and most of its residents live outside Story County.<\/p>\n ZIP Codes<\/h2>\nFernald, Shipley, Iowa Center, Midvale and Ontario have no ZIP code of their own; mail addressed to them is delivered under the nearest incorporated city’s code.<\/p>\n Townships<\/h2>\nStory County is divided into 16 civil townships. The population figures below are from the 2000 census, the most recent year with a full township-by-township count on record; several townships have grown or shrunk since, tracking the cities inside them.<\/p>\n \n |