Moving to Wesley, Iowa

Wesley is an unincorporated community located in Kossuth County, Iowa. The town is situated on the north side of the Des Moines River, about 12 miles northwest of Algona. Wesley has a population of about 490 people and covers an area of 0.8 square miles.

The first settlers to Wesley arrived in 1856 and the town was officially established in 1868. The name “Wesley” was chosen to honor John Wesley, founder of Methodism. The first store was built in 1872 and the post office opened in 1873.

Today, Wesley is a pleasant small town with an active community life. There are several churches, including United Methodist Church, St Paul’s Lutheran Church, and St Joseph’s Catholic Church. There is also a public library and a municipal park with playgrounds and picnic areas.

The local economy is mostly agricultural-based but there are also some small businesses such as grocery stores, gas stations, hardware stores, restaurants and bars as well as several antique shops. In addition to these businesses there are also two banks in town where residents can conduct their financial transactions or borrow money if needed.

Education is provided by the West Hancock Community School District which serves students from grades K-12 from nearby towns such as Swea City, Titonka and Corwith-Wesley-Lu Verne High School district.

Wesley has a number of attractions for visitors including the Kossuth County Historical Museum which offers exhibits on local history as well as artifacts from early settlers; the Wesley Ice Cream Parlor which serves up homemade ice cream; and the annual Kossuth County Fair which takes place every August at the fairgrounds just outside town featuring rides, food booths and entertainment for all ages to enjoy!

Wesley is a great place to live or visit! Residents enjoy a quiet rural lifestyle while still having access to amenities such as shopping centers, restaurants, banks and more nearby! It’s also conveniently located near larger cities like Fort Dodge or Mason City if you’re looking for some more excitement.

Population: 467. Estimated population in July 2024: 435 (-6.9% change)
Males: 238 (51.0%), Females: 229 (49.0%)

Kossuth County

Zip code: 50483

Demographics

Median resident age: 38.8 years
Median household income: $39,688
Median house value: $51,400

Population by Race

Races in Wesley:

• White Non-Hispanic (99.1%)
• Hispanic (0.9%)
• Other race (0.9%)

Ancestries: German (50.7%), Irish (9.9%), Norwegian (6.4%), Czech (4.5%), United States (4.5%), English (3.9%).

Elevation: 1258 feet

Land area: 0.6 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Wesley

• High school or higher: 83.5%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 8.6%
• Graduate or professional degree: 1.3%
• Unemployed: 4.5%
• Mean travel time to work: 16.4 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Wesley city

• Never married: 16.6%
• Now married: 65.4%
• Separated: 0.8%
• Widowed: 11.0%
• Divorced: 6.2%

0.0% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: +7 (+1.5%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Wesley:

• HANCOCK COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (about 14 miles; BRITT, IA)
• KOSSUTH REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER (about 17 miles; ALGONA, IA)
• WRIGHT MEDICAL CENTER (about 30 miles; CLARION, IA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Wesley:

• FORT DODGE REGIONAL (about 40 miles; FORT DODGE, IA; Abbreviation: FOD)
• MASON CITY MUNI (about 47 miles; MASON CITY, IA; Abbreviation: MCW)
• DES MOINES INTL (about 110 miles; DES MOINES, IA; Abbreviation: DSM)

Other public-use airports nearest to Wesley:

• ALGONA MUNI (about 19 miles; ALGONA, IA; Abbreviation: AXA)
• EAGLE GROVE MUNI (about 28 miles; EAGLE GROVE, IA; Abbreviation: EAG)
• FOREST CITY MUNI (about 28 miles; FOREST CITY, IA; Abbreviation: FXY)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Wesley:

• IOWA CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 43 miles; FT DODGE, IA; Full-time enrollment: 2,807)
• NORTH IOWA AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 56 miles; MASON CITY, IA; Full-time enrollment: 2,161)
• MINNESOTA STATE UNVERSITY-MANKATO (about 74 miles; MANKATO, MN; Full-time enrollment: 11,210)
• SOUTH CENTRAL TECHNICAL COLLEGE-MANKATO (about 76 miles; NORTH MANKATO, MN; Full-time enrollment: 2,186)
• IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY (about 81 miles; AMES, IA; Full-time enrollment: 24,473)
• GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE (about 86 miles; ST PETER, MN; Full-time enrollment: 2,355)
• BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY (about 88 miles; STORM LAKE, IA; Full-time enrollment: 2,524)

Public primary/middle school in Wesley:

• WESLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 81; Location: 404 3RD ST. S.; Grades: KG – 04)

Libraries

Library in Wesley:

• WESLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $18,601; Location: 206 MAIN ST., PO BOX 37; 6,600 books; 28 audio materials; 118 video materials; 47 serial subscriptions)