About Melvin
Melvin is a tiny community in northwestern Iowa counting 196 people who proudly call it home.
Melvin holds the status of an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 0.16 square miles, giving it a balanced suburban layout with room to breathe at roughly 1,225 residents per square mile.
📰 Melvin News Today
- Celebrate 125 Years in Melvin This Weekend northwestiowanow.com · Jun 18
- Obituary for Melvin Craven Prugh Funeral Service · Aug 3
- Melvin Richard "Dickie" Miller Obituary Jul 23, 2026 Jones & Eden Funeral Home · Jul 23
- Melvin Ejim’s No. 3 to be retired during 2026-2027 season Iowa State Daily · Jul 22
- Melvin Ejim's Jersey To Be Retired In 2026-27 Iowa State Athletics · Feb 28
Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.
What Makes Melvin Unique
- One of the smallest municipal footprints in the country at just 0.16 sq mi.
- Positioned in northwestern Iowa, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
- Part of the fabric of Iowa — one of 1,026 recognized communities statewide.
Why People Love It Here
- A tight community feel that bigger cities can't replicate.
- Cost of living typically runs below the big-metro average.
- Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 10 miles.
🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Melvin
- Goewey Prairie Cemetery Preserve · Nature reserve reviews ★
- May City Wildlife Management Area · Nature reserve reviews ★
- Melvin Arboretum Park reviews ★
- Swanson Wildlife Area · Nature reserve reviews ★
Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.
⚡ Quick Facts
StateIowa
TypeCity
Population (2024)196
Rank in state#670 of 940
Land area0.16 sq mi
Density1,225/sq mi
Coordinates43.2865, -95.6086