Stanley, Iowa

About Stanley

Set in the northeastern part of Iowa, Stanley is a tiny community, home to 86 residents as of the latest Census estimates.

Officially, Stanley is an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 0.2 square miles, giving it wide-open spaces and a spread-out, rural feel at roughly 430 residents per square mile.

📰 Stanley News Today

• Obituary | Terri Stanley of Wilton, Iowa Bentley Funeral Home · Jul 18
• Stanley Earl Woodson, Fayette, Iowa, July 6, 2026 graufuneralhomes.com · Jul 6
• Stanley "Stan" Amil Lawrence Obituary Jul 1, 2026 Murdoch Funeral Homes & Cremation Service · Jul 1
• A peek inside the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art thegazette.com · Aug 5
• Chuck Stanley, 88, of rural Greenfield Obituary Apr 9, 2026 Lamb Funeral Homes · Apr 9

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

What Makes Stanley Unique

• One of 9 places in the US named Stanley — but the Iowa one has a character all its own.
• One of the smallest municipal footprints in the country at just 0.2 sq mi.
• With 86 residents, it's one of America's smallest incorporated communities — everybody really does know everybody.
• Positioned in northeastern Iowa, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.

Why People Love It Here

• Small-town pace of life: less traffic, more community, and neighbors who wave.
• Housing dollars stretch further here than in the nearest metro.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 6 miles.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Stanley

• Swartz Preserve · Nature reserve reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

⚡ Quick Facts

🗺️ Map of Stanley

🏘️ Nearby Communities