Oskaloosa

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Oskaloosa, IA

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A historic small town in southern Iowa

Historic Family-Friendly Peaceful Affordable Scenic

Located about an hour’s drive from Des Moines, Oskaloosa is a historic city with a charming small-town atmosphere. Oskaloosa, also known as “Osky,” was a national center for bituminous coal mining in the late 1800s. Osky maintains a strong sense of historic character to this day, from its red-brick commercial buildings and many apartments in old-fashioned homes to the Nelson Pioneer Farm, which chronicles the area’s rich agricultural past.

Osky fosters a close-knit community with an array of annual events, such as the Southern Iowa Fair, Skunk River Arts Festival, Sweet Corn Serenade, and the Lighted Christmas Parade. Numerous Osky residents work, attend, or have attended William Penn University, which also calls the community home. There are abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation as well, with the scenic Edmundson Park, Lake Keomah, and plenty of public golf courses in town.

Transportation

50

Somewhat Walkable

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

You might be able to get out and walk when living in this area. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, but for others you’ll need a car.

58

Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

While there’s some bike infrastructure in this area, you’ll still need a car for many errands.

Schools

Oskaloosa Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

886 Students

3
out of 10

Oskaloosa Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

454 Students

7
out of 10

Oskaloosa High School

Public

Grades 9-12

600 Students

5
out of 10

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Lake Keomah State Park

Commuter Rail

Military Bases

Top Apartments in Oskaloosa

Houses for Rent in Oskaloosa

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2025.