A survey has been made of Iowa town and village houses, their condition, facilities, gardens and yards. Information has been obtained concerning 8,798 houses, 5,081 owner and 3,506 tenant homes in 10 typical agricultural counties and 211 homes in towns where mining is important. Only towns having less than 2,500 people were included. From these facts can be pictured the status of housing and facilities such as piped water, electricity, power washing machine, of approximately 152,000 rural-nonfarm families and of farm families living in or on the edge of town or village communities.

Several facts concerning Iowa villages and towns are especially important. They are largely service and residence centers for farm communities. In only a few is manufacturing or mining important. The proportion of people in business for themselves is relatively high and the proportion of wage earners low. Many of the heads of families are retired farmers or women without gainful occupation. And finally, during the past decade, except in the case of larger towns, the population has been declining slightly.

Families in Iowa villages and towns own their homes more frequently than do those on farms or in cities. In 1930 the median value of owned homes was $2,739, and the median rent of tenant homes was $14.89 a month.