Plymouth, IA

Plymouth is a small town located in Plymouth County, Iowa. The population was 1,851 at the 2010 census. Plymouth is located at 41°5′N 91°53′W / 41.083°N 91.867°W / 41.083; -91.867 (41.08327, -91.87222). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²), all of it land.[2]

The town was founded in 1854 and named for Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts.[3] The first settler in Plymouth was Asahel Curtis who built a cabin on what is now known as Curtis Park near the present day courthouse square.[4] The first store opened in 1856 and the post office opened on January 10, 1857 with John Waddell as postmaster.[5] In 1865, a railroad line was built through Plymouth and it became an important shipping point for agricultural products from Iowa and other states west of the Mississippi River.[6]

Today, much of Plymouth's economy revolves around its agricultural industry which includes corn, soybeans, wheat and cattle ranching.[7] However, due to recent changes in technology and farming practices there has been a decline in farm income over the past few years,[8] which has led to some businesses closing their doors including a paper mill that operated for over 100 years,[9] as well as several small businesses that served local residents such as grocery stores and gas stations.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]

Real estate is also an important part of the economy in Plymouth with many homes being sold each year[19], although prices have been dropping recently due to low farm income[20]. There are currently three major real estate companies operating within town: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Properties America; Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage; and Re/Max Results Properties Incorporated.[21]

One reason why real estate prices have been dropping recently is because there are not enough new homes being built within town[22], which is due to stricter building codes that were put into place after several high-profile disasters such as Hurricane Katrina[23]. Another reason for lower prices may be because there are not enough jobs available within town[24], which could be due to recent changes within agriculture or manufacturing industries[25].

In spite of these challenges, there are still many people living in Plymouth who own or are interested in purchasing property either for personal use or investment purposes. Some people may choose to live here because they enjoy its small-town atmosphere or because they believe that property values will continue to rise over time given its close proximity to Des Moines and other larger cities.[26][27][28]