Need segment-level traffic data?

Identify traffic patterns street by street and analyze the exact corridors that matter to your project.

Get insights →
Home
United States
IowaPalo Alto
traffic map

Palo Alto County, Iowa Traffic Counts

This page delivers traffic analytics for Palo Alto County, Iowa. Our metrics are calculated with multi-sourced, cross-verified data from real-world mobile and sensor networks, and averaged for Palo Alto County, Iowa among 219 road miles divided in 1,888 segments. Our metrics go beyond simple volume counts to provide actionable insights on traffic intensity, congestion, commercial vehicle flow, and network performance with highest possible granularity (average segment length is 611 ft). Whether you are evaluating a new retail location, planning logistics routes, or assessing infrastructure needs, this data helps you move from assumptions to certainty.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
Data current as of:
Q3 2026
Find my place
total traffic icon

Total Traffic Volume & Performance

Traffic

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

1,315

Trucks

Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

8.8%

Average travel time

Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

37.6 min

Congestion ratio

Congestion ratio

The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.

6.8%

Drivers’ average age

Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

51.5 yrs

Drivers’ average income

Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$72,982

Our data indicates an estimated average traffic volume of 1,315 vehicles per day in Palo Alto County, Iowa that results in 211,243 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈77.1 million per year). The traffic stream is comprised of an average of 1 truck for every 11 vehicles. Typical time spent behind the wheel per trip is 37.6 minutes, which already accounts for delays at signals, intersections, and congestion.

Analytical insight

When compared to the Iowa state averages: Palo Alto's average daily traffic volume is 57% lower than the state average - 1,315 vehicles per day against 3,042 - suggesting less traffic load per road, a critical factor for logistics and site planning. Across the whole network that adds up to 211,243 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈77.1 million per year), roughly 0.3% of Iowa's statewide total. At 37.6 minutes, the average travel time is 14% higher than the state level. The congestion ratio of 6.8% is 40% lower, pointing to smoother traffic flow than the state level - crucial for traffic control improvement and logistics planning. 21% of counties in Iowa see less traffic than Palo Alto's 1,315 vehicles per day. On travel time, Palo Alto runs longer than 85% of counties in Iowa.

Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

Analytical insight

N/A
non-highway traffic icon

Non-highway traffic

Traffic

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

1,315

Trucks

Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

8.8%

Average travel time

Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

37.6 min

Congestion ratio

Congestion ratio

The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.

6.8%

Drivers’ average age

Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

51.5 yrs

Drivers’ average income

Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$72,982

The non-highway road network in Palo Alto County, Iowa supports a substantial volume of traffic. The average non-highway road carries 1,315 vehicles per day. That average covers 219 non-highway road miles divided in 1,888 segments (average segment length 611 ft), together carrying 211,243 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈77.1 million per year). Trucks constitute 8.8% of non-highway traffic.

Analytical insight

Non-highway congestion (6.8%) runs 39% lower than the state average, pointing to smoother local traffic flow. Overall, average travel time here is longer than 85% of counties in Iowa. 55% of counties in Iowa see lower average driver income among trip origins than Palo Alto. Palo Alto's median driver age is higher than 73% of counties in Iowa.

Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns

peak hours icon
Peak Traffic Windows
Weekday peaks:
AM peak 7:00 AM–12:00 PM and PM peak 3:00 PM–7:00 PM, with volumes reaching approximately 79% higher than the daily average.
Weekend traffic:
Weekend volumes run about 27% below weekday levels.
seasonal traffic icon
Seasonal Fluctuation
Busy season:
May–July is the high season, with volumes +13% versus the annual average.
Lowest month:
January is the quietest month, with volumes -19% versus the annual average.

Analytical insight

In Palo Alto County, Iowa, the peak hour concentrates about 7% of the day's traffic, and seasonal swing is pronounced at +13% in high season.

Traffic Flow Profile Comparison

Metric

Palo Alto

Iowa
Average

Difference

Traffic

1,315

3,042

-56.8%

Truck % (Total Traffic)

8.8%

11.0%

-20.3%

Truck % (Highway)

16.1%

Avg. Travel Time

37.6 min

33.0 min

+14.1%

How Palo Alto County compares

Palo Alto County against nearby areas

Nothing in this table sets Palo Alto County sharply apart from the 4 areas nearest to it, though it has the second busiest roads of the five.

Palo Alto County and the 4 nearest county-level areas by centroid distance, with the Iowa average for scale.
AreaAverage daily trafficTruck shareDaily vehicle-milesAverage travel timeCongestion ratio
Palo Alto County1,3158.8%211,24337.6 min6.8%
Emmet County, Iowa1,0778.7%130,12533.4 min6.1%
Pocahontas County, Iowa75910.5%163,91244.3 min5.3%
Kossuth County, Iowa97010.6%377,96139.7 min5.3%
Clay County, Iowa1,8339.1%380,53635.3 min6.9%
Iowa average3,04211.0%N/A33.0 min11.4%

Palo Alto County ranked within Iowa

Palo Alto County sits in the top quarter of the Iowa field on average travel time, at #16 of 99.

Where Palo Alto County sits among Iowa's county-level areas on each measure. Rank 1 is the highest value in the state, whether or not that is the outcome you want; the field size differs by measure because not every county carries highway data.
MeasurePalo Alto CountyIowa rank
Traffic volume (AADT)1,315#78 of 99
Average travel time37.6 min#16 of 99
Average driver income$72,982#45 of 99
Average driver age51.5 yrs#27 of 99

Palo Alto County ranks #16 of 99 on average travel time but #78 of 99 on average daily traffic volume - the two describe the same roads and are worth reading together rather than either on its own.

Data Sources & Methodology

The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:

Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)

Road sensor networks and traffic counters

Historical traffic pattern databases

Public traffic count programs published by the

IowaDepartment of Transportation

Historical traffic pattern databases

U.S. Census Bureau
All metrics represent estimates based on statistical modeling and are intended for strategic planning purposes.
TrafficZoom methodology
link arrow icon
Data current as of:
Q3 2026

Explore further

TrafficZoom platform

— street-level analytics and custom corridor reports.

Map AI

— demographics, housing and mobility data.

Counties near Palo Alto County

The same traffic breakdown for the areas closest to Palo Alto County, Iowa.

Need segment-level traffic data?

Identify traffic patterns street by street and analyze the exact corridors that matter to your project.

Get access now
Get a demo
Ticon websiteC-Site website
© 2026 TICON. All rights reserved.