Clarence, IA

Clarence sits along US 30 in eastern Cedar County, right on the historic Lincoln Highway route. The community actually started out in the 1850s with the memorable name of Onion Grove, named after the wild onions growing along Mill Creek. After shifting closer to the new railroad line, the settlement was renamed Clarence by an early settler and officially incorporated in 1866. Today, it is a calm, welcoming farming community where the highway still serves as the main spine of town.

Families moving here are served by the North Cedar Community School District, which shares classrooms and sports programs across Clarence, Lowden, Mechanicsville, and Stanwood. Daily life centers around a classic Main Street, active civic groups, and quiet residential neighborhoods surrounded by open farmland. It offers a peaceful small-town setting while keeping residents within an easy drive of Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities.