Mason City, IA

Mason City is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County in northern Iowa, close to Clear Lake and the Winnebago River. It has a cultural footprint larger than many cities its size, especially through its Prairie School architecture and its connection to Meredith Willson, whose musical The Music Man drew on his Mason City upbringing. The city also has older civic buildings, manufacturing, health care, and regional shopping. Mason City feels like a north Iowa hub with a little more art, architecture, and hometown mythology than expected.