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Agriprocessors and Postville
Prior to the Rubashkin family purchasing, refurbishing and reopening the former Hygrade plant, the City of Postville had been losing population for two decades and had dropped below 1,500 residents. According to the 2000 census, Postville is now the fastest growing city in Iowa, with a current estimated population of more than 2,500 people.
Agriprocessors is now the largest employer in Northeast Iowa and has attracted employees from all over the world to Postville. The diversity of Agriprocessors’ workforce was reflected in the last Taste of Postville festival, where nearly 30 different nationalities provided samples of their native cuisine.
Housing
Agirprocessors’ growth has driven a demand for new housing in Postville. This demand is being met by the construction of new single-family and apartment housing construction.
According to the 2000 census, median household income in Postville was $32,667 and the median house value was $64,300; the cost of a new home in Postville is significantly less than the median home cost in both Iowa and the nation as a whole.
According to City-Data.Com, in 2000, Postville contained 835 homes, roughly 70% of which were owner-occupied. In 2000, 70% of the homes in Postville were single-family, 24% were multi-family, and 6% were mobile homes.
Ron Wahls, Guidance Counselor for the Postville Public Schools, built two, three-story apartment buildings on the northern edge of the city, which overlook a soccer field that was constructed for the children of building residents. Mr. Wahls plans on building two additional apartment buildings on adjacent lots to meet the demand for more housing.
Following the pattern of previous waves of U.S. immigration, many immigrants who move to Postville choose to live with relatives or friends. Some make this choice to save money, which they may be sending to relatives in their home countries; others double-up while looking for other housing options. Unlike many cities that have experienced waves of new immigration, Postville residents have not segregated themselves. Postville is a model for integration of its different nationalities.
Schools
In 2006, 544 students attended John R. Mott High School and Cora B. Darling Elementary and Middle School, the two schools that make up the Postville Public School System. With 49 teachers, the Postville schools enjoy a student-to-teacher ratio of 11:1.
The Postville school district was one of two districts in Iowa to receive recent federal funding to expand its bilingual education program. John R. Mott High School also recently constructed a new state-of-the-art performing arts center.
Economic Opportunities
Postville economy is thriving. In addition to Agriprocessors, residents are employed at the Industrial Laminates Norplex plant, Postville’s many small businesses and nearby farms. In 2003, one of Postville’s largest employers, the Iowa Turkey Processors (ITP) plant burned to the ground, displacing over 300 employees. Agriprocessors hired all the former ITP employees who applied for work and provided appropriate immigration documentation.
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