The Town FilesAfton, Iowa
City in Union County · population 874 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $95,300
- Household income
- $54,545
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 39.0
Afton is a city of 874 people in Union County, Iowa. The median home is worth $95,300, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 85% of Iowa towns.
How Afton ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Afton is worth $95,300, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $54,545, which is more affordable than 88% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $590 a month. 67.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Afton | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $95,300 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $590 | $820 |
| Median household income | $54,545 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 67.5% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Afton
| People | Afton | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.9% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.3% | — |
| Work from home | 2.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.2% | 88.5% |
Weather in Afton
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 10.6°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.0 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Afton since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 8, 1999 about 5.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 66 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 18, 2021.
Severe weather in Union County since 1996
Union County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4779: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4421: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 29, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1930: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Union County
Union County had 5,910 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,030 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Afton itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Afton
2 public schools with 452 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Union Middle-High School | 6-12 | 242 | 11.0 |
| East Union Elementary | PK-5 | 210 | 11.7 |
Towns near Afton
- Creston, IA9.1 mi · 7,536 people · home $114,500
- Murray, IA12.9 mi · 684 people · home $80,800
- Osceola, IA21.3 mi · 5,415 people · home $146,300
- Lenox, IA21.4 mi · 1,339 people · home $111,400
- Mount Ayr, IA21.8 mi · 1,623 people · home $152,000
- Truro, IA22.1 mi · 509 people · home $195,100
- Greenfield, IA23.6 mi · 2,062 people · home $137,700
- Winterset, IA23.9 mi · 5,353 people · home $192,500
Afton questions
Is Afton, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Afton scores better for retirees than 63% of Iowa towns and quieter than 52%. 21.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.0).
How much does a house cost in Afton?
The median owner-occupied home in Afton is valued at $95,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,545, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $590 a month.
What is the weather like in Afton?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 10.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 27.0 inches of snow.
Does Afton get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Afton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 8, 1999. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)