The Town FilesAlden, Iowa
City in Hardin County · population 763 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $107,900
- Household income
- $64,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 40.4
Alden is a city of 763 people in Hardin County, Iowa. The median home is worth $107,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks quieter than 98% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 78% of Iowa towns, better for first-time buyers than 78% of Iowa towns.
How Alden 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 Alden is worth $107,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $64,500, which is more affordable than 88% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $621 a month. 68.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alden | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $107,900 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $621 | $820 |
| Median household income | $64,500 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 68.5% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Alden
| People | Alden | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.5% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.7% | — |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 16.4 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.9% | 88.5% |
Weather in Alden
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 8.1°F. About 38.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.0 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alden since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 28, 2023 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 28, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 28, 1998.
Severe weather in Hardin County since 1996
Hardin County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| 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 |
| August 5, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4187: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Hardin County
Hardin County had 6,483 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,065 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Alden itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Alden
1 public school with 159 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alden Elementary School | PK-6 | 159 | 12.2 |
Towns near Alden
- Iowa Falls, IA5.8 mi · 5,106 people · home $123,800
- Dows, IA11.9 mi · 521 people · home $59,800
- Radcliffe, IA13.7 mi · 555 people · home $118,300
- Hubbard, IA14.8 mi · 860 people · home $106,100
- Ackley, IA16.9 mi · 1,599 people · home $103,900
- Ellsworth, IA17.3 mi · 508 people · home $149,000
- Eldora, IA17.7 mi · 2,663 people · home $133,000
- Hampton, IA18.3 mi · 4,337 people · home $99,400
Alden questions
Is Alden, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alden scores better for retirees than 78% of Iowa towns and quieter than 98%. 18.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.4).
How much does a house cost in Alden?
The median owner-occupied home in Alden is valued at $107,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,500, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $621 a month.
What is the weather like in Alden?
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 8.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.1 inches of precipitation a year and 30.0 inches of snow.
Does Alden get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 28, 2023. 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)