The Town FilesBancroft, Iowa
City in Kossuth County · population 699 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $120,700
- Household income
- $60,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 35.6
Bancroft is a city of 699 people in Kossuth County, Iowa. The median home is worth $120,700, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more of a college town than 94% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 93% of Iowa towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Iowa towns.
How Bancroft 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 Bancroft is worth $120,700, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $60,000, which is more affordable than 71% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $725 a month. 75.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bancroft | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $120,700 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $725 | $820 |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.5% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bancroft
| People | Bancroft | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.0% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.1% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 16.2 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.8% | 88.5% |
Weather in Bancroft
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 4.5°F. About 32.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.7 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bancroft since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 7, 1984 about 4.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 40 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 18, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 17, 2010.
Severe weather in Kossuth County since 1996
Kossuth County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Kossuth County
Kossuth County had 6,565 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,766 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Bancroft itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Towns near Bancroft
- Swea City, IA7.8 mi · 566 people · home $56,400
- Titonka, IA9.7 mi · 511 people · home $65,800
- Algona, IA15.0 mi · 5,487 people · home $160,800
- Armstrong, IA15.1 mi · 875 people · home $90,500
- Buffalo Center, IA15.3 mi · 857 people · home $100,500
- Elmore, MN16.1 mi · 549 people · home $46,700
- Blue Earth, MN24.8 mi · 3,174 people · home $143,600
- Britt, IA24.8 mi · 2,044 people · home $101,900
Bancroft questions
Is Bancroft, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bancroft scores better for retirees than 93% of Iowa towns and quieter than 48%. 24.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Bancroft?
The median owner-occupied home in Bancroft is valued at $120,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,000, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $725 a month.
What is the weather like in Bancroft?
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 4.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.9 inches of precipitation a year and 39.7 inches of snow.
Does Bancroft get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bancroft since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 7, 1984. 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)