The Town FilesBelle Plaine, Iowa
City in Benton County · population 2,330 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $113,900
- Household income
- $73,656
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 45.0
Belle Plaine is a city of 2,330 people in Benton County, Iowa. The median home is worth $113,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks quieter than 84% of Iowa towns, more walkable than 82% of Iowa towns.
How Belle Plaine 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 Belle Plaine is worth $113,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $73,656, which is more affordable than 93% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $890 a month. 79.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Belle Plaine | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $113,900 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $890 | $820 |
| Median household income | $73,656 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 79.6% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1945 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Belle Plaine
| People | Belle Plaine | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.5% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.4% | 88.5% |
Weather in Belle Plaine
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 10.4°F. About 36.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.9 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belle Plaine since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 19, 1966 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 22, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 7, 2023.
Severe weather in Benton County since 1996
Benton 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 |
| October 31, 2016 | Flood | DR-4289: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 31, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4135: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Benton County
Benton County had 6,069 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,216 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Belle Plaine itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.
Public schools in Belle Plaine
2 public schools with 490 students, about 14.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longfellow Elementary School | PK-6 | 287 | 17.9 |
| Belle Plaine Jr/Sr High School | 7-12 | 203 | 10.7 |
Towns near Belle Plaine
- Keystone, IA8.2 mi · 599 people · home $148,400
- Blairstown, IA10.0 mi · 713 people · home $175,000
- Victor, IA11.4 mi · 875 people · home $116,600
- Van Horne, IA12.3 mi · 774 people · home $184,500
- Marengo, IA12.7 mi · 2,435 people · home $123,200
- Brooklyn, IA14.3 mi · 1,502 people · home $137,100
- Tama, IA16.1 mi · 3,130 people · home $106,800
- Toledo, IA17.0 mi · 2,369 people · home $118,400
Belle Plaine questions
Is Belle Plaine, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Belle Plaine scores better for retirees than 5% of Iowa towns and quieter than 84%. 24.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.0).
How much does a house cost in Belle Plaine?
The median owner-occupied home in Belle Plaine is valued at $113,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,656, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $890 a month.
What is the weather like in Belle Plaine?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 10.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.0 inches of precipitation a year and 27.9 inches of snow.
Does Belle Plaine get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belle Plaine since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 19, 1966. 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)