The Town FilesBoyden, Iowa
City in Sioux County · population 701 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $177,700
- Household income
- $88,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 35.1
Boyden is a city of 701 people in Sioux County, Iowa. The median home is worth $177,700, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more of a college town than 96% of Iowa towns, better for families than 93% of Iowa towns, easier by car than 73% of Iowa towns.
How Boyden 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 Boyden is worth $177,700, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $88,125, which is more affordable than 71% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $756 a month. 88.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Boyden | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $177,700 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $756 | $820 |
| Median household income | $88,125 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 88.1% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Boyden
| People | Boyden | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.6% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 15.0 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.6% | 88.5% |
Weather in Boyden
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 5.2°F. About 31.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.8 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Boyden since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1971 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 31, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 49 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 9, 2009.
Severe weather in Sioux County since 1996
Sioux County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
| August 20, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4386: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sioux County
Sioux County had 22,957 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,762 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Boyden itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Boyden
1 public school with 322 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boyden-Hull Elementary School | PK-6 | 322 | 14.6 |
Towns near Boyden
- Hull, IA6.6 mi · 2,384 people · home $225,700
- Sheldon, IA8.1 mi · 5,512 people · home $192,700
- Hospers, IA9.5 mi · 718 people · home $155,300
- George, IA10.6 mi · 1,077 people · home $133,100
- Sioux Center, IA11.5 mi · 8,229 people · home $290,800
- Doon, IA13.1 mi · 619 people · home $198,900
- Orange City, IA13.2 mi · 6,267 people · home $264,000
- Alton, IA13.9 mi · 1,248 people · home $218,900
Boyden questions
Is Boyden, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Boyden scores better for retirees than 10% of Iowa towns and quieter than 21%. 12.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.1).
How much does a house cost in Boyden?
The median owner-occupied home in Boyden is valued at $177,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,125, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $756 a month.
What is the weather like in Boyden?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 5.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.1 inches of precipitation a year and 40.8 inches of snow.
Does Boyden get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Boyden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1971. 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)