The Town FilesBrooklyn, Iowa
City in Poweshiek County · population 1,502 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $137,100
- Household income
- $73,438
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 36.4
Brooklyn is a city of 1,502 people in Poweshiek County, Iowa. The median home is worth $137,100, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Iowa towns, quieter than 77% of Iowa towns.
How Brooklyn 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 Brooklyn is worth $137,100, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $73,438, which is more affordable than 76% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $832 a month. 71.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brooklyn | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $137,100 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $832 | $820 |
| Median household income | $73,438 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 71.9% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Brooklyn
| People | Brooklyn | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.5% | 88.5% |
Weather in Brooklyn
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 29.8 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
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brooklyn since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on September 30, 2007 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 31, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 10, 1980.
Severe weather in Poweshiek County since 1996
Poweshiek County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| August 5, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4187: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Poweshiek County
Poweshiek County had 9,584 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,595 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Brooklyn itself the ACS puts it at 12%.
Public schools in Brooklyn
2 public schools with 569 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Elementary School | PK-6 | 311 | 13.0 |
| Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Jr-Sr High School | 7-12 | 258 | 16.1 |
Towns near Brooklyn
- Victor, IA7.7 mi · 875 people · home $116,600
- Montezuma, IA11.1 mi · 1,442 people · home $179,400
- Belle Plaine, IA14.3 mi · 2,330 people · home $113,900
- Grinnell, IA14.4 mi · 9,564 people · home $209,500
- Tama, IA17.5 mi · 3,130 people · home $106,800
- Toledo, IA19.2 mi · 2,369 people · home $118,400
- Marengo, IA19.9 mi · 2,435 people · home $123,200
- Gilman, IA20.4 mi · 542 people · home $88,700
Brooklyn questions
Is Brooklyn, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brooklyn scores better for retirees than 24% of Iowa towns and quieter than 77%. 17.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.4).
How much does a house cost in Brooklyn?
The median owner-occupied home in Brooklyn is valued at $137,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,438, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $832 a month.
What is the weather like in Brooklyn?
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 29.8 inches of snow.
Does Brooklyn get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brooklyn since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on September 30, 2007. 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)