The Town FilesCascade, Iowa
City in Dubuque County · population 2,386 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $196,200
- Household income
- $69,688
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 33.0
Cascade is a city of 2,386 people in Dubuque County, Iowa. The median home is worth $196,200, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for families than 88% of Iowa towns.
How Cascade 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 Cascade is worth $196,200, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $69,688, which is more affordable than 20% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $900 a month. 71.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cascade | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $196,200 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $900 | $820 |
| Median household income | $69,688 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 71.5% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cascade
| People | Cascade | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.8% | — |
| Work from home | 9.3% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 88.5% |
Weather in Cascade
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 11.4°F. About 39.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.1 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cascade since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 13, 1990 about 8.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 0 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 11, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 18, 1955.
Severe weather in Dubuque County since 1996
Dubuque County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| August 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4732: Flooding |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| August 27, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4334: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Dubuque County
Dubuque County had 58,413 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,669 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Cascade itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Public schools in Cascade
2 public schools with 678 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Junior-Senior High School | 6-12 | 381 | 12.3 |
| Cascade Elementary School | PK-5 | 297 | 13.5 |
Towns near Cascade
- Farley, IA9.8 mi · 1,766 people · home $266,000
- Monticello, IA10.5 mi · 4,040 people · home $175,200
- Epworth, IA10.6 mi · 2,023 people · home $239,900
- Hopkinton, IA12.8 mi · 622 people · home $127,400
- Peosta, IA13.1 mi · 1,908 people · home $336,000
- Dyersville, IA13.7 mi · 4,477 people · home $234,100
- Wyoming, IA16.7 mi · 523 people · home $105,700
- Earlville, IA18.4 mi · 716 people · home $161,400
Cascade questions
Is Cascade, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cascade scores better for retirees than 41% of Iowa towns and quieter than 57%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.0).
How much does a house cost in Cascade?
The median owner-occupied home in Cascade is valued at $196,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,688, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $900 a month.
What is the weather like in Cascade?
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 11.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.3 inches of precipitation a year and 31.1 inches of snow.
Does Cascade get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cascade since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 13, 1990. 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)