The Town FilesO'Brien County, Iowa
14,126 people. The median home is worth $173,100 (typical Iowa town: $156,300) and the median household earns $68,356.
Towns in O'Brien County
| Town | People | Median home | Income | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheldon | 5,512 | $192,700 | $62,159 | 37.6 |
| Hartley | 1,605 | $112,700 | $57,656 | 47.9 |
| Sanborn | 1,392 | $168,500 | $59,417 | 45.5 |
| Paullina | 982 | $132,600 | $61,250 | 51.6 |
| Primghar | 896 | $147,500 | $78,750 | 33.4 |
| Sutherland | 629 | $101,200 | $55,469 | 51.5 |
People and housing
| O'Brien County | Typical Iowa town | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $173,100 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $868 | $820 |
| Median household income | $68,356 | $69,254 |
| Median age | 39.5 | 40.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.3% | 9.3% |
Jobs and pay
6,603 jobs in 2024, average pay $48,407 a year.
Storms since 1996
NOAA recorded 721 storm events in O'Brien County from 1996 to 2026.
Federal disaster declarations
O'Brien County has been included in 15 FEMA declarations since 1953.
| 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 |
| July 2, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4126: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).