The Town FilesDows, Iowa
City in Wright County · population 521 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $59,800
- Household income
- $78,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 37.3
Dows is a city of 521 people in Wright County, Iowa. The median home is worth $59,800, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of Iowa towns, better for first-time buyers than 90% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 89% of Iowa towns.
How Dows 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 Dows is worth $59,800, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 0.8 times the median household income of $78,000, which is more affordable than 100% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $695 a month. 75.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dows | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $59,800 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $695 | $820 |
| Median household income | $78,000 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 0.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.3% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Dows
| People | Dows | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 34.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 10.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 3.1% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.3% | 88.5% |
Weather in Dows
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 6.2°F. About 34.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.0 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dows since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on December 15, 2021 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 7, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 6, 1968.
Severe weather in Wright County since 1996
Wright County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4642: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Wright County
Wright County had 6,237 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,576 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Dows itself the ACS puts it at 1.1%.
Towns near Dows
- Alden, IA11.9 mi · 763 people · home $107,900
- Clarion, IA12.6 mi · 2,810 people · home $116,200
- Belmond, IA14.1 mi · 2,463 people · home $129,100
- Iowa Falls, IA15.3 mi · 5,106 people · home $123,800
- Hampton, IA16.2 mi · 4,337 people · home $99,400
- Eagle Grove, IA20.4 mi · 3,601 people · home $104,600
- Webster City, IA21.0 mi · 7,825 people · home $127,200
- Goldfield, IA21.8 mi · 634 people · home $108,000
Dows questions
Is Dows, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dows scores better for retirees than 89% of Iowa towns and quieter than 68%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Dows?
The median owner-occupied home in Dows is valued at $59,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,000, so homes cost about 0.8 times income. Median rent is $695 a month.
What is the weather like in Dows?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 6.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.3 inches of precipitation a year and 30.0 inches of snow.
Does Dows get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dows since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on December 15, 2021. 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)