The Town FilesDunlap, Iowa
City in Harrison County · population 1,038 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $139,900
- Household income
- $49,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 56.1
Dunlap is a city of 1,038 people in Harrison County, Iowa. The median home is worth $139,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of Iowa towns, more of a college town than 90% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 78% of Iowa towns.
How Dunlap 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 Dunlap is worth $139,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $49,375, which is more affordable than 20% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $918 a month. 67.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dunlap | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $139,900 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $918 | $820 |
| Median household income | $49,375 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 67.2% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Dunlap
| People | Dunlap | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 10.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 13.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 70.1% | 88.5% |
Weather in Dunlap
July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 9.9°F. About 34.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.5 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunlap since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 16, 1992 about 1.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 12, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 6, 2011.
Severe weather in Harrison County since 1996
Harrison County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Winter Storm | DR-4870: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| May 14, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4779: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Harrison County
Harrison County had 3,990 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,182 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Dunlap itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Dunlap
1 public school with 223 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boyer Valley Middle/High School | 6-12 | 223 | 14.9 |
Towns near Dunlap
- Woodbine, IA9.8 mi · 1,625 people · home $168,900
- Charter Oak, IA14.9 mi · 535 people · home $77,700
- Denison, IA17.1 mi · 8,373 people · home $150,200
- Logan, IA17.3 mi · 1,397 people · home $154,000
- Manilla, IA19.1 mi · 775 people · home $88,300
- Harlan, IA19.9 mi · 4,893 people · home $152,500
- Schleswig, IA23.0 mi · 830 people · home $163,600
- Mapleton, IA23.9 mi · 1,165 people · home $113,000
Dunlap questions
Is Dunlap, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dunlap scores better for retirees than 78% of Iowa towns and quieter than 54%. 33.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.1).
How much does a house cost in Dunlap?
The median owner-occupied home in Dunlap is valued at $139,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,375, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $918 a month.
What is the weather like in Dunlap?
July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 9.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.4 inches of precipitation a year and 30.5 inches of snow.
Does Dunlap get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunlap since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 16, 1992. 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)