The Town FilesExira, Iowa
City in Audubon County · population 787 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $84,700
- Household income
- $47,344
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 54.5
Exira is a city of 787 people in Audubon County, Iowa. The median home is worth $84,700, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks quieter than 96% of Iowa towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 72% of Iowa towns.
How Exira 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 Exira is worth $84,700, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $47,344, which is more affordable than 83% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $636 a month. 84.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Exira | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $84,700 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $636 | $820 |
| Median household income | $47,344 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 84.5% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Exira
| People | Exira | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 15.0 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.5% | 88.5% |
Weather in Exira
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 8.8°F. About 35.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.1 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Exira since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on December 15, 2021 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 19, 1964.
Severe weather in Audubon County since 1996
Audubon County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| March 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4421: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 5, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4187: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Audubon County
Audubon County had 1,833 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,592 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in Exira itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Exira
1 public school with 186 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton Elementary | PK-5 | 186 | 11.6 |
Towns near Exira
- Audubon, IA9.1 mi · 2,053 people · home $97,700
- Elk Horn, IA9.3 mi · 601 people · home $133,200
- Anita, IA11.8 mi · 963 people · home $134,400
- Adair, IA13.8 mi · 791 people · home $127,800
- Atlantic, IA15.5 mi · 6,792 people · home $149,900
- Walnut, IA18.9 mi · 747 people · home $115,900
- Guthrie Center, IA20.6 mi · 1,593 people · home $123,800
- Coon Rapids, IA22.2 mi · 1,300 people · home $134,100
Exira questions
Is Exira, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Exira scores better for retirees than 72% of Iowa towns and quieter than 96%. 32.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.5).
How much does a house cost in Exira?
The median owner-occupied home in Exira is valued at $84,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,344, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $636 a month.
What is the weather like in Exira?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 8.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.0 inches of precipitation a year and 28.1 inches of snow.
Does Exira get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Exira 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)