The Town FilesGarnavillo, Iowa
City in Clayton County · population 763 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $123,100
- Household income
- $75,357
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 43.7
Garnavillo is a city of 763 people in Clayton County, Iowa. The median home is worth $123,100, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for retirees than 95% of Iowa towns, more of a college town than 83% of Iowa towns, better transit than 79% of Iowa towns.
How Garnavillo 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 Garnavillo is worth $123,100, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $75,357, which is more affordable than 91% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $922 a month. 84.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Garnavillo | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $123,100 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $922 | $820 |
| Median household income | $75,357 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 84.5% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Garnavillo
| People | Garnavillo | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.7% | 88.5% |
Weather in Garnavillo
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 10.3°F. About 37.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.4 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 133 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garnavillo since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 30, 1954 about 4.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 28 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 29, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 19, 1959.
Severe weather in Clayton County since 1996
Clayton County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4732: Flooding |
| 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 27, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4334: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Clayton County
Clayton County had 6,230 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,349 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Garnavillo itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Garnavillo
1 public school with 289 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton Ridge Elementary School | PK-5 | 289 | 13.8 |
Towns near Garnavillo
- Guttenberg, IA8.4 mi · 1,817 people · home $193,900
- Elkader, IA8.5 mi · 1,209 people · home $143,200
- McGregor, IA11.5 mi · 742 people · home $161,100
- Bridgeport, WI12.8 mi · 988 people · home $225,500
- Prairie du Chien, WI13.1 mi · 5,506 people · home $161,300
- Monona, IA14.9 mi · 1,471 people · home $140,800
- Bloomington, WI15.8 mi · 741 people · home $131,300
- Cassville, WI16.3 mi · 777 people · home $123,100
Garnavillo questions
Is Garnavillo, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Garnavillo scores better for retirees than 95% of Iowa towns and quieter than 66%. 27.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.7).
How much does a house cost in Garnavillo?
The median owner-occupied home in Garnavillo is valued at $123,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,357, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $922 a month.
What is the weather like in Garnavillo?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 10.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.3 inches of precipitation a year and 34.4 inches of snow.
Does Garnavillo get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garnavillo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 30, 1954. 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)