The Town FilesGladbrook, Iowa
City in Tama County · population 799 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $125,200
- Household income
- $70,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 42.8
Gladbrook is a city of 799 people in Tama County, Iowa. The median home is worth $125,200, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better transit than 95% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 94% of Iowa towns, quieter than 90% of Iowa towns.
How Gladbrook 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 Gladbrook is worth $125,200, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $70,125, which is more affordable than 83% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $844 a month. 83.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gladbrook | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,200 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $844 | $820 |
| Median household income | $70,125 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 83.2% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1945 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Gladbrook
| People | Gladbrook | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.9% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 12.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.0% | 88.5% |
Weather in Gladbrook
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 10.1°F. About 32.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.0 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gladbrook since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 24, 1989 about 1.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 12 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 10, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 13, 2006.
Severe weather in Tama County since 1996
Tama County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Tama County
Tama County had 5,356 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,774 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Gladbrook itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in Gladbrook
1 public school with 13 students.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gladbrook-Reinbeck Preschool | PK-PK | 13 | — |
Towns near Gladbrook
- Conrad, IA8.5 mi · 1,093 people · home $164,700
- Reinbeck, IA11.3 mi · 1,662 people · home $165,000
- Grundy Center, IA12.6 mi · 2,796 people · home $177,900
- Le Grand, IA12.7 mi · 905 people · home $145,700
- Traer, IA12.9 mi · 1,583 people · home $151,900
- Marshalltown, IA14.4 mi · 27,591 people · home $127,700
- Toledo, IA15.2 mi · 2,369 people · home $118,400
- Tama, IA16.9 mi · 3,130 people · home $106,800
Gladbrook questions
Is Gladbrook, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gladbrook scores better for retirees than 94% of Iowa towns and quieter than 90%. 24.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Gladbrook?
The median owner-occupied home in Gladbrook is valued at $125,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,125, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $844 a month.
What is the weather like in Gladbrook?
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 10.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.8 inches of precipitation a year and 28.0 inches of snow.
Does Gladbrook get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gladbrook since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 24, 1989. 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)