The Town FilesGlenwood, Iowa
City in Mills County · population 5,073 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $206,200
- Household income
- $71,790
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 39.6
Glenwood is a city of 5,073 people in Mills County, Iowa. The median home is worth $206,200, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more walkable than 91% of Iowa towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Iowa towns, hipper than 84% of Iowa towns.
How Glenwood 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 Glenwood is worth $206,200, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $71,790, which is more affordable than 16% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $924 a month. 76.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Glenwood | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $206,200 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $924 | $820 |
| Median household income | $71,790 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 76.5% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Glenwood
| People | Glenwood | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 10.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.5% | 88.5% |
Weather in Glenwood
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 12.2°F. About 34.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.7 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 34 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Glenwood since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on April 26, 2024 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 119 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 18, 2011.
Severe weather in Mills County since 1996
Mills County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4779: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Mills County
Mills County had 3,361 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,050 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Glenwood itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Glenwood
4 public schools with 2,087 students, about 16.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood Senior High School | 9-12 | 599 | 17.1 |
| Northeast Elementary School | PK-2 | 581 | 16.1 |
| Glenwood Middle School | 6-8 | 467 | 17.3 |
| West Elementary School | 3-5 | 440 | 15.2 |
Towns near Glenwood
- Plattsmouth, NE8.4 mi · 6,544 people · home $183,600
- Offutt AFB, NE10.8 mi · 5,363 people · home —
- Bellevue, NE12.4 mi · 64,176 people · home $247,000
- Council Bluffs, IA14.5 mi · 62,799 people · home $171,800
- Ralston, NE18.8 mi · 6,494 people · home $230,800
- Papillion, NE18.9 mi · 24,159 people · home $311,000
- Carter Lake, IA19.2 mi · 3,791 people · home $169,400
- La Vista, NE19.5 mi · 16,746 people · home $260,900
Glenwood questions
Is Glenwood, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Glenwood scores better for retirees than 54% of Iowa towns and quieter than 19%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Glenwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Glenwood is valued at $206,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,790, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $924 a month.
What is the weather like in Glenwood?
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 12.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.8 inches of precipitation a year and 23.7 inches of snow.
Does Glenwood get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Glenwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on April 26, 2024. 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)