The Town FilesGuthrie Center, Iowa
City in Guthrie County · population 1,593 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $123,800
- Household income
- $71,116
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 35.0
Guthrie Center is a city of 1,593 people in Guthrie County, Iowa. The median home is worth $123,800, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of Iowa towns, better transit than 73% of Iowa towns.
How Guthrie Center 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 Guthrie Center is worth $123,800, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $71,116, which is more affordable than 88% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $868 a month. 76.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Guthrie Center | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $123,800 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $868 | $820 |
| Median household income | $71,116 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 76.8% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1949 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Guthrie Center
| People | Guthrie Center | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.7% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 88.5% |
Weather in Guthrie Center
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 9.6°F. About 37.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.5 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Guthrie Center since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 10, 1959 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 15, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 79 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 24, 2015.
Severe weather in Guthrie County since 1996
Guthrie County has been included in 17 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 |
| 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 Guthrie County
Guthrie County had 3,271 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,155 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Guthrie Center itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Public schools in Guthrie Center
2 public schools with 447 students, about 11.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guthrie Center Elementary School | PK-6 | 250 | 11.9 |
| Guthrie Center High School | 9-12 | 197 | 11.6 |
Towns near Guthrie Center
- Lake Panorama, IA5.8 mi · 1,266 people · home $388,600
- Panora, IA7.0 mi · 1,091 people · home $182,000
- Adair, IA14.4 mi · 791 people · home $127,800
- Stuart, IA15.4 mi · 1,782 people · home $159,500
- Coon Rapids, IA16.4 mi · 1,300 people · home $134,100
- Redfield, IA16.8 mi · 731 people · home $142,800
- Dexter, IA18.0 mi · 640 people · home $163,500
- Exira, IA20.6 mi · 787 people · home $84,700
Guthrie Center questions
Is Guthrie Center, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Guthrie Center scores better for retirees than 68% of Iowa towns and quieter than 69%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.0).
How much does a house cost in Guthrie Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Guthrie Center is valued at $123,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,116, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $868 a month.
What is the weather like in Guthrie Center?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 9.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.1 inches of precipitation a year and 32.5 inches of snow.
Does Guthrie Center get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Guthrie Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 10, 1959. 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)