The Town FilesHawarden, Iowa
City in Sioux County · population 2,700 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $136,300
- Household income
- $74,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 35.9
Hawarden is a city of 2,700 people in Sioux County, Iowa. The median home is worth $136,300, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300).
How Hawarden 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 Hawarden is worth $136,300, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $74,167, which is more affordable than 83% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $933 a month. 65.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hawarden | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,300 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $933 | $820 |
| Median household income | $74,167 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 65.0% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Hawarden
| People | Hawarden | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.0% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 29.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 26.3% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 15.4 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.3% | 88.5% |
Weather in Hawarden
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 7.2°F. About 29.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.6 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hawarden since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 14, 1967 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 11, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 67 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on September 5, 1983.
Severe weather in Sioux County since 1996
Sioux County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, 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 20, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4386: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sioux County
Sioux County had 22,957 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,762 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Hawarden itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Hawarden
3 public schools with 610 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Sioux High School | 9-12 | 250 | 12.5 |
| Hawarden Elementary School | 2-5 | 209 | 11.6 |
| West Sioux Middle School | 6-8 | 151 | 15.1 |
Towns near Hawarden
- Sioux Center, IA16.6 mi · 8,229 people · home $290,800
- Rock Valley, IA17.0 mi · 4,059 people · home $231,200
- Canton, SD21.5 mi · 3,066 people · home $191,400
- Orange City, IA21.6 mi · 6,267 people · home $264,000
- Le Mars, IA21.8 mi · 10,571 people · home $219,200
- Vermillion, SD27.1 mi · 11,695 people · home $219,000
Hawarden questions
Is Hawarden, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hawarden scores better for retirees than 57% of Iowa towns and quieter than 28%. 17.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Hawarden?
The median owner-occupied home in Hawarden is valued at $136,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,167, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $933 a month.
What is the weather like in Hawarden?
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 7.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.9 inches of precipitation a year and 30.6 inches of snow.
Does Hawarden get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hawarden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 14, 1967. 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)