The Town FilesIda Grove, Iowa
City in Ida County · population 2,051 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $94,900
- Household income
- $61,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 42.9
Ida Grove is a city of 2,051 people in Ida County, Iowa. The median home is worth $94,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for cycling than 90% of Iowa towns, better for first-time buyers than 89% of Iowa towns, quieter than 80% of Iowa towns.
How Ida Grove 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 Ida Grove is worth $94,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $61,250, which is more affordable than 93% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $694 a month. 69.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ida Grove | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $94,900 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $694 | $820 |
| Median household income | $61,250 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 69.6% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ida Grove
| People | Ida Grove | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 10.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 13.1 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.0% | 88.5% |
Weather in Ida Grove
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 7.8°F. About 32.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.1 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ida Grove since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on April 9, 2011 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 17, 1978.
Severe weather in Ida County since 1996
Ida County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 5, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4187: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 24, 2014 | Flood | DR-4184: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ida County
Ida County had 3,584 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,392 a year. Unemployment was 2.1% in 2023; in Ida Grove itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Public schools in Ida Grove
2 public schools with 625 students, about 19.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove High School | 9-12 | 317 | 14.4 |
| Odebolt Elementary-Ida Grove | PK-5 | 308 | 30.8 |
Towns near Ida Grove
- Battle Creek, IA6.7 mi · 700 people · home $73,800
- Holstein, IA10.6 mi · 1,501 people · home $114,400
- Odebolt, IA11.4 mi · 994 people · home $98,800
- Schleswig, IA12.7 mi · 830 people · home $163,600
- Schaller, IA13.9 mi · 729 people · home $71,500
- Early, IA18.3 mi · 587 people · home $90,300
- Correctionville, IA18.3 mi · 766 people · home $84,700
- Charter Oak, IA19.9 mi · 535 people · home $77,700
Ida Grove questions
Is Ida Grove, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ida Grove scores better for retirees than 46% of Iowa towns and quieter than 80%. 20.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).
How much does a house cost in Ida Grove?
The median owner-occupied home in Ida Grove is valued at $94,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,250, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $694 a month.
What is the weather like in Ida Grove?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 7.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.1 inches of precipitation a year and 35.1 inches of snow.
Does Ida Grove get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ida Grove since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on April 9, 2011. 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)