The Town FilesLawton, Iowa
City in Woodbury County · population 943 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $254,200
- Household income
- $86,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 42.0
Lawton is a city of 943 people in Woodbury County, Iowa. The median home is worth $254,200, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Iowa towns, more upscale than 88% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 87% of Iowa towns.
How Lawton 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 Lawton is worth $254,200, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $86,875, which is more affordable than 16% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $959 a month. 77.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lawton | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $254,200 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $959 | $820 |
| Median household income | $86,875 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 77.0% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lawton
| People | Lawton | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 1.2% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.0% | 88.5% |
Weather in Lawton
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 8.7°F. About 30.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.8 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawton since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on October 4, 2013 about 9.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 22 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 65 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 2, 1999.
Severe weather in Woodbury County since 1996
Woodbury County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Winter Storm | DR-4870: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Woodbury County
Woodbury County had 51,281 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,684 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Lawton itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Lawton
1 public school with 357 students, about 17.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawton-Bronson Junior-Senior High School | 7-12 | 357 | 17.9 |
Towns near Lawton
- Moville, IA6.0 mi · 1,687 people · home $218,800
- Sergeant Bluff, IA10.1 mi · 5,015 people · home $298,500
- Sioux City, IA10.5 mi · 85,797 people · home $173,600
- Hinton, IA11.6 mi · 935 people · home $263,100
- South Sioux City, NE11.7 mi · 14,043 people · home $174,700
- Dakota City, NE12.7 mi · 2,081 people · home $177,800
- Kingsley, IA13.4 mi · 1,396 people · home $167,200
- Dakota Dunes, SD15.3 mi · 4,020 people · home $565,600
Lawton questions
Is Lawton, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lawton scores better for retirees than 87% of Iowa towns and quieter than 75%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.0).
How much does a house cost in Lawton?
The median owner-occupied home in Lawton is valued at $254,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,875, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $959 a month.
What is the weather like in Lawton?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 8.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.3 inches of precipitation a year and 34.8 inches of snow.
Does Lawton get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on October 4, 2013. 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)