The Town FilesLe Mars, Iowa
City in Plymouth County · population 10,571 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $219,200
- Household income
- $74,701
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 39.0
Le Mars is a city of 10,571 people in Plymouth County, Iowa. The median home is worth $219,200, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more walkable than 85% of Iowa towns, more vibrant than 84% of Iowa towns, more of a college town than 76% of Iowa towns.
How Le Mars 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 Le Mars is worth $219,200, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $74,701, which is more affordable than 16% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $929 a month. 61.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Le Mars | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $219,200 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $929 | $820 |
| Median household income | $74,701 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 61.5% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Le Mars
| People | Le Mars | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.0% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 16.3 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.8% | 88.5% |
Weather in Le Mars
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 7.4°F. About 30.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.9 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 17 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 Le Mars since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 7, 1965 about 3.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 16, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 77 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 13, 2026.
Severe weather in Plymouth County since 1996
Plymouth County has been included in 16 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 |
| July 24, 2014 | Flood | DR-4184: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Plymouth County
Plymouth County had 11,726 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,524 a year. Unemployment was 2.1% in 2023; in Le Mars itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Le Mars
6 public schools with 2,198 students, about 15.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Le Mars High School | 9-12 | 691 | 18.2 |
| Le Mars Middle School | 6-8 | 469 | 13.4 |
| Kluckhohn Elementary School | K-5 | 425 | 15.2 |
| Clark Elementary School | PK-5 | 298 | 14.2 |
| Franklin Elementary School | K-5 | 273 | 15.2 |
| Individualized Learning Center | 9-12 | 42 | 42.0 |
Towns near Le Mars
- Orange City, IA16.4 mi · 6,267 people · home $264,000
- Sioux Center, IA20.4 mi · 8,229 people · home $290,800
- Hawarden, IA21.8 mi · 2,700 people · home $136,300
- Sioux City, IA22.6 mi · 85,797 people · home $173,600
- North Sioux City, SD23.6 mi · 3,042 people · home $269,800
- South Sioux City, NE25.2 mi · 14,043 people · home $174,700
- Dakota Dunes, SD25.6 mi · 4,020 people · home $565,600
- Sergeant Bluff, IA28.0 mi · 5,015 people · home $298,500
Le Mars questions
Is Le Mars, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Le Mars scores better for retirees than 37% of Iowa towns and quieter than 11%. 18.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.0).
How much does a house cost in Le Mars?
The median owner-occupied home in Le Mars is valued at $219,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,701, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $929 a month.
What is the weather like in Le Mars?
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 7.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.0 inches of precipitation a year and 30.9 inches of snow.
Does Le Mars get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Le Mars since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 7, 1965. 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)