The Town FilesMount Ayr, Iowa
City in Ringgold County · population 1,623 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $152,000
- Household income
- $74,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 38.8
Mount Ayr is a city of 1,623 people in Ringgold County, Iowa. The median home is worth $152,000, close to the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for retirees than 82% of Iowa towns, quieter than 72% of Iowa towns.
How Mount Ayr 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 Mount Ayr is worth $152,000, close to the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $74,167, which is more affordable than 71% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $707 a month. 68.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mount Ayr | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,000 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $707 | $820 |
| Median household income | $74,167 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 68.4% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in Mount Ayr
| People | Mount Ayr | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.9% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.6% | 88.5% |
Weather in Mount Ayr
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 11.7°F. About 37.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.5 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 143 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Ayr since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 24, 1989 about 4.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 5 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 51 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 4, 2005.
Severe weather in Ringgold County since 1996
Ringgold County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4779: Severe Storms 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 14, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4181: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ringgold County
Ringgold County had 1,394 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,230 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in Mount Ayr itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Public schools in Mount Ayr
2 public schools with 621 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Ayr Elementary | PK-6 | 348 | 13.9 |
| Mount Ayr High School | 7-12 | 273 | 12.4 |
Towns near Mount Ayr
- Lamoni, IA17.4 mi · 1,969 people · home $113,400
- Grant City, MO18.3 mi · 817 people · home $68,200
- Lenox, IA20.4 mi · 1,339 people · home $111,400
- Afton, IA21.8 mi · 874 people · home $95,300
- Creston, IA24.8 mi · 7,536 people · home $114,500
- Leon, IA25.3 mi · 1,822 people · home $99,800
- Bedford, IA25.7 mi · 1,508 people · home $96,800
- Murray, IA27.2 mi · 684 people · home $80,800
Mount Ayr questions
Is Mount Ayr, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mount Ayr scores better for retirees than 82% of Iowa towns and quieter than 72%. 23.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Mount Ayr?
The median owner-occupied home in Mount Ayr is valued at $152,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,167, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $707 a month.
What is the weather like in Mount Ayr?
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 11.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.0 inches of precipitation a year and 20.5 inches of snow.
Does Mount Ayr get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Ayr since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 24, 1989. 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)