The Town FilesNora Springs, Iowa
City in Floyd County · population 1,369 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $134,500
- Household income
- $78,594
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 44.3
Nora Springs is a city of 1,369 people in Floyd County, Iowa. The median home is worth $134,500, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for families than 88% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 77% of Iowa towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of Iowa towns.
How Nora Springs 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 Nora Springs is worth $134,500, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $78,594, which is more affordable than 88% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $669 a month. 83.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Nora Springs | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $134,500 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $669 | $820 |
| Median household income | $78,594 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 83.1% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.6% | — |
Who lives in Nora Springs
| People | Nora Springs | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.6% | 88.5% |
Weather in Nora Springs
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 7.0°F. About 36.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.1 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nora Springs since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 27, 1998 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 12, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 62 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 18, 1974.
Severe weather in Floyd County since 1996
Floyd County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4642: Severe Storms, 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 Floyd County
Floyd County had 5,716 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,987 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Nora Springs itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Public schools in Nora Springs
2 public schools with 409 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Springs Middle School | 4-8 | 265 | 17.7 |
| Central Springs Elementary School - Nora Springs | PK-3 | 144 | 13.1 |
Towns near Nora Springs
- Rockford, IA7.0 mi · 758 people · home $94,600
- Mason City, IA9.7 mi · 27,338 people · home $142,000
- Osage, IA13.8 mi · 3,627 people · home $160,700
- Manly, IA13.9 mi · 1,256 people · home $120,300
- Rockwell, IA14.5 mi · 1,071 people · home $163,300
- St. Ansgar, IA16.9 mi · 1,160 people · home $152,500
- Charles City, IA17.7 mi · 7,396 people · home $115,400
- Clear Lake, IA18.4 mi · 7,687 people · home $259,500
Nora Springs questions
Is Nora Springs, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Nora Springs scores better for retirees than 77% of Iowa towns and quieter than 70%. 26.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.3).
How much does a house cost in Nora Springs?
The median owner-occupied home in Nora Springs is valued at $134,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,594, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $669 a month.
What is the weather like in Nora Springs?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 7.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.3 inches of precipitation a year and 42.1 inches of snow.
Does Nora Springs get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nora Springs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 27, 1998. 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)