The Town FilesOnawa, Iowa
City in Monona County · population 2,906 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $145,800
- Household income
- $62,143
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 35.5
Onawa is a city of 2,906 people in Monona County, Iowa. The median home is worth $145,800, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more walkable than 91% of Iowa towns, better transit than 87% of Iowa towns, more vibrant than 78% of Iowa towns.
How Onawa 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 Onawa is worth $145,800, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $62,143, which is more affordable than 48% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $1,037 a month. 73.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Onawa | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $145,800 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $1,037 | $820 |
| Median household income | $62,143 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 73.7% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Onawa
| People | Onawa | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 1.5% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 18.4 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 88.5% |
Weather in Onawa
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 8.5°F. About 29.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.0 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 151 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Onawa since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 28, 1991 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 12, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 57 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 12, 2024.
Severe weather in Monona County since 1996
Monona County has been included in 20 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 Monona County
Monona County had 2,530 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,733 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Onawa itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.
Public schools in Onawa
3 public schools with 645 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Monona Elementary | PK-5 | 342 | 14.9 |
| West Monona High School | 9-12 | 191 | 14.7 |
| West Monona Middle School | 6-8 | 112 | 12.4 |
Towns near Onawa
- Sergeant Bluff, IA28.9 mi · 5,015 people · home $298,500
Onawa questions
Is Onawa, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Onawa scores better for retirees than 2% of Iowa towns and quieter than 19%. 21.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.5).
How much does a house cost in Onawa?
The median owner-occupied home in Onawa is valued at $145,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,143, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,037 a month.
What is the weather like in Onawa?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 8.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.9 inches of precipitation a year and 31.0 inches of snow.
Does Onawa get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Onawa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 28, 1991. 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)