The Town FilesPrairie City, Iowa
City in Jasper County · population 1,700 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $190,600
- Household income
- $78,295
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 36.0
Prairie City is a city of 1,700 people in Jasper County, Iowa. The median home is worth $190,600, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 91% of Iowa towns, more walkable than 70% of Iowa towns.
How Prairie City 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 Prairie City is worth $190,600, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $78,295, which is more affordable than 41% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $800 a month. 76.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Prairie City | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $190,600 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $800 | $820 |
| Median household income | $78,295 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 76.6% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Prairie City
| People | Prairie City | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 30.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 15.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 88.5% |
Weather in Prairie City
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 12.8°F. About 36.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.6 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prairie City since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 14, 1966 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 25, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 72 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 18, 2000.
Severe weather in Jasper County since 1996
Jasper County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4942: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Jasper County
Jasper County had 10,453 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,910 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Prairie City itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.
Public schools in Prairie City
2 public schools with 552 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie City Elementary School | PK-5 | 312 | 13.0 |
| PCM Middle School | 6-8 | 240 | 14.1 |
Towns near Prairie City
- Colfax, IA5.8 mi · 2,255 people · home $178,000
- Mitchellville, IA8.4 mi · 2,485 people · home $206,600
- Monroe, IA8.8 mi · 1,967 people · home $177,200
- Newton, IA12.4 mi · 15,760 people · home $153,700
- Hartford, IA12.8 mi · 733 people · home $176,700
- Altoona, IA13.0 mi · 19,565 people · home $274,600
- Bondurant, IA13.0 mi · 7,365 people · home $318,800
- Pleasant Hill, IA13.7 mi · 10,147 people · home $295,100
Prairie City questions
Is Prairie City, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prairie City scores better for retirees than 39% of Iowa towns and quieter than 36%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.0).
How much does a house cost in Prairie City?
The median owner-occupied home in Prairie City is valued at $190,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,295, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $800 a month.
What is the weather like in Prairie City?
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 12.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.6 inches of precipitation a year and 29.6 inches of snow.
Does Prairie City get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prairie City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 14, 1966. 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)