The Town FilesRuthven, Iowa
City in Palo Alto County · population 725 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $105,700
- Household income
- $58,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 34.5
Ruthven is a city of 725 people in Palo Alto County, Iowa. The median home is worth $105,700, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks quieter than 73% of Iowa towns, easier by car than 71% of Iowa towns.
How Ruthven 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 Ruthven is worth $105,700, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $58,625, which is more affordable than 83% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $608 a month. 78.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ruthven | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $105,700 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $608 | $820 |
| Median household income | $58,625 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.4% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ruthven
| People | Ruthven | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.0% | 88.5% |
Weather in Ruthven
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 7.4°F. About 33.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.9 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ruthven since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 14, 1976 about 1.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 45 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 28, 2018.
Severe weather in Palo Alto County since 1996
Palo Alto County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 Palo Alto County
Palo Alto County had 3,615 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,406 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Ruthven itself the ACS puts it at 0.3%.
Public schools in Ruthven
2 public schools with 158 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruthven-Ayrshire Elementary School | PK-6 | 88 | 12.6 |
| Ruthven-Ayrshire High School | 7-12 | 70 | 14.0 |
Towns near Ruthven
- Graettinger, IA10.5 mi · 832 people · home $88,500
- Emmetsburg, IA11.1 mi · 3,706 people · home $114,300
- Spencer, IA12.9 mi · 11,325 people · home $184,800
- Estherville, IA18.9 mi · 5,904 people · home $101,400
- Milford, IA19.2 mi · 3,321 people · home $218,400
- Laurens, IA19.7 mi · 1,264 people · home $60,300
- Arnolds Park, IA19.7 mi · 1,110 people · home $438,900
- Sioux Rapids, IA20.8 mi · 748 people · home $88,700
Ruthven questions
Is Ruthven, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ruthven scores better for retirees than 51% of Iowa towns and quieter than 73%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.5).
How much does a house cost in Ruthven?
The median owner-occupied home in Ruthven is valued at $105,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,625, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $608 a month.
What is the weather like in Ruthven?
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 7.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.6 inches of precipitation a year and 38.9 inches of snow.
Does Ruthven get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ruthven since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 14, 1976. 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)