The Town FilesSac City, Iowa
City in Sac County · population 2,063 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $136,000
- Household income
- $57,139
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 46.9
Sac City is a city of 2,063 people in Sac County, Iowa. The median home is worth $136,000, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of Iowa towns, hipper than 92% of Iowa towns, more of a college town than 88% of Iowa towns.
How Sac 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 Sac City is worth $136,000, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $57,139, which is more affordable than 41% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $669 a month. 65.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sac City | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,000 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $669 | $820 |
| Median household income | $57,139 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 65.6% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sac City
| People | Sac City | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 16.6 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.0% | 88.5% |
Weather in Sac City
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 7.8°F. About 33.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.9 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sac City since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 27, 1995 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 15, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 19, 2023.
Severe weather in Sac County since 1996
Sac County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 24, 2014 | Flood | DR-4184: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sac County
Sac County had 2,969 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,518 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Sac City itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Sac City
1 public school with 448 students, about 16.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Sac County Elementary | PK-6 | 448 | 16.6 |
Towns near Sac City
- Early, IA8.4 mi · 587 people · home $90,300
- Lake View, IA8.5 mi · 1,113 people · home $175,600
- Wall Lake, IA11.8 mi · 755 people · home $128,700
- Newell, IA13.0 mi · 906 people · home $122,600
- Fonda, IA13.5 mi · 636 people · home $58,500
- Odebolt, IA15.2 mi · 994 people · home $98,800
- Schaller, IA16.1 mi · 729 people · home $71,500
- Lakeside, IA16.3 mi · 700 people · home $246,400
Sac City questions
Is Sac City, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sac City scores better for retirees than 96% of Iowa towns and quieter than 45%. 26.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.9).
How much does a house cost in Sac City?
The median owner-occupied home in Sac City is valued at $136,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,139, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $669 a month.
What is the weather like in Sac City?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 7.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.0 inches of precipitation a year and 30.9 inches of snow.
Does Sac City get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sac City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 27, 1995. 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)