The Town FilesSaylorville, Iowa
Community in Polk County · population 3,584 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $314,300
- Household income
- $117,821
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 56
- Median age
- 50.5
Saylorville is a community of 3,584 people in Polk County, Iowa. The median home is worth $314,300, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for young professionals than 92% of Iowa towns, more upscale than 90% of Iowa towns, more vibrant than 82% of Iowa towns.
How Saylorville 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 Saylorville is worth $314,300, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $117,821, which is more affordable than 26% of Iowa towns. 93.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Saylorville | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $314,300 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | — | $820 |
| Median household income | $117,821 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 93.7% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Saylorville
| People | Saylorville | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 13.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 16.6% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.3% | 88.5% |
Weather in Saylorville
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 11.7°F. About 37.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.7 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
56 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Saylorville since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 14 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on September 28, 1986 about 5.0 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 152 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 361 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on July 9, 2021.
Severe weather in Polk County since 1996
Polk County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| May 14, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4779: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Polk County
Polk County had 317,845 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,557 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Saylorville itself the ACS puts it at 11.4%.
Towns near Saylorville
- Ankeny, IA3.7 mi · 67,887 people · home $331,000
- Johnston, IA5.1 mi · 24,064 people · home $369,100
- Windsor Heights, IA6.9 mi · 5,252 people · home $267,900
- Des Moines, IA7.5 mi · 214,133 people · home $194,700
- Altoona, IA7.9 mi · 19,565 people · home $274,600
- Pleasant Hill, IA8.5 mi · 10,147 people · home $295,100
- Urbandale, IA8.5 mi · 45,580 people · home $335,500
- Polk City, IA8.6 mi · 5,543 people · home $414,800
Saylorville questions
Is Saylorville, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Saylorville scores better for retirees than 18% of Iowa towns and quieter than 17%. 20.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.5).
How much does a house cost in Saylorville?
The median owner-occupied home in Saylorville is valued at $314,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $117,821, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Saylorville?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 11.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.0 inches of precipitation a year and 24.7 inches of snow.
Does Saylorville get tornadoes?
56 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Saylorville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on September 28, 1986. 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)