The Town FilesSibley, Iowa
City in Osceola County · population 2,860 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $122,000
- Household income
- $55,070
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 37.1
Sibley is a city of 2,860 people in Osceola County, Iowa. The median home is worth $122,000, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for cycling than 97% of Iowa towns, better transit than 88% of Iowa towns, more of a college town than 85% of Iowa towns.
How Sibley 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 Sibley is worth $122,000, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $55,070, which is more affordable than 56% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $774 a month. 72.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sibley | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $122,000 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $774 | $820 |
| Median household income | $55,070 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 72.8% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sibley
| People | Sibley | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.5% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.8% | — |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 14.4 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.5% | 88.5% |
Weather in Sibley
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 4.7°F. About 30.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.5 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 173 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sibley since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 25, 2010 about 1.1 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 53 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 12, 2001.
Severe weather in Osceola County since 1996
Osceola County has been included in 15 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 |
| 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 |
| August 20, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4386: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Osceola County
Osceola County had 2,676 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,894 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Sibley itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Sibley
3 public schools with 699 students, about 11.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sibley Ocheyedan Elementary School | PK-4 | 302 | 11.6 |
| Sibley-Ocheyedan High School | 9-12 | 208 | 13.0 |
| Sibley-Ocheyedan Middle School | 5-8 | 189 | 11.1 |
Towns near Sibley
- Sheldon, IA16.1 mi · 5,512 people · home $192,700
- Worthington, MN17.3 mi · 13,947 people · home $210,300
- Rock Rapids, IA21.3 mi · 2,611 people · home $206,700
- Luverne, MN29.3 mi · 4,946 people · home $208,000
Sibley questions
Is Sibley, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sibley scores better for retirees than 64% of Iowa towns and quieter than 31%. 20.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Sibley?
The median owner-occupied home in Sibley is valued at $122,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,070, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $774 a month.
What is the weather like in Sibley?
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 4.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.2 inches of precipitation a year and 41.5 inches of snow.
Does Sibley get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sibley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 25, 2010. 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)