The Town FilesSidney, Iowa
City in Fremont County · population 1,070 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $125,300
- Household income
- $80,714
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 44.6
Sidney is a city of 1,070 people in Fremont County, Iowa. The median home is worth $125,300, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for young professionals than 79% of Iowa towns.
How Sidney 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 Sidney is worth $125,300, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $80,714, which is more affordable than 91% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $750 a month. 78.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sidney | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,300 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $750 | $820 |
| Median household income | $80,714 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.4% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sidney
| People | Sidney | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.4% | 88.5% |
Weather in Sidney
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 13.1°F. About 33.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.6 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sidney since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 28, 1979 about 8.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 24 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 17, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 58 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 19, 2023.
Severe weather in Fremont County since 1996
Fremont County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| June 27, 2011 | Flood | DR-1998: Flooding |
| February 25, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1877: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Fremont County
Fremont County had 2,197 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,228 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Sidney itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Public schools in Sidney
2 public schools with 472 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney Elementary School | PK-6 | 268 | 17.9 |
| Sidney High School | 7-12 | 204 | 12.0 |
Towns near Sidney
- Hamburg, IA9.7 mi · 890 people · home $106,300
- Tabor, IA10.4 mi · 1,014 people · home $204,200
- Nebraska City, NE12.4 mi · 7,222 people · home $162,000
- Shenandoah, IA14.3 mi · 4,925 people · home $116,700
- Malvern, IA18.1 mi · 1,046 people · home $174,700
- Essex, IA18.7 mi · 722 people · home $89,900
- Peru, NE19.0 mi · 648 people · home $96,600
- Glenwood, IA21.2 mi · 5,073 people · home $206,200
Sidney questions
Is Sidney, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sidney scores better for retirees than 67% of Iowa towns and quieter than 40%. 26.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.6).
How much does a house cost in Sidney?
The median owner-occupied home in Sidney is valued at $125,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,714, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $750 a month.
What is the weather like in Sidney?
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 13.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.3 inches of precipitation a year and 20.6 inches of snow.
Does Sidney get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sidney since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 28, 1979. 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)