The Town FilesSt. Charles, Iowa
City in Madison County · population 640 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $221,300
- Household income
- $82,841
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 33
- Median age
- 36.2
St. Charles is a city of 640 people in Madison County, Iowa. The median home is worth $221,300, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks quieter than 97% of Iowa towns, better for families than 92% of Iowa towns, more upscale than 83% of Iowa towns.
How St. Charles 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 St. Charles is worth $221,300, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $82,841, which is more affordable than 26% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $855 a month. 71.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Charles | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $221,300 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $855 | $820 |
| Median household income | $82,841 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 71.0% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in St. Charles
| People | St. Charles | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.5% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.8% | — |
| Work from home | 12.0% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 36.4 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.8% | 88.5% |
Weather in St. Charles
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 11.6°F. About 37.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.0 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 143 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Charles since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on March 5, 2022 about 7.4 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 7 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 25, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 76 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 14, 2020.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| July 29, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1930: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| March 2, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1880: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 4,235 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,189 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in St. Charles itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Towns near St. Charles
- Truro, IA5.7 mi · 509 people · home $195,100
- Winterset, IA11.4 mi · 5,353 people · home $192,500
- Indianola, IA13.6 mi · 15,833 people · home $237,500
- Norwalk, IA14.8 mi · 12,799 people · home $303,100
- Osceola, IA17.5 mi · 5,415 people · home $146,300
- Van Meter, IA17.9 mi · 1,484 people · home $264,000
- West Des Moines, IA18.2 mi · 68,723 people · home $309,000
- Murray, IA18.5 mi · 684 people · home $80,800
St. Charles questions
Is St. Charles, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Charles scores better for retirees than 64% of Iowa towns and quieter than 97%. 11.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in St. Charles?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Charles is valued at $221,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,841, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $855 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Charles?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 11.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.8 inches of precipitation a year and 30.0 inches of snow.
Does St. Charles get tornadoes?
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Charles since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on March 5, 2022. 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)