The Town FilesSumner, Iowa
City in Bremer County · population 2,030 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $118,000
- Household income
- $58,854
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 47.5
Sumner is a city of 2,030 people in Bremer County, Iowa. The median home is worth $118,000, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more walkable than 88% of Iowa towns, more vibrant than 74% of Iowa towns.
How Sumner 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 Sumner is worth $118,000, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $58,854, which is more affordable than 71% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $902 a month. 77.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sumner | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,000 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $902 | $820 |
| Median household income | $58,854 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 77.9% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1943 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sumner
| People | Sumner | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 88.5% |
Weather in Sumner
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 7.3°F. About 38.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.4 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sumner since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 10, 1981 about 1.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 14, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 12, 2013.
Severe weather in Bremer County since 1996
Bremer County has been included in 17 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 |
| August 27, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4334: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| October 31, 2016 | Flood | DR-4289: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Bremer County
Bremer County had 9,685 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,555 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Sumner itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Sumner
2 public schools with 443 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumner-Fredericksburg High School | 9-12 | 245 | 12.3 |
| Durant Elementary School | PK-4 | 198 | 14.1 |
Towns near Sumner
- Tripoli, IA8.6 mi · 1,191 people · home $120,500
- Fredericksburg, IA9.4 mi · 987 people · home $201,300
- Readlyn, IA12.0 mi · 845 people · home $168,400
- Fairbank, IA14.7 mi · 1,111 people · home $186,900
- Fayette, IA14.9 mi · 1,256 people · home $119,000
- Oelwein, IA15.4 mi · 5,920 people · home $96,300
- West Union, IA16.2 mi · 2,490 people · home $121,000
- Denver, IA17.3 mi · 1,919 people · home $229,200
Sumner questions
Is Sumner, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sumner scores better for retirees than 60% of Iowa towns and quieter than 44%. 23.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.5).
How much does a house cost in Sumner?
The median owner-occupied home in Sumner is valued at $118,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,854, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $902 a month.
What is the weather like in Sumner?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 7.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.6 inches of precipitation a year and 39.4 inches of snow.
Does Sumner get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sumner since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 10, 1981. 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)