The Town FilesUnderwood, Iowa
City in Pottawattamie County · population 954 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $253,500
- Household income
- $105,341
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 33.5
Underwood is a city of 954 people in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. The median home is worth $253,500, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks easier by car than 100% of Iowa towns, better for families than 98% of Iowa towns, more of a college town than 93% of Iowa towns.
How Underwood 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 Underwood is worth $253,500, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $105,341, which is more affordable than 41% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $1,063 a month. 83.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Underwood | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $253,500 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $1,063 | $820 |
| Median household income | $105,341 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 83.5% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Underwood
| People | Underwood | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 34.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 12.4% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 88.5% |
Weather in Underwood
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 31.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.3 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Underwood since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 26, 1976 about 6.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 6, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 17, 2025.
Severe weather in Pottawattamie County since 1996
Pottawattamie County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 14, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4779: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pottawattamie County
Pottawattamie County had 41,403 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,397 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Underwood itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Underwood
3 public schools with 862 students, about 16.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underwood Elementary School | PK-5 | 415 | 16.6 |
| Underwood High School | 9-12 | 241 | 14.2 |
| Underwood Middle School | 6-8 | 206 | 22.9 |
Towns near Underwood
- Neola, IA5.9 mi · 918 people · home $205,100
- Crescent, IA9.2 mi · 628 people · home $283,900
- Minden, IA9.5 mi · 600 people · home $170,500
- Treynor, IA11.0 mi · 1,032 people · home $263,500
- Council Bluffs, IA13.3 mi · 62,799 people · home $171,800
- Carter Lake, IA13.7 mi · 3,791 people · home $169,400
- Shelby, IA14.8 mi · 727 people · home $162,500
- Oakland, IA15.4 mi · 1,524 people · home $160,200
Underwood questions
Is Underwood, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Underwood scores better for retirees than 16% of Iowa towns and quieter than 25%. 10.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.5).
How much does a house cost in Underwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Underwood is valued at $253,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $105,341, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,063 a month.
What is the weather like in Underwood?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.9 inches of precipitation a year and 27.3 inches of snow.
Does Underwood get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Underwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 26, 1976. 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)