The Town FilesWalnut, Iowa
City in Pottawattamie County · population 747 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $115,900
- Household income
- $62,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 67.3
Walnut is a city of 747 people in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. The median home is worth $115,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 96% of Iowa towns, easier by car than 86% of Iowa towns.
How Walnut 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 Walnut is worth $115,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $62,500, which is more affordable than 76% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $874 a month. 72.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Walnut | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $115,900 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $874 | $820 |
| Median household income | $62,500 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 72.3% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1943 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Walnut
| People | Walnut | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 67.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 54.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 13.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 14.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 13.4% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.9% | 88.5% |
Weather in Walnut
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 9.9°F. About 37.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.7 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walnut since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 16, 1992 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 55 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 5, 2000.
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 Walnut itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Towns near Walnut
- Avoca, IA6.1 mi · 1,683 people · home $173,800
- Elk Horn, IA10.9 mi · 601 people · home $133,200
- Shelby, IA11.9 mi · 727 people · home $162,500
- Atlantic, IA12.2 mi · 6,792 people · home $149,900
- Harlan, IA12.4 mi · 4,893 people · home $152,500
- Oakland, IA15.5 mi · 1,524 people · home $160,200
- Minden, IA16.8 mi · 600 people · home $170,500
- Griswold, IA18.1 mi · 994 people · home $98,900
Walnut questions
Is Walnut, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Walnut scores better for retirees than 96% of Iowa towns and quieter than 80%. 54.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 67.3).
How much does a house cost in Walnut?
The median owner-occupied home in Walnut is valued at $115,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,500, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $874 a month.
What is the weather like in Walnut?
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 9.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.1 inches of precipitation a year and 28.7 inches of snow.
Does Walnut get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walnut since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 16, 1992. 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)