The Town FilesWhiting, Iowa
City in Monona County · population 745 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $113,800
- Household income
- $73,333
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 48.5
Whiting is a city of 745 people in Monona County, Iowa. The median home is worth $113,800, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Iowa towns, quieter than 95% of Iowa towns, more upscale than 71% of Iowa towns.
- #1 in The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Iowa
- #6 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Iowa
- #12 in The 50 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in America
- #12 in The 50 Best Quiet, Affordable Places to Retire in America
- #22 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Iowa
- #25 in The 25 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Iowa
How Whiting 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 Whiting is worth $113,800, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $73,333, which is more affordable than 91% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $923 a month. 65.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Whiting | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $113,800 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $923 | $820 |
| Median household income | $73,333 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 65.0% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Whiting
| People | Whiting | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.7% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 14.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 16.5 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 88.5% |
Weather in Whiting
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 8.5°F. About 29.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.0 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 151 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whiting since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on July 28, 1986 about 5.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 12, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 12, 2024.
Severe weather in Monona County since 1996
Monona County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Winter Storm | DR-4870: Severe Winter Storm |
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Monona County
Monona County had 2,530 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,733 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Whiting itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Whiting
2 public schools with 147 students, about 7.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whiting Elementary School | PK-6 | 81 | 10.1 |
| Whiting Senior High School | 7-12 | 66 | 6.0 |
Towns near Whiting
- Onawa, IA7.6 mi · 2,906 people · home $145,800
- Sloan, IA8.2 mi · 1,042 people · home $205,900
- Macy, NE11.1 mi · 1,045 people · home $54,400
- Walthill, NE17.6 mi · 682 people · home $39,400
- Winnebago, NE18.1 mi · 916 people · home $66,600
- Mapleton, IA18.6 mi · 1,165 people · home $113,000
- Lyons, NE21.1 mi · 824 people · home $104,300
- Sergeant Bluff, IA21.3 mi · 5,015 people · home $298,500
Whiting questions
Is Whiting, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Whiting scores better for retirees than 99% of Iowa towns and quieter than 95%. 25.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.5).
How much does a house cost in Whiting?
The median owner-occupied home in Whiting is valued at $113,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,333, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $923 a month.
What is the weather like in Whiting?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 8.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.9 inches of precipitation a year and 31.0 inches of snow.
Does Whiting get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whiting since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on July 28, 1986. 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)