The Town FilesIowa, Louisiana
Town in Calcasieu Parish · population 3,436 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $249,200
- Household income
- $59,779
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 37.5
Iowa is a town of 3,436 people in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The median home is worth $249,200, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). It ranks more walkable than 85% of Louisiana towns, better transit than 77% of Louisiana towns, more upscale than 74% of Louisiana towns.
How Iowa ranks
Percentile among Louisiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Louisiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Iowa is worth $249,200, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $59,779, which is more affordable than 14% of Louisiana towns. Median rent is $1,098 a month. 80.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Iowa | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $249,200 | $166,450 |
| Median rent | $1,098 | $887 |
| Median household income | $59,779 | $52,134 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 80.7% | 70.4% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Iowa
| People | Iowa | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 | 38.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.0% | 17.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 15.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.8% | 20.4% |
| Veterans | 10.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 4.7% |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 25.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.1% | 84.6% |
Weather in Iowa
July highs average 91.7°F and January lows 40.3°F. About 69.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Louisiana town: 0.0 in). Expect about 93 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 25 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Iowa since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Louisiana town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 21, 1992 about 0.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 10, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on January 8, 2024.
Severe weather in Calcasieu Parish since 1996
Calcasieu Parish has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3638: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 10, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3614: Tropical Storm Francine |
| September 13, 2021 | Coastal Storm | EM-3574: Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| August 29, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4611: Hurricane Ida |
| August 27, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3568: Tropical Storm Ida |
Jobs and pay in Calcasieu Parish
Calcasieu Parish had 88,649 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,711 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Iowa itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Iowa
2 public schools with 1,575 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa High School | 6-12 | 1,051 | 14.0 |
| J. I. Watson Elementary School | PK-5 | 524 | 12.5 |
Towns near Iowa
- Hayes, LA10.5 mi · 676 people · home $173,100
- Welsh, LA12.0 mi · 3,333 people · home $174,900
- Lake Charles, LA12.2 mi · 84,872 people · home $214,300
- Moss Bluff, LA12.5 mi · 12,522 people · home $252,900
- Gillis, LA14.6 mi · 800 people · home —
- Westlake, LA15.0 mi · 4,781 people · home $166,100
- Prien, LA16.8 mi · 7,745 people · home $278,000
- Kinder, LA19.3 mi · 2,170 people · home $118,700
Iowa questions
Is Iowa, Louisiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Iowa scores better for retirees than 54% of Louisiana towns and quieter than 23%. 20.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.5).
How much does a house cost in Iowa?
The median owner-occupied home in Iowa is valued at $249,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,779, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,098 a month.
What is the weather like in Iowa?
July highs average 91.7°F and January lows 40.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 69.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Iowa get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Iowa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 21, 1992. The typical Louisiana town has had 27.
- 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)