The Town FilesBoone, Iowa
City in Boone County · population 12,460 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $173,000
- Household income
- $69,222
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 36
- Median age
- 41.3
Boone is a city of 12,460 people in Boone County, Iowa. The median home is worth $173,000, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Iowa towns, more vibrant than 93% of Iowa towns, more of a college town than 88% of Iowa towns.
How Boone 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 Boone is worth $173,000, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $69,222, which is more affordable than 35% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $831 a month. 71.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Boone | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $173,000 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $831 | $820 |
| Median household income | $69,222 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 71.6% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Boone
| People | Boone | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 19.2 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.2% | 88.5% |
Weather in Boone
July highs average 84.2°F and January lows 9.1°F. About 39.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.9 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Boone since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 13, 1976 about 5.0 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 12 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 99 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 27, 2008.
Severe weather in Boone County since 1996
Boone County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| 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 |
| July 29, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1930: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Boone County
Boone County had 8,930 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,922 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Boone itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in Boone
5 public schools with 2,292 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boone High School | 9-12 | 720 | 15.7 |
| Boone Middle School | 5-8 | 585 | 13.9 |
| Franklin Elementary School | 2-4 | 338 | 13.0 |
| United Community School | PK-6 | 331 | 13.2 |
| Ledges Elementary School | PK-1 | 318 | 11.0 |
Towns near Boone
- Madrid, IA12.3 mi · 2,802 people · home $185,600
- Ames, IA13.0 mi · 66,427 people · home $277,400
- Story City, IA17.4 mi · 3,352 people · home $215,600
- Huxley, IA17.9 mi · 4,244 people · home $297,100
- Perry, IA18.5 mi · 7,836 people · home $121,400
- Polk City, IA20.0 mi · 5,543 people · home $414,800
- Nevada, IA20.8 mi · 6,925 people · home $182,400
- Johnston, IA25.8 mi · 24,064 people · home $369,100
Boone questions
Is Boone, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Boone scores better for retirees than 14% of Iowa towns and quieter than 14%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.3).
How much does a house cost in Boone?
The median owner-occupied home in Boone is valued at $173,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,222, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $831 a month.
What is the weather like in Boone?
July highs average 84.2°F and January lows 9.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.1 inches of precipitation a year and 35.9 inches of snow.
Does Boone get tornadoes?
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Boone since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on June 13, 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)