The Town FilesCresco, Iowa
City in Howard County · population 3,888 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $117,200
- Household income
- $60,608
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 38.5
Cresco is a city of 3,888 people in Howard County, Iowa. The median home is worth $117,200, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for cycling than 98% of Iowa towns, better transit than 97% of Iowa towns, more walkable than 93% of Iowa towns.
How Cresco 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 Cresco is worth $117,200, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $60,608, which is more affordable than 76% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $715 a month. 75.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cresco | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $117,200 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $715 | $820 |
| Median household income | $60,608 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.0% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.2% | — |
Who lives in Cresco
| People | Cresco | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 17.8 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 88.5% |
Weather in Cresco
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 5.7°F. About 38.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.3 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cresco since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 5, 1965 about 1.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 12, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 20, 1998.
Severe weather in Howard County since 1996
Howard County has been included in 23 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 |
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4642: Severe Storms, 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 Howard County
Howard County had 4,402 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,223 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Cresco itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.
Public schools in Cresco
3 public schools with 1,033 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crestwood High School | 7-12 | 509 | 12.4 |
| Crestwood Elementary School | K-6 | 456 | 11.7 |
| Cresco Early Childhood Development Center | PK-PK | 68 | 22.7 |
Towns near Cresco
- Decorah, IA17.4 mi · 7,587 people · home $244,500
- New Hampton, IA24.0 mi · 3,494 people · home $167,700
Cresco questions
Is Cresco, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cresco scores better for retirees than 86% of Iowa towns and quieter than 27%. 21.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.5).
How much does a house cost in Cresco?
The median owner-occupied home in Cresco is valued at $117,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,608, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $715 a month.
What is the weather like in Cresco?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 5.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.0 inches of precipitation a year and 40.3 inches of snow.
Does Cresco get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cresco since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 5, 1965. 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)