The Town FilesCreston, Iowa
City in Union County · population 7,536 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,500
- Household income
- $52,633
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 43
- Median age
- 39.5
Creston is a city of 7,536 people in Union County, Iowa. The median home is worth $114,500, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more walkable than 95% of Iowa towns, better transit than 93% of Iowa towns, hipper than 91% of Iowa towns.
How Creston 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 Creston is worth $114,500, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $52,633, which is more affordable than 56% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $703 a month. 64.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Creston | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,500 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $703 | $820 |
| Median household income | $52,633 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 64.4% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Creston
| People | Creston | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 12.3 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.2% | 88.5% |
Weather in Creston
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 10.6°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.8 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Creston since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 8, 1999 about 3.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 77 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 29, 1970.
Severe weather in Union County since 1996
Union County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 Union County
Union County had 5,910 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,030 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Creston itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Creston
4 public schools with 1,371 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creston High School | 9-12 | 509 | 16.4 |
| Creston Elementary School | 1-5 | 420 | 13.1 |
| Creston Middle School | 6-8 | 283 | 11.3 |
| Creston Early Childhood Center | PK-K | 159 | 14.5 |
Towns near Creston
- Winterset, IA26.8 mi · 5,353 people · home $192,500
Creston questions
Is Creston, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Creston scores better for retirees than 23% of Iowa towns and quieter than 11%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).
How much does a house cost in Creston?
The median owner-occupied home in Creston is valued at $114,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,633, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $703 a month.
What is the weather like in Creston?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 10.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 26.8 inches of snow.
Does Creston get tornadoes?
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Creston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 8, 1999. 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)