The Town FilesGrundy Center, Iowa
City in Grundy County · population 2,796 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $177,900
- Household income
- $80,357
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 41.8
Grundy Center is a city of 2,796 people in Grundy County, Iowa. The median home is worth $177,900, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of Iowa towns, better for families than 88% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 87% of Iowa towns.
How Grundy Center 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 Grundy Center is worth $177,900, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $80,357, which is more affordable than 56% of Iowa towns. 80.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Grundy Center | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $177,900 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | — | $820 |
| Median household income | $80,357 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 80.3% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Grundy Center
| People | Grundy Center | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.1% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.6% | 88.5% |
Weather in Grundy Center
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 8.7°F. About 36.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.3 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grundy Center since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 22, 1991 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 18, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 31, 1971.
Severe weather in Grundy County since 1996
Grundy County has been included in 15 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 |
| August 5, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4187: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 31, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4135: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Grundy County
Grundy County had 4,147 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,116 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Grundy Center itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Grundy Center
3 public schools with 742 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grundy Center Elementary School | K-4 | 278 | 13.2 |
| Grundy Center High School | 9-12 | 247 | 12.4 |
| Grundy Center Middle School | 5-8 | 217 | 12.8 |
Towns near Grundy Center
- Eldora, IA16.7 mi · 2,663 people · home $133,000
- Hudson, IA17.2 mi · 2,546 people · home $242,700
- Cedar Falls, IA19.5 mi · 40,713 people · home $263,600
- Waterloo, IA23.3 mi · 67,314 people · home $152,600
- Marshalltown, IA23.7 mi · 27,591 people · home $127,700
- Evansdale, IA26.7 mi · 4,561 people · home $150,300
- Iowa Falls, IA27.3 mi · 5,106 people · home $123,800
- Waverly, IA29.2 mi · 10,394 people · home $223,300
Grundy Center questions
Is Grundy Center, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Grundy Center scores better for retirees than 87% of Iowa towns and quieter than 38%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.8).
How much does a house cost in Grundy Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Grundy Center is valued at $177,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,357, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Grundy Center?
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 8.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.8 inches of precipitation a year and 32.3 inches of snow.
Does Grundy Center get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grundy Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 22, 1991. 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)