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Living in
Fort Dodge.
About
Life in Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge is a regional center in north-central Iowa, on the Des Moines River, serving a wide farm area. It's one of the cheaper places in the Midwest to buy: the median home value is $144,100, about 57% below the national median, and rent averages $785 a month. The median household income is $60,649.
Fort Dodge at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.9%
Foreign-Born
4.1%
Broadband Internet
85.9%
of households
Population Growth
-0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Fort Dodge: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fort Dodge, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (29.1%), and 4.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.7%
of residents
65 and Older
19.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
43.0%
of households
Married Couples
34.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.15
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 19% below IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Fort Dodge
In Fort Dodge, rent runs 19% below the IA average, and home values are 31% below the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.4%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,439
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1957
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $129,923 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IA
Unemployment in Fort Dodge
Unemployment in Fort Dodge is close to the IA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Fort Dodge Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19 min avg
How Fort Dodge residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fort Dodge, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD)
Regional airport · few flights9,173 passengers boarded in 2025
- 120 mi
Eppley Airfield (OMA)
Medium hub2.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 185% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Fort Dodge runs 185% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
940.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,848.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Fort Dodge Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
60.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Webster County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Webster County, which includes Fort Dodge, the most common type is drought, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2024 | 19 | Drought | $75,000 |
| 2023 | 19 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 12 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 14 | Drought | $345,000 |
| 2020 | 13 | Drought | None reported |
| 2019 | 27 | Flood | $1.5M |
| 2018 | 43 | Flood | $935,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Webster County, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Webster County, which includes Fort Dodge, is typically good.
Median AQI
45
Webster County, county-wide
Climate81°F summers, 11°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fort Dodge has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 11°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
29°/11°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
38.3"
Annual Snowfall
39.0"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
157
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
108
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°F | 7°F | 0.95" |
| Feb | 31°F | 12°F | 1.23" |
| Mar | 44°F | 24°F | 1.96" |
| Apr | 59°F | 35°F | 3.72" |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 4.57" |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 5.53" |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 4.20" |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 4.26" |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 2.81" |
| Oct | 61°F | 38°F | 2.55" |
| Nov | 45°F | 25°F | 1.85" |
| Dec | 31°F | 14°F | 1.46" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Trinity Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge's student/teacher ratio is 16.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 21.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Fort Dodge
Iowa Central Community College
Public · 2-year · 3,103 students · in-state tuition $7,050 · 37% graduate · median earnings $46,039 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fort Dodge
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge Public Library
424 Central Ave, Fort Dodge
Cities Near Fort Dodge
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fort Dodge?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fort Dodge FAQ
Is Fort Dodge, Iowa affordable?⌄
Fort Dodge's median rent is $785/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $60,649/year. Median home value is $144,100.
Is Fort Dodge, Iowa safe?⌄
Fort Dodge's violent crime rate was 940 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2848 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fort Dodge, Iowa?⌄
Fort Dodge has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fort Dodge, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Fort Dodge is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $785/month and median household income is $60,649/year. The median home value is $144,100. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fort Dodge, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Fort Dodge is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from