The top destinations are Keosauqua (23%), Fairfield (18%) and Bonaparte (7%). The average commute for Birmingham comes to 21 minutes, above Iowa’s towns (19 minutes) but below U.S. towns (25 minutes). For residents here, the share who live below the poverty line is 13%. The median commute is under 14 miles.

1%work in town

	Birmingham	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	0.9%	31%	8%
Average trip to work	21 minutes	19 minutes	25 minutes
Below the poverty line	13%	11%	9.6%
Median household income	$65,000	$69,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Birmingham1%

Keosauqua23%

Fairfield18%

Bonaparte7%

Des Moines3%

14 mi

median commute distance

jobs based in Birmingham

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageBirmingham’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here26 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work1% work in Birmingham Commute times21 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 14 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazards

Birmingham faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Only 7 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a higher FEMA hazard score than Birmingham. One declared disaster, in 2008, has brought federal aid to Birmingham households. Expected losses in Birmingham break down as 46% from inland flooding and 14% from tornadoes.

78risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageBirmingham’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in Birmingham Get ready1.3 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Birmingham, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

Expect July afternoons of 85° and January nights of 14°, with about 23 inches of snow a winter.

23″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter18–35°

Spring40–61°

Summer62–83°

Fall42–63°

Oct 13

typical first frost

Apr 26

typical last frost

+0.2°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageBirmingham’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 85°, January lows 14°Rain & snow23″ of snow a winter · 38 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+0.2° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Housing

The median rent in Birmingham is lower than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country

Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 7.4% in value. Four fifths of Birmingham households own their home, above both the Iowa town median (70%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%).

$193KZillow home value

	Birmingham	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$421 a month	$911 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	80%	70%	73%

Typical home value

Birmingham$193K

Iowa$237K

+7.4%

value change, 1 year

Full pageBirmingham’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 7.4% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 3.0 years of income Rents$421 a month · Median rent

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Health

How healthy Birmingham is

Birmingham: just over a fifth of adults say their health is fair or poor. Two in five adults here have high blood pressure; 15% report frequent physical distress.

	Birmingham	Iowa towns	U.S. towns
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	18%	15%	14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	40%	35%	35%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	15%	13%	14%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	14%	12%	12%