OthoIA
A town of 420.
Is Otho a good place to live?
Otho has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
420 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Otho: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Otho, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Otho.
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, the median rent in Otho is lower
A typical home in Otho is worth about $125,000, down 3.6% in a year, 47% below the Iowa typical home. Otho: 73% of households live in a home they own, where Iowa’s towns sit at 70% and U.S. towns at 73%.
| Otho | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $665 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
In Otho, the median household income runs lower than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
Otho: 16% of residents live below the poverty line, above both Iowa’s towns (11%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Half commute less than 13 miles. The top destinations are Fort Dodge (30%), Dayton (6%) and Ames (5%).
| Otho | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $43,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The biggest natural risk in Otho is inland flooding, at a high overall level
Compared with just over two thirds of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Otho is higher. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2010. Expected losses in Otho break down as 33% from inland flooding and 26% from tornadoes.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Otho has four seasons and pleasant summers
The range runs from 9° on a January night to 83° on a July afternoon, with about 39 inches of snow a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Otho is
In Otho, 39% of adults have high blood pressure. 20% of adults binge drink here.
| Otho | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| What stands out | Otho | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 8.7% |
| More adults with high blood pressure | 38.7% | 33.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Otho
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Otho
About 4 of every 100 Otho residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
100% of working residents leave Otho for work
Where Otho’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Otho
City in Iowa, USA
Otho is a city in Webster County, Iowa, United States. The population was 429 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,122 ft
- ZIP code
- 50569
Questions about Otho
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Otho, IA a good place to live?
Otho has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.