Is Barnum, IA a Good Place to Live?
Barnum is a small town of 304 in Iowa, with a median household income of $79,450 and a 3.6% unemployment rate.
Strengths: Barnum stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Barnum is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Barnum city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Cost of living data is based on the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for the Barnum metro area.
| Metric | Barnum, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $132,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 93.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $79,450 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeBarnum's violent crime rate is 841.1 per 100,000 residents — 121% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Barnum is served primarily by Manson Northwest Webster Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Barnum, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Manson Northwest Webster Comm School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 6.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Barnum sees average highs of 25.5°F in January and 82.7°F in July, with 35.0 inches of annual precipitation and 39.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Barnum, IA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 25.5°F |
| Average High — July | 82.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Barnum, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 304 | — |
| Median Age | 27.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 20.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 96.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 43.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 5.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Barnum
Barnum, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: