What are the schools like in Otho, IA?

School district data for Otho is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the median household income in Otho?

The median household income in Otho, IA is $40,673 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 3.4%.

What is the weather like in Otho, IA?

Otho has an average high temperature of 25.5°F in January and 82.7°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 38.3 inches and annual snowfall averages 39.0 inches.

Otho, IA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Otho, IA affordable or expensive?

Otho's cost of living index is 85, where 100 represents the national average. This means Otho is 15% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $83,400 and the median rent is $550 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Otho, IA?

Otho has a violent crime rate of 841.1 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2442.6 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Otho, IA a Good Place to Live?

Otho is a small town of 421 in Iowa, with a median household income of $40,673 and a 3.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 85 (US average = 100), which is 15% below the national average.

Strengths: Otho stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Otho is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Otho city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 84.6

Otho's overall cost of living index is 84.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Otho costs roughly 15% less than the average American city.

Metric	Otho, IA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$83,400	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$550	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	80.4%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$40,673	$74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Otho's violent crime rate is 841.1 per 100,000 residents — 121% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

841.1 /100k

Property Crime

2442.6 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric	Otho, IA	National Avg
School District	N/A	—
Elementary Schools	N/A	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	N/A	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	9.1%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	88.6%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Otho sees average highs of 25.5°F in January and 82.7°F in July, with 38.3 inches of annual precipitation and 39.0 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Otho, IA
Average High — January	25.5°F
Average High — July	82.7°F
Annual Precipitation	38.3"
Annual Snowfall	39.0"

Demographics

Metric	Otho, IA	National Avg
Population	421	—
Median Age	55.6	38.9
Unemployment Rate	3.4%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	15.9 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	92.6%	59.3%
Black or African American	1.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1.4%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	15.0%	22.2%
65 and over	30.2%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Coalville, IA 2 mi Fort Dodge, IA 6 mi Lehigh, IA 7 mi Moorland, IA 8 mi Duncombe, IA 8 mi

ZIP Codes in Otho

Otho, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

50569

Otho vs Other Cities

Otho, IA vs Coalville, IA Otho, IA vs Fort Dodge, IA Otho, IA vs Lehigh, IA Otho, IA vs Moorland, IA Otho, IA vs Duncombe, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Otho, IA affordable or expensive?

Otho's cost of living index is 85, where 100 is the national average. That makes Otho roughly 15% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $83,400 and median rent is $550/month.

What is the crime rate in Otho, IA?

Otho's violent crime rate is 841.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2442.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Otho?

School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.

Is Otho, IA a good place to live?

Otho, IA has a population of 421, a median household income of $40,673, and an unemployment rate of 3.4%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Otho?

Otho averages 25.5°F in January and 82.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.3 inches with about 39.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Otho?

Otho, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50569.

What is the population of Otho?

The population of Otho, Iowa is 421 with a median age of 55.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Otho?

Key numbers for living in Otho: cost of living index 85 (100 = US average), median home $83,400, median household income $40,673, crime index 179 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Otho side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.