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Johnston, IA

Full City Profile · Iowa · Polk County County

4.0 /5.0
A Great
24,196 Population 1,241/sq mi density
$103,430 Median Income $56,641 per capita
$346,200 Home Value $393,938 Zillow
$1,288 Median Rent 29.6% income on rent
50°F Avg Temperature 275 sunny days/yr
128 Violent Crime/100K 1,198 property/100K
A
Overall
4.0 / 5.0
Strong
A+
Economy
5.0 / 5.0
$103,430 median income, 1.2% unemployment
A+
Affordability
4.8 / 5.0
$346,200 home value, $1,288/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
128 violent crimes/100K
A+
Education
5.0 / 5.0
57.9% bachelor's degree or higher
Johnston experiences four distinct seasons with an average annual temperature of 50°F (10°C). Winters average 22°F in January while summers reach 75°F in July. The area gets 275 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 36.2 inches. The area receives 38.0 inches of snow annually. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 43.

Temperature

22°F Jan (-6°C) 75°F Jul (24°C)
Annual Average50.3°F
7% below US avg
January Average22°F (-6°C)
July Average75°F (24°C)
Sunny Days275 days/yr

Geography

Elevation833 ft (254 m)
Area18.3 sq mi (47.5 km²)
Population Density1,241/sq mi
Coordinates41.6920°N, 93.7245°W
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
CountyPolk County County
Nearest AirportDes Moines International (DSM)
13 miles away

Precipitation & Snow

Annual Rainfall 36.2"
5% below US avg
Snowfall 38.0"
Wettest Month (Jun) 4.84"
Driest Month (Jan) 0.87"

Air Quality

AQI Median43.0
RatingGood

Air Pollutants (EPA 2023)

Ozone (O₃)0.0449 ppm
NO₂ (Nitrogen Dioxide)10.2 ppb
PM2.5 (Fine Particles)9.4 μg/m³

Natural Hazard Risk

Overall RiskRelatively Moderate
Risk Score92.0 / 100
Social Vulnerability17.0 / 100
Community Resilience91.2 / 100

Hazard Breakdown

Tornado Relatively High
Hurricane Very Low
Earthquake Relatively Low
Wildfire Very Low
Flood Relatively Moderate
Hail Relatively High
Strong Wind Very High
Heat Wave Relatively High
Winter Weather Relatively High
Lightning Relatively Moderate
Ice Storm Relatively High
Drought Relatively High
Cold Wave Relatively High
Landslide Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (Dec 2025)

Tornado History

712 tornadoes (EF0+) within 100 km since 1950. Strongest: EF5. Total: 20 fatalities, 396 injuries.

Date Rating Distance Fatalities
Jun 13, 1976 EF5 29 km 0
Jun 27, 1953 EF5 86 km 1
Mar 5, 2022 EF4 65 km 6
Apr 8, 1999 EF4 89 km 0
May 27, 1995 EF4 77 km 0
May 27, 1995 EF4 90 km 0
May 30, 1989 EF4 80 km 0
May 24, 1989 EF4 60 km 0
Sep 28, 1986 EF4 12 km 0
May 4, 1977 EF4 100 km 0
Jun 18, 1974 EF4 10 km 2
Jun 8, 1967 EF4 99 km 0
May 5, 1965 EF4 92 km 0
May 10, 1959 EF4 78 km 0
May 10, 1953 EF4 97 km 0
Mar 5, 2022 EF3 88 km 1
Aug 20, 2019 EF3 51 km 0
Jul 19, 2018 EF3 72 km 0
Jul 19, 2018 EF3 70 km 0
Jun 22, 2015 EF3 77 km 0
Source: NOAA SPC (EF0+, 1950–2024)

Wildfire History

1 wildfire (100+ acres) within 100 km. Largest: NEAL SMITH WUI 2016 1 (1,050 ac, 2016).

Year Name Acres Distance
2016 NEAL SMITH WUI 2016 1 1,050 39 km
Source: NIFC/IRWIN (100+ acres)

Monthly Weather

Month Avg Temperature Precipitation Summary
January 22°F (-6°C) 0.9 in Coldest, Driest
February 25°F (-4°C) 1.0 in
March 37°F (3°C) 2.2 in
April 50°F (10°C) 3.4 in
May 61°F (16°C) 4.2 in
June 71°F (21°C) 4.8 in Wettest
July 75°F (24°C) 3.9 in Warmest
August 73°F (23°C) 4.1 in
September 64°F (18°C) 3.4 in
October 52°F (11°C) 2.6 in
November 37°F (3°C) 1.8 in
December 24°F (-4°C) 1.2 in

Johnston has a seasonal temperature swing of 54°F / from 22°F in January to 75°F in July. Total annual precipitation is 33.6 inches, with June being the wettest month (4.8") and January the driest (0.9").

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