Fort Madison, IA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Iowa·Fort Madison

Why look at Fort Madison?

  • Affordable housing. Median home is $111k — well below the national median.
  • Stable market. Home values -0.4% year-over-year — neither overheated nor falling.
  • Shrinking population. ~-0.7%/yr — be aware of demand softness.
View watchlist →
51
Stable
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Fort Madison stands

Population shrinking 0.7% per year.

Median home $111,271
1-year -0.4%
5-yr growth +2.1%
vs 5-yr peak -2.4%
Population -0.7%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2024-08$111k$71k$87k$103k$119k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
10/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
40/100
Marginal for remote
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
48 · w22%
Home 5-yr growth
47 · w22%
Distance from peak
76 · w18%
Population growth
34 · w16%
Home 10-yr growth
51 · w10%

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Lee County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Lee County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Iowa context

Schools

4 public schools1,748 students13.2:1 student-teacher

Fort Madison is served by 4 public schools enrolling about 1,748 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 13.2:1 — smaller classes than the US average of ~15:1. Public-school facts are from the NCES Common Core of Data; check ratings and attendance boundaries by exact address below.

Ratings, districts & boundaries:

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
28° / 11°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
84° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
200
~55% of year
Annual precip
36″ rain
30″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Fort Madison listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Fort Madison-Keokuk area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$70,500
Iowa state median
Top industries (state-level)
InsuranceManufacturingAgriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Find more cities like Fort Madison

Open the matchmaker pre-filled to match Fort Madison’s price band, region, and size — refine to taste.

Find more like Fort Madison →

Cities similar to Fort Madison

Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.

See all Iowa cities →    Browse best-of lists →

Cost-of-ownership at the median

Tax burden
moderate state tax
~29% all-in for a $150k earner
Property tax / yr
$2k
1.50% × median home $111k
Climate / hazard
limited data
Plan for the local hazard profile.

Snapshot assumes a $150k single earner buying at the median home. Your real numbers depend on bracket, deductions, school district, and HOA. Use the affordability calculator and net-pay calculator for your specific case.

Schools & crime context

Schools

School quality is district-by-district and varies dramatically within a city. Check GreatSchools or your state DOE rankings for specific schools before deciding. City-level school data coming soon.

Crime

Iowa: 248 violent crimes per 100K residents (state avg, FBI UCR). Neighborhood-level rates can vary 10× within one city — research specific areas via CrimeGrade or local police data.

Compare to where you live now

Set your current city once and we’ll show the cost delta on every city profile.

Getting here by train

Fort Madison is served by an Amtrak train station — Historic Santa Fe Station. Use the map to find it, and open its Google profile for photos, hours, and reviews.

📍 810 10th Street, Suite 1, Fort Madison, IA 52627Station code FMDStation Building (with waiting room)

View Historic Santa Fe Station on Google Maps →

Jobs & hiring

In Fort Madison, unemployment runs higher at 7.3%, and hiring momentum has been modest. The strongest local sectors are hospitality & tourism, healthcare and skilled trades & manufacturing.

7.3% unemployment37/100 hiring momentum$50,705 median household income24/100 remote-work fit

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