Decorah is the largest city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,587 at the time of the 2020 census. Decorah is the home of Luther College, a private liberal arts college. It is known for its Norwegian-American heritage and the corresponding Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S. Route 52. Located within the Driftless Area in northeastern Iowa, Decorah is situated in the bluffs of the Upper Iowa River, which flows through the city.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Decorah ranks

All →

#1Fewest smokers in IA #3Fewest uninsured in IA #5Highest graduation rate in IA All IA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code52101

Area code563

Living in Decorah

Housing in Decorah

$310K▲ 1.6% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Decorah home is worth about $310,000, up 1.6% in a year, 29% above the Iowa typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Decorah

A⁻

Safety Grade A-

Decorah reports less crime per resident than 83% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Decorah 0.5

Iowa 2.4

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Decorah 5

Iowa 12

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Decorah

Full picture →

46% of Decorah’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Cedar Rapids (3%), Cresco (2%) and Waterloo (2%). Half commute less than 3 miles.

Cedar Rapids

Cresco

Waterloo

Waukon

46%Work in townlive and work in Decorah 3 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 5,538Jobs based herea job hub

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Decorah →

Health in Decorah

Health Grade A

Healthier than 87% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Iowa

14better than IA

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 18 are too close to call.

Conditions 4▲ 8 close Habits 2▲ 2 close Care 2▲ 5 close Mind 2▲ 3 close Everyday needs 4▲ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

8.3%Fewer adults facing food insecurityIA 12% · better 6.6%Fewer adults facing housing insecurityIA 9.4% · better

Care nearby

WinnmedDecorah · 0.8 mi · ER · rural critical access

Scenic Bluffs Health Centers, Inc - Prairie Du ChienPrairie Du Chien · 36.5 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Decorah · CMS · HRSAHealth in Decorah →

Natural hazards in Decorah

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 44% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes🥶 Cold waves

12Does Decorah flood?paid flood claims since 2016 7Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Decorah

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Decorah →

Climate in Decorah

Full climate →

Decorah has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 38 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

28° / 11°Winter

56° / 35°Spring

80° / 59°Summer

59° / 38°Fall

How much snow does Decorah get?About 38 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 7, with the last in spring around May 3.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.4° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Decorah →

Schools in Decorah

All Decorah schools →

School Grade A

The public schools Decorah’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 92% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#8Best public schoolsof 139 in IA

DistrictDecorah Community School DistrictSchools9

John Cline Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades K–2 · 300 students Carrie Lee Elementary B+Elementary · Grades 3–4 · 215 students St. Benedict SchoolElementary · Grades PK–8 · 165 students Northeast Iowa Montessori SchoolElementary · Grades PK–6 · 43 students Ne Iowa Montessori SchoolElementary · Grades PK–7 · 41 students Decorah Middle School AMiddle · Grades 5–8 · 432 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within IA. Ratings are from neighbors.