2015 · O'Brien County IA Courthouse · Wikimedia Commons
Primghar’s story
Primghar in pictures
2 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 1 places on the National Register.
PrimgharIA
A town of 1,014. A typical home worth about $180K.
Population
1,014
−1.4% since 2010
Typical home
$180K
+12.1% in a year
Household income
$79K
median
Median age
33.4
years
Jobs based here
339
Balanced
What makes Primghar stand out
The 2 things Primghar does most differently from other towns.
Small town
1,014 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Primghar’s report card
Now in Primghar
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Primghar? Is a C for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Primghar’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →59°
Clear
H 63° · L 43°
Local news
All →- Woman Charged After Allegedly Taking Alcohol from Primghar StoreNorthwest Iowa Now · Sep 29
- Former South O'Brien teacher arrested for sexual exploitationThe N'West Iowa REVIEW · Sep 8
- Primghar Man Charged After Children Allegedly Given Prescription DrugsNorthwest Iowa Now · Jul 17
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Primghar. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
A typical Primghar home is worth about $180K
The typical Primghar home is worth about $180,000, up 12.1% in a year, 25% below the Iowa typical home.
$180KZillow home value
Typical home value
Primghar$180K
Iowa$240K
+12.1%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Schools
Primghar’s public schools outperform 33% of Iowa districts
The public schools Primghar’s kids attend trail 67% of Iowa’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
CSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| South O'Brien Elem School - Primghar Center | PK–6 | 328 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state testsAll 1 schools →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Primghar has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 35 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–28°
Spring35–57°
Summer60–81°
Fall37–59°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Primghar
Most working residents leave Primghar for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are Sheldon (24%), Sanborn (9%) and Orange City (5%). Half commute less than 14 miles.
5%work in town
Where working residents work
In Primghar5%
Sheldon24%
Sanborn9%
Orange City5%
Paullina3%
14 mi
median commute distance
339
jobs based in Primghar
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 36% of U.S. communities.
36risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHail
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Health
Healthier than 40% of U.S. towns
Primghar beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3.
C+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better29 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Primghar | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 8.4% | 6.9% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8% | 6.6% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4% | 3.3% |
Sanford Sheldon Medical Center
13.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
25th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
0% of Primghar is conserved land
0.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 867 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Primghar City Park | 0.1 mi | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
About Primghar
City in Iowa, USA
Primghar is a city in, and the county seat of, O'Brien County, Iowa, United States. The population was 896 at the time of the 2020 census. Primghar is 23.5 miles south of Iowa State Highway 9, 28 miles east of Sioux Center, and 6.75 miles north of Iowa State Highway 10.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 896
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,526 ft
- ZIP code
- 51245
More about Primghar
Still missing for Primghar:a photo of Primgharupcoming events