Decatur County, Iowa · Leon
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Decatur County averages 51 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly November to March, and 40% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 7.8 times a year here, most often in July. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Backups often follow heavy rain, which Decatur County gets about 7.8 days a year, when storm water overloads sewer mains and pushes up through the lowest drain in the house.
In Decatur County, 3.01 inches fell on the wettest day of the 2015–2024 record. Storms like that, and ice dams in snowy winters, cause most roof leaks.
35% of occupied homes in Decatur County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Iowa county median of 22.1%.
With 42 muggy nights a year, mold in Decatur County can appear within days of a leak. Dry first, then clean.
Local risk profile
About 7,759 people live in Decatur County, 532 square miles in southern Iowa, in roughly 3,659 homes. The county seat is Leon, and Lamoni, Decatur and Van Wert round out the largest towns. Half the homes here were built before 1970, half after.
42/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Decatur County ranks 73 of 99 Iowa counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Decatur County ranks highest compared with other Iowa counties.
Winters here are on the gentler end for Iowa, and pipes still freeze. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 51 nights a year at or below 20°F (87th of 99) and 125 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
The longest cold spell was straight 16 days without the temperature rising above freezing, ending in January 2018. The coldest night reached about -20°F on January 30, 2019. Burst pipes usually show up when a spell like that breaks and the ice thaws.
Most freezing nights fall from November to March, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
Freezing nights typically start around Oct 20 and end around Apr 19.
Heavy rain is a bigger factor here than in most of Iowa. The county gets about 35.9 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 7.8 days of an inch or more (24th of 99). Those downpours cluster in June, July and August, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 3.01 inches on November 5, 2022. The worst three-day stretch dropped 4.16 inches, ending October 9, 2018, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 90 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
63% of homes in Decatur County predate 1980, below the Iowa county median of 72.8%, which ranks 81st of Iowa's 99 counties.
Housing age is mixed: 40% of homes are pre-1960 and 16% are 2000 or newer. Ask any plumber which era your house is from and you'll know which failures to watch for.
Manufactured and mobile homes make up 8% of the housing here. Water lines in the underbelly depend on intact skirting and working heat tape, and they're usually the first to freeze in a cold snap.
With 17% of homes empty at survey time, landlords and seasonal owners should shut off the main or schedule checks in winter. An unheated vacant house is also where many policies limit freeze coverage.
Renters occupy 30% of homes. If you rent, the building is usually the landlord's to repair, but your belongings are only covered by renters insurance.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 42 times a year here, above the Iowa county median of 29. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in Decatur County's occupied homes: 35% utility gas, 27% electric, 29% propane and 6% wood. Wood and propane heat are above the Iowa norm. Annual chimney and vent inspection, which the NFPA recommends, is one of the most effective fire-prevention habits for these homes.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Decatur County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Every neighboring county gets more pipe-freeze nights than Decatur. Wayne County has the oldest housing nearby, with 69% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Decatur | Iowa median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 40% | 48% | 79 of 99 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 63% | 73% | 81 of 99 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 16% | 13% | 34 of 99 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 7.5% | 3.2% | 8 of 99 |
| Vacant homes | 17% | 9.5% | 11 of 99 |
| Wood or propane heat | 35% | 22% | 15 of 99 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 51/yr | 62/yr | 87 of 99 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 7.8/yr | 7.1/yr | 24 of 99 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 90/yr | 94/yr | 84 of 99 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 42/yr | 29/yr | 5 of 99 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Iowa county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Decatur County: freezing from November to March, heavy rain in June, July and August.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology