Worth County, Iowa · Northwood
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Worth County averages 77 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly November to March, and 61% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 8.2 times a year here, most often in June. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Worth County spike on heavy-rain days, about 8.2 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 90 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
34% of occupied homes in Worth County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Iowa county median of 22.1%.
About 16 nights a year here stay at 65°F or warmer, so basements and crawl spaces can grow mold even without a leak.
Local risk profile
With 3,474 homes and around 7,350 residents, Worth County is 400 square miles of northern Iowa. Northwood is the county seat; Manly, Grafton and Kensett are the next largest communities. It has some of the oldest housing in the state: the median home went up in 1948.
78/100 Water Damage Risk Index: High Worth County ranks 1 of 99 Iowa counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Worth County ranks highest compared with other Iowa counties.
Worth County gets more hard-freeze nights than most of Iowa. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 77 nights a year at or below 20°F (8th of 99) and 155 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
Cold snaps are the real risk. The worst in the record lasted 31 days below freezing (ending February 2021), and the low bottomed out near -30°F on January 31, 2019.
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 13 and end around May 1.
Heavy rain is a bigger factor here than in most of Iowa. The county gets about 37.3 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 8.2 days of an inch or more (15th of 99). Those downpours cluster in May, June and July, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 3.64 inches on September 22, 2016. The worst three-day stretch dropped 5.44 inches, ending August 29, 2021, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
About 90 days a year swing from below freezing at night to above freezing by day. Those freeze-thaw cycles feed ice dams on roofs, open cracks in foundations and driveways, and stress pipes that are already marginal.
Housing
Roughly 82% of the county's housing was built before 1980. That puts Worth among the oldest housing stocks of Iowa's 99 counties.
Before 1960 is when 61% of these homes went up. Galvanized supply lines and cast iron drains were standard then, and after 60-plus years both corrode and crack, often out of sight inside a wall or under a slab.
Beyond water
Worth County averages 16 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in June. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30 to 50%. Basements can pass 60% on their own in summer, so a dehumidifier matters even without a leak, and anything wet should be dried within 24 to 48 hours.
Mold remediation: what to expectBy main heating fuel, Worth County homes break down as 52% utility gas, 14% electric, 31% propane and 3% 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 Worth County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Winnebago gets more pipe-freeze nights than Worth. Winnebago County has the oldest housing nearby, with 84% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Worth | Iowa median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 61% | 48% | 3 of 99 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 82% | 73% | 12 of 99 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 9.5% | 13% | 80 of 99 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 1.6% | 3.2% | 83 of 99 |
| Vacant homes | 8.5% | 9.5% | 65 of 99 |
| Wood or propane heat | 34% | 22% | 18 of 99 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 77/yr | 62/yr | 8 of 99 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 8.2/yr | 7.1/yr | 15 of 99 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 90/yr | 94/yr | 84 of 99 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 16/yr | 29/yr | 94 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 Worth County: freezing from November to March, heavy rain in May, June and July.
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