Iowa sits at #3 of 44 states we track on hail density: 101.8 reports per 1,000 square miles, 3,954 reports in 67 counties. The state's largest stone, 4 inches (a grapefruit), fell in Scott County on April 4, 2023. Top three: Polk County (195), Linn County (175), Story County (153). No single county dominates.
3,954reports
67counties
4 inlargest stone
101.8per 1,000 sq mi
Year by year
Hail reports in Iowa, by year
Year
Reports
Largest
2014
495
4 in
2015
309
4 in
2016
167
2 in
2017
513
3 in
2018
309
3 in
2019
194
2.75 in
2020
268
4 in
2021
166
4 in
2022
215
3 in
2023
506
4 in
2024
344
3 in
2025
232
4 in
2026 (Jan–Jun)
236
3.5 in
2017 was the busiest year (513 reports) and 2021 the quietest (166). 331 reports a year in 2014 to 2019 against 288 in 2020 to 2025: close to flat. 2026 stands at 236 through June, against a full-year average of 310. NOAA puts reported hail damage at $19 million over the period.
Iowa: reports by month
Hail reports in Iowa by month
Jan
1
Feb
44
Mar
296
Apr
922
May
752
Jun
1038
Jul
370
Aug
259
Sep
197
Oct
61
Nov
12
Dec
2
June is the peak at 26% of reports; April follows with 23%. April to June alone bring 69%. 416 of 3,954 reports fell outside April to September.
Median build year in Iowa: 1971. 79.5% of 1,427,175 homes predate 2000. Houses permitted since 2014: 93,820, or 65.7 per 1,000 homes. Busiest year: 2021.
