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Primghar, IA

City in O'Brien County, Iowa.

Population

1,014

Land area

1.4sq mi

People per sq mi

746

ZIP codes

0

Primghar and its ZIP codes

Full map

Primghar at a glance

  • Primghar is about 13 times as dense as Iowa as a whole.
  • Households here earn a median of $78,750 a year, 5% more than the Iowa figure of $75,059.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $147,500 (29% below Iowa) and median rent is $792 a month.

Local data for Primghar, IA

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Primghar, IA, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$78,750

Poverty rate

6.3%

Median home value

$147,500

Median rent

$792/mo

Homeownership

82.0%

Bachelor's or higher

20.9%

Median age

33.4

Average commute

29.0 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (422), Dutch Americans (158), Irish Americans (109).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for O'Brien County. PPP loans are for Primghar.

Details

Unemployment rate

2.4%

Aug 2026, -0.4 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$49,710

6,559 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$67,449

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$101M

FY 2026, $7,130 per person

O'Brien County economyFederal spending

How people get to work

Primghar, IA, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone78.5%
  • Carpooled12.5%
  • Public transit0.0%
  • Walked4.0%
  • Bicycle0.0%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.4%
  • Worked from home4.6%

Average one-way commute: 29.0 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Primghar, IA, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Very Low

Top: hail

Storm events since 1996

721

Countywide, mostly hail

Flood insurance policies

5

0.1% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

85° / 9°F

31.3 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone1 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Primghar, IA, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

39.0%

U.S. 33.3% +5.7 pts

Diabetes

12.4%

U.S. 12.1% about the same

Smoking

16.4%

U.S. 12.8% +3.6 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

7.9%

U.S. 11.1% -3.2 pts

Cities near Primghar

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
ArcherCity6.6 mi0.1
SanbornCity6.7 mi1.9
PaullinaCity8.1 mi0.9
HartleyCity9.6 mi1.3
SutherlandCity10 mi0.8
CalumetCity10 mi0.3
SheldonCity13 mi4.8
MelvinCity14 mi0.2
HospersCity14 mi0.5
GranvilleCity15 mi0.3
EverlyCity16 mi1
LarrabeeCity16 mi0.1
RoyalCity17 mi0.3
AshtonCity17 mi1.1
PetersonCity18 mi0.5
MatlockCity19 mi0.4

Frequently asked questions

What county is Primghar, IA in?
Primghar is in O'Brien County, Iowa.
What is the population of Primghar, IA?
About 1,014 people live in Primghar, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Primghar?
Nearby places include Archer (6.6 mi), Sanborn (6.7 mi), Paullina (8.1 mi), Hartley (9.6 mi), Sutherland (10 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023