Counties in Iowa by annual precipitation

Taylor County had the highest annual precipitation of 99 counties in 2015, at 55.28 inches. Dickinson County had the lowest, at 31.04 inches. The median was 42.88 inches and the figure for Iowa was 42.51 inches. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest55.28Taylor County
Lowest31.04Dickinson County
Median42.8899 counties
Iowa42.51History

Map of counties, 2015

Adair County: 50.36 inchesAdams County: 50.54 inchesAllamakee County: 36.75 inchesAppanoose County: 51.77 inchesAudubon County: 51.22 inchesBenton County: 42.34 inchesBlack Hawk County: 38.98 inchesBoone County: 47.82 inchesBremer County: 38.53 inchesBuchanan County: 37.9 inchesBuena Vista County: 39.09 inchesButler County: 40.35 inchesCalhoun County: 42.88 inchesCarroll County: 50.24 inchesCass County: 47.26 inchesCedar County: 43.5 inchesCerro Gordo County: 39.51 inchesCherokee County: 38.51 inchesChickasaw County: 35.39 inchesClarke County: 45.32 inchesClay County: 34.32 inchesClayton County: 36.85 inchesClinton County: 46.88 inchesCrawford County: 48.24 inchesDallas County: 46.9 inchesDavis County: 48.25 inchesDecatur County: 45.33 inchesDelaware County: 39.02 inchesDes Moines County: 43.79 inchesDickinson County: 31.04 inchesDubuque County: 39.53 inchesEmmet County: 32.92 inchesFayette County: 37.4 inchesFloyd County: 37.52 inchesFranklin County: 40.76 inchesFremont County: 46.79 inchesGreene County: 48.51 inchesGrundy County: 41.96 inchesGuthrie County: 50.46 inchesHamilton County: 42.6 inchesHancock County: 38.98 inchesHardin County: 42.32 inchesHarrison County: 43.7 inchesHenry County: 42.45 inchesHoward County: 35.77 inchesHumboldt County: 42.5 inchesIda County: 41.54 inchesIowa County: 43.36 inchesJackson County: 43.15 inchesJasper County: 44.43 inchesJefferson County: 42.47 inchesJohnson County: 42.98 inchesJones County: 42.49 inchesKeokuk County: 41.79 inchesKossuth County: 38.29 inchesLee County: 44.71 inchesLinn County: 42.63 inchesLouisa County: 40.33 inchesLucas County: 47.23 inchesLyon County: 31.45 inchesMadison County: 45.48 inchesMahaska County: 43.87 inchesMarion County: 47.39 inchesMarshall County: 45.95 inchesMills County: 46.11 inchesMitchell County: 39.02 inchesMonona County: 38.54 inchesMonroe County: 45.57 inchesMontgomery County: 49.03 inchesMuscatine County: 43.82 inchesO'Brien County: 34.63 inchesOsceola County: 32.89 inchesPage County: 50.23 inchesPalo Alto County: 37.09 inchesPlymouth County: 34.3 inchesPocahontas County: 40.81 inchesPolk County: 45.2 inchesPottawattamie County: 44.79 inchesPoweshiek County: 47.31 inchesRinggold County: 48.44 inchesSac County: 43.54 inchesScott County: 46.25 inchesShelby County: 48.15 inchesSioux County: 31.15 inchesStory County: 47.72 inchesTama County: 42.14 inchesTaylor County: 55.28 inchesUnion County: 48.97 inchesVan Buren County: 43.85 inchesWapello County: 42.75 inchesWarren County: 45.2 inchesWashington County: 43.36 inchesWayne County: 49.52 inchesWebster County: 43.55 inchesWinnebago County: 37.55 inchesWinneshiek County: 36.65 inchesWoodbury County: 36.93 inchesWorth County: 40.16 inchesWright County: 40.82 inches
  • Under 38
  • 38 to 41
  • 41 to 43
  • 43 to 45
  • 45 to 48
  • 48 and over
inches, 2015. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2015

Taylor County: 55.28 inchesTaylor County55.28Appanoose County: 51.77 inchesAppanoose County51.77Audubon County: 51.22 inchesAudubon County51.22Adams County: 50.54 inchesAdams County50.54Guthrie County: 50.46 inchesGuthrie County50.46Adair County: 50.36 inchesAdair County50.36Carroll County: 50.24 inchesCarroll County50.24Page County: 50.23 inchesPage County50.23Wayne County: 49.52 inchesWayne County49.52Montgomery County: 49.03 inchesMontgomery County49.03Union County: 48.97 inchesUnion County48.97Greene County: 48.51 inchesGreene County48.51Ringgold County: 48.44 inchesRinggold County48.44Davis County: 48.25 inchesDavis County48.25Crawford County: 48.24 inchesCrawford County48.24Shelby County: 48.15 inchesShelby County48.15Boone County: 47.82 inchesBoone County47.82Story County: 47.72 inchesStory County47.72Marion County: 47.39 inchesMarion County47.39Poweshiek County: 47.31 inchesPoweshiek County47.31Cass County: 47.26 inchesCass County47.26Lucas County: 47.23 inchesLucas County47.23Dallas County: 46.9 inchesDallas County46.9Clinton County: 46.88 inchesClinton County46.88Fremont County: 46.79 inchesFremont County46.79Scott County: 46.25 inchesScott County46.25Mills County: 46.11 inchesMills County46.11Marshall County: 45.95 inchesMarshall County45.95Monroe County: 45.57 inchesMonroe County45.57Madison County: 45.48 inchesMadison County45.48Decatur County: 45.33 inchesDecatur County45.33Clarke County: 45.32 inchesClarke County45.32Polk County: 45.2 inchesPolk County45.2Warren County: 45.2 inchesWarren County45.2Pottawattamie County: 44.79 inchesPottawattamie County44.79Lee County: 44.71 inchesLee County44.71Jasper County: 44.43 inchesJasper County44.43Mahaska County: 43.87 inchesMahaska County43.87Van Buren County: 43.85 inchesVan Buren County43.85Muscatine County: 43.82 inchesMuscatine County43.82Taylor County: 55.28 inchesTaylor County55.28Appanoose County: 51.77 inchesAppanoose County51.77Audubon County: 51.22 inchesAudubon County51.22Adams County: 50.54 inchesAdams County50.54Guthrie County: 50.46 inchesGuthrie County50.46Adair County: 50.36 inchesAdair County50.36Carroll County: 50.24 inchesCarroll County50.24Page County: 50.23 inchesPage County50.23Wayne County: 49.52 inchesWayne County49.52Montgomery County: 49.03 inchesMontgomery County49.03Union County: 48.97 inchesUnion County48.97Greene County: 48.51 inchesGreene County48.51Ringgold County: 48.44 inchesRinggold County48.44Davis County: 48.25 inchesDavis County48.25Crawford County: 48.24 inchesCrawford County48.24Shelby County: 48.15 inchesShelby County48.15Boone County: 47.82 inchesBoone County47.82Story County: 47.72 inchesStory County47.72Marion County: 47.39 inchesMarion County47.39Poweshiek County: 47.31 inchesPoweshiek County47.31Cass County: 47.26 inchesCass County47.26Lucas County: 47.23 inchesLucas County47.23Dallas County: 46.9 inchesDallas County46.9Clinton County: 46.88 inchesClinton County46.88Fremont County: 46.79 inchesFremont County46.79Scott County: 46.25 inchesScott County46.25Mills County: 46.11 inchesMills County46.11Marshall County: 45.95 inchesMarshall County45.95Monroe County: 45.57 inchesMonroe County45.57Madison County: 45.48 inchesMadison County45.48Decatur County: 45.33 inchesDecatur County45.33Clarke County: 45.32 inchesClarke County45.32Polk County: 45.2 inchesPolk County45.2Warren County: 45.2 inchesWarren County45.2Pottawattamie County: 44.79 inchesPottawattamie County44.79Lee County: 44.71 inchesLee County44.71Jasper County: 44.43 inchesJasper County44.43Mahaska County: 43.87 inchesMahaska County43.87Van Buren County: 43.85 inchesVan Buren County43.85Muscatine County: 43.82 inchesMuscatine County43.82
inches. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
inches
Change on 2014
1Taylor County55.28+27.7%
2Appanoose County51.77+29%
3Audubon County51.22+16.7%
4Adams County50.54+14.7%
5Guthrie County50.46+19.6%
6Adair County50.36+11.1%
7Carroll County50.24+19.7%
8Page County50.23+31.1%
9Wayne County49.52+18.6%
10Montgomery County49.03+18%
11Union County48.97+17.2%
12Greene County48.51+18.7%
13Ringgold County48.44+11.9%
14Davis County48.25+26.9%
15Crawford County48.24+5.8%
16Shelby County48.15+8%
17Boone County47.82+13.4%
18Story County47.72+10.1%
19Marion County47.39+8.2%
20Poweshiek County47.31+8.5%
21Cass County47.26+9.8%
22Lucas County47.23+16.2%
23Dallas County46.9+15.9%
24Clinton County46.88+26.7%
25Fremont County46.79+36.5%
26Scott County46.25+22.2%
27Mills County46.11+21.3%
28Marshall County45.95+10.9%
29Monroe County45.57+17%
30Madison County45.48+13.4%
31Decatur County45.33-2.4%
32Clarke County45.32+4.3%
33Polk County45.2+6.6%
33Warren County45.2+4.4%
35Pottawattamie County44.79+5.4%
36Lee County44.71+9.4%
37Jasper County44.43+4.4%
38Mahaska County43.87+2.4%
39Van Buren County43.85+13.2%
40Muscatine County43.82+5.8%
41Des Moines County43.79+8.5%
42Harrison County43.7+14.4%
43Webster County43.55+14.8%
44Sac County43.54+15.2%
45Cedar County43.5+6.6%
46Iowa County43.36+9.9%
46Washington County43.36+1.4%
48Jackson County43.15+14.6%
49Johnson County42.98+3.9%
50Calhoun County42.88+14%
51Wapello County42.75+6.8%
52Linn County42.63+8.5%
53Hamilton County42.6+7.4%
54Humboldt County42.5+15.1%
55Jones County42.49+6.6%
56Jefferson County42.47+2.9%
57Henry County42.45+6.7%
58Benton County42.34+13.2%
59Hardin County42.32+4%
60Tama County42.14+7.1%
61Grundy County41.96+7.4%
62Keokuk County41.79-1.3%
63Ida County41.54+6.5%
64Wright County40.82+5.3%
65Pocahontas County40.81+12.1%
66Franklin County40.76+0.6%
67Butler County40.35+9.6%
68Louisa County40.33+7.2%
69Worth County40.16+14.3%
70Dubuque County39.53+5.2%
71Cerro Gordo County39.51+7.9%
72Buena Vista County39.09+12.4%
73Delaware County39.02+8.5%
73Mitchell County39.02+3.9%
75Black Hawk County38.98+11.2%
75Hancock County38.98+9.6%
77Monona County38.54+4.6%
78Bremer County38.53+7.8%
79Cherokee County38.51+8.1%
80Kossuth County38.29+9.3%
81Buchanan County37.9+14.9%
82Winnebago County37.55+13%
83Floyd County37.52+0.1%
84Fayette County37.4+0.6%
85Palo Alto County37.09-0.8%
86Woodbury County36.93+1.1%
87Clayton County36.85+2.2%
88Allamakee County36.75-2.3%
89Winneshiek County36.65-3.7%
90Howard County35.77-8.2%
91Chickasaw County35.39-7.8%
92O'Brien County34.63+14.1%
93Clay County34.32+5.4%
94Plymouth County34.3+10.8%
95Emmet County32.92+11.6%
96Osceola County32.89+18.2%
97Lyon County31.45+8.4%
98Sioux County31.15+13.4%
99Dickinson County31.04+15.3%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total precipitation from January to December, in inches: rain plus the water content of snow and other frozen precipitation. NOAA computes it from its climate divisional dataset (nClimDiv): station readings interpolated onto a 5 km grid and averaged over the area.

Values are area averages, not the reading at one weather station. NOAA revises the last two years every month.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. (2026). NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties (Counties in Iowa by annual precipitation, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping

MLA 9

NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in Iowa by annual precipitation, 2015. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 6 Oct. 2026, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/iowa-counties?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 2026. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Counties in Iowa by annual precipitation, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/iowa-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2026) NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in Iowa by annual precipitation, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/iowa-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_counties_in_iowa_by_2015,
  author = {{NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}},
  title = {{NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in Iowa by annual precipitation, 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/iowa-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
TI  - NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in Iowa by annual precipitation, 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
PB  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/iowa-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/iowa-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Iowa by annual precipitation using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest annual precipitation?

Taylor County, with 55.28 inches in 2015, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which county has the lowest annual precipitation?

Dickinson County, with 31.04 inches in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Annual precipitation: other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings