Why visit Milford
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 20 parks and trails, 14 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Arnolds Park, Milford Pioneer Theatre, Pillsbury Point State Park and Iowa Lakeside Laboratory Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 8°F, and about 38 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Milford
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Milford
Milford is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,321 at the time of the 2020 census. The town includes many businesses related to its location in the Iowa Great Lakes region and is often referred to as the southern gateway to the Iowa Great Lakes.
From the Wikipedia article Milford, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks5
Pillsbury Point State Park
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
State park in Dickinson County, Iowa
Iowa Lakeside Laboratory Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Historic district and campus in Dickinson County, Iowa
Spirit Lake Massacre Log Cabin
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Higgins Museum of National Bank Notes
Museum · 2.9 mi
Currency museum in Iowa, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds20
Emerson Bay State Recreation Area
Park · 1.7 mi
Park in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States of America
8 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes14
The Peacock
Diner · American · 1.6 mi
575 US 71 South, Arnolds Park
2 more on the map.
History
The Iowa Great Lakes Area was settled in the 1850s. It attracted many colonists because of the rich black soil, water from the lakes, and an abundance of wild game and fish. As the population increased at these times, there was a need for a good flouring mill because the nearest mills were those in Mankato, Minnesota and Fort Dodge, Iowa. In 1861, there was an attempt to build one on Mill Creek, at the outlet of the Great Lakes but the attempt was abandoned after the Dakota-U.S. War of 1862 and the extremely low water level that year. In 1868 one was successfully built, and sawmill was built and put into operation in 1869. The mills began to attract many customers, and the small community began to grow around Old Town. In 1870, the company that operated the mill bought a section of land northwest of Old Town and laid out a plan for the town of Milford.
From the History section of Milford, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship6
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Healthcare2
Map of Milford
68 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 8°F | 0.7 in | 8.7 in |
| Feb | 29°F | 12°F | 0.7 in | 9.3 in |
| Mar | 42°F | 24°F | 1.6 in | 5.3 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 35°F | 3.2 in | 2.5 in |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 4.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 58°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 38°F | 2.2 in | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 24°F | 1.4 in | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 29°F | 13°F | 0.8 in | 8.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Milford 4 Nw (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Dickinson County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-06-24: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2018-08-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2014-07-24: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Spirit Lake Municipal Airport (RTL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Spirit Lake 6 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Lake Park 12 mi northwest, about 19 min by car
- Spencer 13 mi south, about 22 min by car
- Estherville 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Jackson 21 mi north, about 34 min by car
- Emmetsburg 28 mi southeast, about 45 min by car
- Worthington 30 mi northwest, about 49 min by car
- Sibley 30 mi west, about 49 min by car
- Primghar 30 mi southwest, about 48 min by car
- Sheldon 37 mi west, about 59 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.