Why visit Red Oak
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 8 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Red Oak Grand Theatre, Red Oak Public Library and Alfred Hebard House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 12°F, and about 27 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Red Oak
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Red Oak
Red Oak is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Iowa, United States, located along the East Nishnabotna River. The population was 5,596 in the 2020 census, a decline from the 6,197 population in 2000.
From the Wikipedia article Red Oak, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks12
Red Oak Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Public library in Iowa, United States of America
Alfred Hebard House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Chautauqua Park
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Chicago, Burlington Northern and Quincy Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Railway station in Red Oak, the United States of America
Edmund B. Osborne House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic residence located in Red Oak, Iowa, United States
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Montgomery County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Courthouse in Iowa, United States
Montgomery County Jail
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Prison in Red Oak, Iowa
Red Oak Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Red Oak, Iowa
Thos. D. Murphy Co. Factory and Power Plant
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Factory in Iowa, United States of America
Red Oak Firehouse and City Jail
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
The Restored Burlington Northern Depot & World War II Memorial Museum
Museum · 0.9 mi
305 South 2nd Street, Red Oak
Mo-Fr 10:00-12:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes8
The Agora: Coffeehaus & Event Venue
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.4 mi
404 East Coolbaugh Street, Red Oak
Fr-Su 07:00-14:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 0.4 mi
1300 North Broadway Street, Red Oak
Mo-Fr 07:00-22:00; Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 09:00-22:00
History
Red Oak derives its name from Red Oak Creek which flows through the community and was noted for the red oaks on its banks. The first settlers arrived there in the 1850s. In 1865 it became the official county seat of Montgomery County and the courthouse which had been in the middle of the county seven miles northeast in Frankfort, Iowa was towed to the community during a snow storm. That courthouse remained in place until the current Montgomery County Courthouse was built in 1891. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the History section of Red Oak, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship17
Shopping2
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Healthcare2
Map of Red Oak
60 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 12°F | 0.9 in | 7.3 in |
| Feb | 38°F | 16°F | 1.1 in | 8.1 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 28°F | 2.0 in | 2.6 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 38°F | 3.8 in | 1.2 in |
| May | 73°F | 51°F | 6.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 61°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 63°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 53°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 41°F | 3.3 in | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 28°F | 1.9 in | 1.2 in |
| Dec | 37°F | 18°F | 1.4 in | 6.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Red Oak (1 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
Montgomery County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-05-24: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2014-07-14: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2010-07-29: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Clarinda Municipal Airport (ICL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 23 miles away.
- Shenandoah 19 mi southwest, about 31 min by car
- Malvern 19 mi west, about 30 min by car
- Clarinda 22 mi southeast, about 35 min by car
- Oakland 23 mi northwest, about 36 min by car
- Corning 25 mi east, about 41 min by car
- Treynor 25 mi northwest, about 40 min by car
- Glenwood 27 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Atlantic 28 mi north, about 45 min by car
- Council Bluffs 36 mi northwest, about 58 min by car
- Bellevue 38 mi west, about 1 h 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
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- M. E. Church, Red Oak, Iowa, Steve Moses, Public domain
- The Chautauqua at Chautauqua Park (Red Oak, Iowa), Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 20160614 200 Red Oak, Iowa, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20160614 202 Red Oak, Iowa, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20160614 198 Red Oak, Iowa, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20160614 197 Red Oak, Iowa, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- Montgomery County Courthouse, Red Oak, Robert Thall, Public domain
- Red Oak, IA, Jared Winkler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Red Oak Montgomery Co Treasury, Jared Winkler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Red Oak Firehouse And City Jail, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Iowa Highway 48, Red Oak, IA, Brandonrush, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Red Oak Public Library, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Montgomery County, Iowa, Judd Furlong, CC BY 3.0
- Edmund B. Osborne House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alfred Hebard House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 500 E.Coolbaugh, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Thos. D. Murphy Co. Power zplant, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chicago, Burlington Northern And Quincy Depot, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ISS015-E-26505 - View of Nebraska, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.