PowerOutageHistory
BReliability Grade

Decatur CountyPower Outage History

20142025 · Iowa

Better than average — fewer or shorter outages than most counties.

How grades are calculated

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Reliability Rank
Higher percentile = more reliable
Nationwide79th pct
In Iowa67th pct
Total events
369
Avg duration
2.5 hrs
Longest outage
31 hrs
Customers served
3,941
Utility customers in county

Outages by year

Outages by month (seasonality)

Worst outage events on record

DateDurationCustomers affectedCause
Sep 20, 20192 hrs1,885 (48%)Heavy Rain
May 7, 20248 hrs908 (23%)Hail
Nov 26, 20152 hrs742 (19%)Unnamed event
Mar 14, 20182 hrs733 (19%)Unnamed event
Jun 28, 20182 hrs674 (17%)Unnamed event

Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Decatur County recorded 369 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.5 hours per event.

The single worst outage on record in Decatur County started September 20, 2019 (Heavy Rain), lasting 2 hours and leaving up to 1,885 customers without power (48% of the county) at its peak.

June has historically been the worst month for outages in Decatur County, with 56 events recorded during that month across the dataset.

Based on this history, Decatur County earns a Reliability Grade of B, placing it in the 79th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).

Sized for Decatur County's outage profile

See more picks in our Best Small Power Stations (Under 1,000Wh) roundup.

Outage-prep kit

See our outage-prep guides.

Similar counties in Iowa

Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Decatur County.

CountyGradeNational percentile
O'Brien CountyB79th
Warren CountyB79th
Hamilton CountyB80th
Crawford CountyB79th
Cerro Gordo CountyA80th

Most reliable counties in Iowa

The top 3 counties in Iowa by reliability grade and percentile.

CountyGradeNational percentile
Clay CountyA97th
Emmet CountyA95th
Bremer CountyA94th

Least reliable counties in Iowa

The bottom 3 counties in Iowa by reliability grade and percentile.

CountyGradeNational percentile
Marshall CountyF6th
Tama CountyF12th
Jasper CountyF14th

Most reliable counties nationally

The top 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.

CountyStateGradeNational percentile
Clay CountySouth DakotaA100th
Clearwater CountyMinnesotaA99th
Limestone CountyAlabamaA99th

Least reliable counties nationally

The bottom 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.

CountyStateGradeNational percentile
Clay CountyWest VirginiaF0th
Lincoln CountyWest VirginiaF0th
Cameron ParishLouisianaF0th

FAQ

How often does power go out in Decatur County?

Between 2014 and 2025, Decatur County recorded 369 outage events, averaging 2.5 hours each.

What is Decatur County's reliability grade?

Decatur County has a Reliability Grade of B, in the 79th national percentile.

What was the worst power outage in Decatur County?

The worst outage on record started September 20, 2019 (Heavy Rain), lasting 2 hours and affecting up to 1,885 customers.

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Data: ORNL EAGLE-I Recorded Electricity Outages (2014–2025), CC BY 4.0. Storm names: NOAA Storm Events Database. Last data refresh: 2025. See methodology.