Calhoun County, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Calhoun County, IA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below averageLess wealthy than 88% of counties in Iowa
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Calhoun County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,803 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 17.1 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.09% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.6 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 3,993 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Calhoun County declined by 1.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 9,803 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Calhoun County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 22.4% of residents. That is 4.7 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,693 17.3% -5.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,833 18.7% -1.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,923 19.6% +0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,193 22.4% +4.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Iowa, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 48.8% of the people living in Calhoun County and men 51.2%.
- Women 48.8% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 51.2% Iowa 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Calhoun County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Calhoun County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Calhoun County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,135 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.92% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Calhoun County is about 13% lower than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Calhoun County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $98,888 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $723 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.5% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Calhoun County is about 11.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $723 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Calhoun County spend about 37 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 154 hours, about 6.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Calhoun County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.5 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 37.0 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 154 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,774 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,215 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 234 | 606 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Iowa:
Sioux County (10.1 min), Union County (10.4 min), Cass County (10.6 min).
Slowest:
Monroe County (30.4 min), Madison County (30.1 min), Mills County (26.7 min).
The average commute time in Calhoun County is 18 minutes, longer than the 17 minutes in Iowa.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Calhoun County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Calhoun County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.28 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Iowa:
Johnson County (0.4), Dallas County (0.4), Story County (0.4).
Lowest:
Crawford County (0.2), Wayne County (0.2), Louisa County (0.2).
Health
Calhoun County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Calhoun County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.7 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.6% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.9% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Iowa:
Johnson County (0.8), Story County (0.8), Winneshiek County (0.8).
Lowest:
Davis County (0.8), Wayne County (0.8), Appanoose County (0.8).
Calhoun County, IA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Calhoun County, IA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County, IA | 9,803 | $65,135 #3/3 | $98,888 #3/3 | 18.5 min #3/3 |
| Carroll County, IA | 20,594 | $71,378 | $167,460 | 10.8 min |
| Webster County, IA | 36,886 | $66,913 | $110,174 | 14.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Calhoun County, Iowa.
What is the population of Calhoun County, Iowa?
About 9,803 people live in Calhoun County, Iowa, in 3,993 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 43.6, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Calhoun County, Iowa urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Calhoun County, Iowa has 17 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 20% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Calhoun County, Iowa?
The median home costs 1.5 times the median household income ($98,888 against $65,135), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $723 a month takes about 13% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Calhoun County, Iowa?
Unemployment in Calhoun County, Iowa is only 2.6%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Calhoun County, Iowa have a college degree?
20.1% of adults in Calhoun County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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