Cedar Rapids, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Cedar Rapids, 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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B
Income Around average
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C
Education Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Cedar Rapids | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 120,968 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1594.1 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.94% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.2 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 52,450 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Cedar Rapids grew by 12.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 120,968 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Cedar Rapids is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.8% of residents. That is 1.6 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 28,836 23.8% +1.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 27,330 22.6% +2.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 22,748 18.8% on par
- Boomers 61–79 18,263 15.1% -2.6 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 50.6% of the people living in Cedar Rapids and men 49.4%.
- Women 50.6% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 49.4% Iowa 50.0%
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Economy
Cedar Rapids has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Cedar Rapids | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,523 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.32% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Cedar Rapids is about 9% lower than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Cedar Rapids | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $207,540 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $960 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.9% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Cedar Rapids is about 18.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $960 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Cedar Rapids spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 133 hours, about 5.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Cedar Rapids | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.9 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 31.8 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 133 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,108 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.5% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 9,881 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,832 | 606 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Cedar Rapids is 16 minutes, shorter 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
Cedar Rapids has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Cedar Rapids | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.7% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.24 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Health
Cedar Rapids has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Cedar Rapids | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.0 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.9% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.5% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
What is the population of Cedar Rapids, Iowa?
About 120,968 people live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 52,450 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 38.2, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Cedar Rapids, Iowa?
Averaged over its land area, Cedar Rapids, Iowa has 1,594 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 18 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa?
The median home costs 3.0 times the median household income ($207,540 against $68,523), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $960 a month takes about 17% 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 Cedar Rapids, Iowa?
Unemployment in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is only 3.6%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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