Council Bluffs, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Council Bluffs, 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 average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Council Bluffs | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,893 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1245.7 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.14% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.3 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 23,641 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Council Bluffs grew by 3.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 56,893 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Council Bluffs is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 22.0% of residents. That is 1.5 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 12,042 21.2% -1.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 12,521 22.0% +1.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 11,247 19.8% +0.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 9,512 16.7% -1.0 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 51.4% of the people living in Council Bluffs and men 48.6%.
- Women 51.4% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 48.6% Iowa 50.0%
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Economy
Council Bluffs has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Council Bluffs | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,475 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.03% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Council Bluffs is about 14% lower than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Council Bluffs | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $188,339 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,029 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.0% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Council Bluffs is about 15.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,029 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Council Bluffs spend about 34 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 140 hours, about 5.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Council Bluffs | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.8 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 33.6 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 140 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,344 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 8,445 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,287 | 606 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Council Bluffs is about the same as 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
Council Bluffs has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Council Bluffs | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.5% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.37 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Health
Council Bluffs has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Council Bluffs | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.8 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.1% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 22.5% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
Council Bluffs, IA Compared With Nearby Cities
How Council Bluffs, IA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council Bluffs, IA | 56,893 | $64,475 #2/2 | $188,339 #1/2 | 16.8 min #1/2 |
| Bellevue, NE | 49,054 | $84,337 | $109,241 | 18.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Council Bluffs, Iowa.
How many people live in Council Bluffs, Iowa?
About 56,893 people live in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 23,641 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 36.3, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Council Bluffs, Iowa mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Council Bluffs, Iowa has 1,246 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 14 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Council Bluffs, Iowa?
The median home costs 2.9 times the median household income ($188,339 against $64,475), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,029 a month takes about 19% 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 Council Bluffs, Iowa?
Unemployment in Council Bluffs, Iowa is only 4.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Council Bluffs, Iowa?
18.5% of adults in Council Bluffs, 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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