Dallas County, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Dallas 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 averageAmong the top 5 healthiest counties in Iowa
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A+
Income Top gradeWealthiest county in Iowa
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A+
Education Top gradeAmong the top 3 best educated counties in Iowa
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Dallas County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 107,966 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 182.6 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 4.14% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.8 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 42,470 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Dallas County grew by 89.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 107,966 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Dallas County is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 25.4% of residents. That is 4.9 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 21,213 19.6% -2.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 27,434 25.4% +4.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 20,829 19.3% +0.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 12,974 12.0% -5.7 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 50.6% of the people living in Dallas County and men 49.4%.
- Women 50.6% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 49.4% Iowa 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Dallas County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Dallas County has a the economy index of A+, which means it is exceptionally prosperous.
| Metric | Dallas County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $102,109 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.17% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Dallas County is about 36% higher than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Dallas County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $279,595 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,311 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.0% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Dallas County is about 17.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,311 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Dallas County spend about 41 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 170 hours, about 7.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Dallas County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.4 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 40.8 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 170 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,275 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 20.2% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 10,529 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,753 | 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 Dallas County is 20 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
Dallas County has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Dallas County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.8% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.53 | 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
Dallas County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Dallas County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.7 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 10.5% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 14.8% | 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).
Dallas County, IA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Dallas County, IA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County, IA | 107,966 | $102,109 #1/3 | $279,595 #2/3 | 20.4 min #2/3 |
| Boone County, IA | 26,668 | $84,575 | $405,319 | 20.8 min |
| Polk County, IA | 502,972 | $83,877 | $195,018 | 18.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Dallas County, Iowa.
How many people live in Dallas County, Iowa?
About 107,966 people live in Dallas County, Iowa, in 42,470 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 36.8, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Dallas County, Iowa?
Averaged over its land area, Dallas County, Iowa has 183 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 2.1 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Dallas County, Iowa?
The median home costs 2.7 times the median household income ($279,595 against $102,109), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,311 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Dallas County, Iowa?
Unemployment in Dallas County, Iowa is only 2.3%, 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 Dallas County, Iowa have a college degree?
48.8% of adults in Dallas County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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