Hancock County, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Hancock 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.
-
B
Health Around average
-
B
Income Around average
-
D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Hancock County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,671 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 18.6 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.38% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.0 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,673 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Hancock County declined by 5.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 10,671 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Hancock County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 21.6% of residents. That is 3.9 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,845 17.3% -5.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,877 17.6% -2.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,265 21.2% +2.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,305 21.6% +3.9 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 49.4% of the people living in Hancock County and men 50.6%.
- Women 49.4% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 50.6% Iowa 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Hancock County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Hancock County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Hancock County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,468 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.16% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Hancock County is about 8% lower than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Hancock County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $83,750 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $735 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.5% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Hancock County is about 9.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $735 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Hancock County spend about 33 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 136 hours, about 5.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Hancock County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.3 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.7 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 136 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,224 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,387 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 353 | 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 Hancock County 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
Hancock County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Hancock County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.8% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.23 | 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
Hancock County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Hancock County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.6 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.8% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.0% | 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).
Hancock County, IA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Hancock County, IA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County, IA | 10,671 | $69,468 #1/2 | $83,750 #1/2 | 16.3 min #2/2 |
| Cerro Gordo County, IA | 42,632 | $68,649 | $57,820 | 13.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Hancock County, Iowa.
How many people live in Hancock County, Iowa?
About 10,671 people live in Hancock County, Iowa, in 4,673 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 43.0, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Hancock County, Iowa urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Hancock County, Iowa has 19 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 22% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Hancock County, Iowa an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.2 times the median household income ($83,750 against $69,468), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $735 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 Hancock County, Iowa?
Unemployment in Hancock County, Iowa is only 1.9%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Hancock County, Iowa?
18.8% of adults in Hancock 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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