Marion, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Marion, 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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B
Education Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Marion | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,016 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1667.3 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 2.93% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.5 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 12,397 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Marion grew by 34.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 30,016 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Marion is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 22.9% of residents. That is 2.4 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,319 17.7% -4.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 6,868 22.9% +2.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 6,119 20.4% +1.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,231 17.4% -0.3 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 51.9% of the people living in Marion and men 48.1%.
- Women 51.9% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 48.1% Iowa 50.0%
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Economy
Marion has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Marion | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $88,036 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.73% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Marion is about 17% higher than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Marion | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $375,339 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $929 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Marion is about 33.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $929 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Marion spend about 35 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 146 hours, about 6.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Marion | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.5 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 35.0 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 146 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,527 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 19.1% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,137 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,326 | 606 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Marion 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
Marion has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Marion | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.3% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.41 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Health
Marion has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Marion | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.9 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 10.7% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 14.3% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
Marion, IA Compared With Nearby Cities
How Marion, IA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion, IA | 30,016 | $88,036 #1/2 | $375,339 #1/2 | 17.5 min #2/2 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 120,968 | $68,523 | $207,540 | 15.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Marion, Iowa.
How many people live in Marion, Iowa?
About 30,016 people live in Marion, Iowa, in 12,397 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 42.5, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
Is Marion, Iowa mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Marion, Iowa has 1,667 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 19 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Marion, Iowa?
The median home costs 4.3 times the median household income ($375,339 against $88,036), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $929 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 Marion, Iowa?
Unemployment in Marion, Iowa is only 4.0%, 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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