Mitchell County, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Mitchell 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 | Mitchell County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,577 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 22.5 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.21% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.7 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,598 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Mitchell County declined by 2.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 10,577 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Mitchell County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 21.0% of residents. That is 2.1 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,961 18.5% -3.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,823 17.2% -3.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,219 21.0% +2.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,096 19.8% +2.1 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 50.8% of the people living in Mitchell County and men 49.2%.
- Women 50.8% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 49.2% Iowa 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Mitchell County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Mitchell County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Mitchell County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,056 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.99% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.2% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Mitchell County is about 4% lower than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Mitchell County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $95,001 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $737 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.0% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Mitchell County is about 10.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $737 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Mitchell County spend about 28 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 116 hours, about 4.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Mitchell County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 14.0 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 27.9 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 116 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,610 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,259 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 278 | 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 Mitchell County is 14 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
Mitchell County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Mitchell County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.26 | 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
Mitchell County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Mitchell County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.1 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.7% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.2% | 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).
Mitchell County, IA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Mitchell County, IA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell County, IA | 10,577 | $72,056 #2/3 | $95,001 #2/3 | 14.0 min #3/3 |
| Mower County, MN | 40,341 | $72,820 | $103,820 | 13.7 min |
| Cerro Gordo County, IA | 42,632 | $68,649 | $57,820 | 13.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Mitchell County, Iowa.
How big is Mitchell County, Iowa by population?
About 10,577 people live in Mitchell County, Iowa, in 4,598 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 43.7, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Mitchell County, Iowa mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Mitchell County, Iowa has 23 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 26% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Mitchell County, Iowa?
The median home costs 1.3 times the median household income ($95,001 against $72,056), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $737 a month takes about 12% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Mitchell County, Iowa?
Unemployment in Mitchell County, Iowa is only 1.2%, 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 Mitchell County, Iowa?
20.0% of adults in Mitchell 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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