O'Brien County, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
O'Brien 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 | O'Brien County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,126 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 24.6 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.07% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.2 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 5,809 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in O'Brien County grew by 25.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 14,126 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in O'Brien County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 19.6% of residents. That is 0.7 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,601 18.4% -3.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,607 18.5% -2.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,773 19.6% +0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,550 18.1% +0.4 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 50.7% of the people living in O'Brien County and men 49.3%.
- Women 50.7% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 49.3% Iowa 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in O'Brien County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
O'Brien County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | O'Brien County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,653 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.37% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.0% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in O'Brien County is about 7% lower than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | O'Brien County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $86,694 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $868 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.1% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in O'Brien County is about 8.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $868 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in O'Brien County spend about 27 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 113 hours, about 4.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | O'Brien County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.5 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 27.0 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 113 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,493 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,600 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 319 | 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 O'Brien 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
O'Brien County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | O'Brien County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.35 | 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
O'Brien County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | O'Brien County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.7 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.1% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.4% | 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).
O'Brien County, IA Compared With Nearby Counties
How O'Brien County, IA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O'Brien County, IA | 14,126 | $69,653 #2/2 | $86,694 #1/2 | 13.5 min #2/2 |
| Sioux County, IA | 36,212 | $88,224 | $13,749 | 10.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about O'Brien County, Iowa.
What is the population of O'Brien County, Iowa?
About 14,126 people live in O'Brien County, Iowa, in 5,809 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 38.2, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is O'Brien County, Iowa urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, O'Brien County, Iowa has 25 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 28% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is O'Brien County, Iowa an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.2 times the median household income ($86,694 against $69,653), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $868 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 O'Brien County, Iowa?
Unemployment in O'Brien County, Iowa is only 1.0%, 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 O'Brien County, Iowa have a college degree?
20.3% of adults in O'Brien 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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