Osceola County, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Osceola 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 averageHealthier than 74% of counties in Iowa
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B
Income Around average
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 80% of counties in Iowa
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Osceola County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,100 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 15.3 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.10% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.9 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,634 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Osceola County declined by 6.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 6,100 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Osceola 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 1,089 17.9% -4.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,073 17.6% -2.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,278 21.0% +2.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,233 20.2% +2.5 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 48.6% of the people living in Osceola County and men 51.4%.
- Women 48.6% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 51.4% Iowa 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Osceola County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Osceola County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Osceola County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,181 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.43% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Osceola County is about 9% lower than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Osceola County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $17,500 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $796 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.9% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Osceola County is about 1.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $796 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Osceola 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 112 hours, about 4.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Osceola 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) | 112 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,481 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,707 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 336 | 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 Osceola County is 13 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
Osceola County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Osceola County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.7% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.27 | 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
Osceola County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Osceola County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 82.1 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.3% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.1% | 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).
Osceola County, IA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Osceola County, IA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osceola County, IA | 6,100 | $68,181 #1/2 | $17,500 #2/2 | 13.5 min #2/2 |
| Nobles County, MN | 22,041 | $67,652 | $215,001 | 12.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Osceola County, Iowa.
How big is Osceola County, Iowa by population?
About 6,100 people live in Osceola County, Iowa, in 2,634 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 41.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
Is Osceola County, Iowa urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Osceola County, Iowa has 15 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 18% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Osceola County, Iowa?
The median home costs 0.3 times the median household income ($17,500 against $68,181), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $796 a month takes about 14% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Osceola County, Iowa?
Unemployment in Osceola County, Iowa is only 3.4%, 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 Osceola County, Iowa?
13.7% of adults in Osceola County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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