Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Iowa Population Density Map and Area Scores
State 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
-
C
Education Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Iowa | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Iowa grew by 13.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 3,204,793 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Iowa is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.3% of residents. That is 0.8 points above the US as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 713,579 22.3% +0.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 655,753 20.5% -1.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 605,218 18.9% -1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 566,527 17.7% +0.8 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 the US, 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 50.0% of the people living in Iowa and men 50.0%.
- Women 50.0% the US 50.5%
- Men 50.0% the US 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Iowa
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Iowa has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Iowa | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Iowa is about 7% lower than in US.
Housing
| Metric | Iowa | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Iowa is about 13.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $971 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Iowa spend about 34 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 141 hours, about 5.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Iowa | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 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 Iowa is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in US.
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
Iowa has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Iowa | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 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
Iowa has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Iowa | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 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).
Iowa Compared With Nearby States
Iowa is the 5th largest of the 6 states compared here, 3,204,793 residents against a local median of 5,910,864. The measure that sets Iowa apart most is commute: 17.0 min, 17% below the local median of 20.3 min. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The states themselves spread 6.4 min on commute, so Iowa sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Iowa has the lowest commute of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 3,204,793 | $75,133 #4/6 | $153,425 #3/6 | 17.0 min #1/6 |
| Missouri | 6,186,340 | $70,801 | $145,462 | 21.0 min |
| Minnesota | 5,724,000 | $89,852 | $236,718 | 20.3 min |
| Wisconsin | 5,910,864 | $77,698 | $170,479 | 18.8 min |
| Illinois | 12,692,444 | $84,042 | $149,936 | 23.6 min |
| Kansas | 2,945,842 | $74,287 | $104,644 | 17.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Iowa.
What is the population of Iowa?
About 3,204,793 people live in Iowa, in 1,308,457 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 36.8, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Iowa?
Averaged over its land area, Iowa has 57 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 66% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Iowa an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.0 times the median household income ($153,425 against $75,133), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $971 a month takes about 16% 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 Iowa?
Unemployment in Iowa is only 3.6%, 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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