Poweshiek County, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Poweshiek 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 average
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C
Income Below average
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C
Education Below averageBetter educated than 87% of counties in Iowa
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Poweshiek County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,545 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 31.7 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.05% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.3 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 6,391 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Poweshiek County declined by 0.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 18,545 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Poweshiek County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 25.1% of residents. That is 2.9 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,660 25.1% +2.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,040 16.4% -4.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,586 19.3% +0.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,714 20.0% +2.3 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 51.6% of the people living in Poweshiek County and men 48.4%.
- Women 51.6% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 48.4% Iowa 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Poweshiek County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Poweshiek County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Poweshiek County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,360 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.73% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Poweshiek County is about 9% lower than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Poweshiek County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $235,714 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $882 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.2% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Poweshiek County is about 22.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $882 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Poweshiek County spend about 24 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 99 hours, about 4.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Poweshiek County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 11.9 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 23.8 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 99 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,070 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 14.0% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,951 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 337 | 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 Poweshiek County is 12 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
Poweshiek County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Poweshiek County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.4% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.16 | 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
Poweshiek County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Poweshiek County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.0 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.9% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.7% | 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).
Poweshiek County, IA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Poweshiek County, IA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poweshiek County, IA | 18,545 | $68,360 #3/3 | $235,714 #1/3 | 11.9 min #1/3 |
| Mahaska County, IA | 22,021 | $71,408 | $202,419 | 15.9 min |
| Jasper County, IA | 37,954 | $70,936 | $219,047 | 21.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Poweshiek County, Iowa.
How big is Poweshiek County, Iowa by population?
About 18,545 people live in Poweshiek County, Iowa, in 6,391 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 41.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Poweshiek County, Iowa mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Poweshiek County, Iowa has 32 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 37% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Poweshiek County, Iowa?
The median home costs 3.4 times the median household income ($235,714 against $68,360), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $882 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 Poweshiek County, Iowa?
Unemployment in Poweshiek County, 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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