Mills County, Iowa Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 54th-largest in Iowa

The population of Mills County, Iowa is 14,563 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 54th-largest county in Iowa. The median household income is $87,810, the median home value is $228,700, and the median age is 42.6.

The population of Mills County has declined 2.4% since 2010 (15,076 → 14,717), a -0.17% annualized rate.

Mills County within Iowa · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

14,563

Population

-0.17%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$87,810

Median Income

$228,700

Median Home Value

Mills County covers 437 sq mi of land at 33.3 people per square mile.

About Mills County, IA

The poverty rate is what most separates Mills County from the typical county: 2.4% of residents live below the federal poverty line, against 12.4% nationally. Mills County is a county in Iowa with a population of 14,563.

Income is a real outlier — the median household pulls in $87,810, putting Mills County near the top of US counties. Very few residents live in poverty — 2.4%, below the national 12.4%. The median home value is $228,700, with typical rent around $888.

Educational attainment is on the higher side for US counties — 32.0% of adults hold a four-year degree, below the national 35.0%. Around 9.5% of workers work from home, below the national 14.0%, and the average commute runs about 25 minutes each way.

Mills County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Mills County had a population of 15,076 in 2010 and 14,717 in 2024, a -2.4% growth over 14 years. The peak was 15,124 in 2019. Average annual growth rate: -0.16%.

Mills County population, 2010–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

14,717

Population (2024)

15,076

Population (2010)

15,124

Peak (2019)

-0.16%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	15,076	-	-	estimate
2011	15,031	-45	-0.30%	estimate
2012	14,874	-157	-1.04%	estimate
2013	14,907	+33	+0.22%	estimate
2014	14,763	-144	-0.97%	estimate
2015	14,885	+122	+0.83%	estimate
2016	15,041	+156	+1.05%	estimate
2017	15,060	+19	+0.13%	estimate
2018	15,122	+62	+0.41%	estimate
2019	15,124	+2	+0.01%	estimate
2020	14,418	-706	-4.67%	estimate
2021	14,491	+73	+0.51%	estimate
2022	14,572	+81	+0.56%	estimate
2023	14,642	+70	+0.48%	estimate
2024	14,717	+75	+0.51%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	94.4%
Black or African American	0.4%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.6%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

42.6

Median Age

50.3%

Female

49.7%

Male

19.9%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

4.8%

5–9

6.8%

10–14

7.3%

15–19

6.2%

20–24

4.8%

25–34

11.3%

35–44

12.0%

45–54

12.6%

55–59

6.1%

60–64

8.3%

65–74

12.3%

75–84

5.1%

85+

2.5%

Children (under 15): 18.9% · Seniors (65+): 19.9%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$87,810+$14,663 vs state
Mean household income	$109,588
Per-capita income	$43,081
Poverty rate	2.4%-4.5% vs state
Unemployment rate	1.7%
Employment-to-population	60.1%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

29.1%

Construction

8.6%

Manufacturing

7.9%

Finance & real estate

7.2%

Arts, entertainment & food

7.1%

Information

6.0%

Public administration

5.8%

Retail trade

5.2%

The largest employment sector in Mills County is professional & business services, accounting for 29.1% of workers.

How residents commute

0.0%

Drive alone

5.0%

Carpool

76.9%

Public transit

9.5%

Work from home

24.7 min

Avg commute

Housing

$228,700+$32,800 vs state

Median home value

$888

Median rent

84.2%

Homeownership rate

6,119

Total housing units

87.4%

Occupied

12.6%

Vacant

15.8%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

97.4%

With health insurance

95.3%

With broadband internet

52.6%

Foreign-born

9.7%

Veterans (18+)

13.6%

With a disability

98.3%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

95.6%

High School+

32.0%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Iowa

Des Moines (212,464)Cedar Rapids (136,859)Davenport (101,083)Sioux City (85,651)Iowa City (75,264)Ankeny (70,542)West Des Moines (69,893)Waterloo (66,947)Ames (66,112)Council Bluffs (62,564)All Iowa cities →

Other counties in Iowa

Polk County (497,441)Linn County (229,463)Scott County (174,302)Johnson County (154,881)Black Hawk County (130,693)Woodbury County (105,760)Dallas County (104,136)Dubuque County (98,948)Story County (98,592)Pottawattamie County (93,407)All Iowa counties →

Part of Iowa

Iowa demographic profile All Iowa data →

Metro areas in Iowa

Omaha (972,840)Des Moines (720,331)Davenport (381,864)Cedar Rapids (275,960)Iowa City (177,420)Waterloo (168,163)Sioux City (144,007)Ames (125,261)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Mills County, Iowa has a population of 14,563 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 54th-largest county in Iowa. Population density is 33 people per square mile.

The population of Mills County has declined 2.4% since 2010 (15,076 → 14,717), a -0.17% annualized rate.

The median household income in Mills County, Iowa is $87,810, with mean (average) household income of $109,588 and per-capita income of $43,081. 2.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Mills County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (94.4%), Hispanic or Latino (1.6%), Black or African American (0.4%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Mills County, Iowa is 42.6 years. Residents are 50.3% female and 49.7% male.

The median home value in Mills County is $228,700 and median monthly rent is $888. 84.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 6,119 total housing units, 12.6% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Mills County, Iowa is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 29.1% of workers. The unemployment rate is 1.7%.

Des Moines is among the largest cities associated with Mills County, Iowa, with a population of 212,464.