Rank #31 by Population · Updated April 2026

Iowa Population 2026

Source·US Census ACS 5-Year 2023Updated·Apr 12, 2026Reviewed by·Population Review Data Team

The population of Iowa is 3,195,937 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 31st-most populous state in the United States. The median household income is $73,147, the median home value is $195,900, and the median age is 38.6.

Iowa's population has grown 45.7% since 1910 (2,224,771 → 3,241,488).

3,195,937

Population

People / sq mi

$73,147

Median Income

38.6

Median Age

Iowa covers 55,854 sq mi of land at a density of 57.2 people per square mile.

About Iowa

Iowa is a US state with a population of 3,195,937. It ranks #31 among US states by population. The median age is 38.6, in line with the national median. The population is 50.1% male and 49.9% female.

The median household income in Iowa is $73,147, near the US median of $74,580. 6.9% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $195,900, with monthly rent averaging $949. The homeownership rate of 71.5% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Iowa reflects 30.9% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 10.4% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 19.8 minutes each way.

Iowa, #31 by population

Iowa Population History (1910-2024)

The state of Iowa had a population of 2,224,771 in 1910 and 3,241,488 in 2024, a 45.7% growth over 114 years. The peak was 3,241,488 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.35%.

3,241,488

Population (2024)

2,224,771

Population (1910)

3,241,488

Peak (2024)

0.35%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
1910	2,224,771	-	-	decennial
1920	2,404,021	+179,250	+0.78%	decennial
1930	2,470,939	+66,918	+0.27%	decennial
1940	2,538,268	+67,329	+0.27%	decennial
1950	2,621,073	+82,805	+0.32%	decennial
1960	2,757,537	+136,464	+0.51%	decennial
1970	2,824,376	+66,839	+0.24%	decennial
1980	2,913,808	+89,432	+0.31%	decennial
1990	2,776,755	-137,053	-0.48%	decennial
2000	2,926,324	+149,569	+0.53%	decennial
2010	3,046,355	+120,031	+0.40%	decennial
2020	3,190,369	+144,014	+0.46%	decennial
2020	3,191,141	+772	-	estimate
2021	3,198,613	+7,472	+0.23%	estimate
2022	3,202,820	+4,207	+0.13%	estimate
2023	3,218,414	+15,594	+0.49%	estimate
2024	3,241,488	+23,074	+0.72%	estimate

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.9%

5-9

6.4%

10-14

6.6%

15-19

7.0%

20-24

7.1%

25-34

12.4%

35-44

12.6%

45-54

11.3%

55-59

6.2%

60-64

6.7%

65-74

10.4%

75-84

5.1%

85+

2.3%

Male: 50.1% · Female: 49.9%

Race & Ethnicity

White	85.6%
Black or African American	3.9%
Asian	0.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	0.3%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0.2%
Two or More Races	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.2%

Economy & Income

$73,147

Median Household Income

$39,728

Per Capita Income

6.9%

Poverty Rate

2.4%

Unemployment Rate

$95,968

Mean Household Income

64.0%

Employment Rate

Cost of Living

Iowa's overall price level is 87.8 on the BEA Regional Price Parity index (US average = 100), meaning prices are 12.2% lower the US average. Adjusting for cost of living, Iowa's median household income of $73,147 has the buying power of $83,347 in average-priced areas.

87.8

Price Level (US = 100)

$83,347

COL-Adjusted Median Income

$73,147

Nominal Median Income

Education

93.2%

High School Graduate+

30.9%

Bachelor's Degree+

Births & Fertility

36,506

Live Births (2022)

11.4

Birth Rate (per 1,000)

64.8%

Births to Married Mothers

Births by Mother's Age

Under 20

3,392 (9.3%)

20-24

6,457 (17.7%)

25-29

12,050 (33.0%)

30-34

11,139 (30.5%)

35-39

4,533 (12.4%)

40+

925 (2.5%)

Births by Mother's Race

White	85.8%
Black or African American	7.4%
Hispanic or Latino	11.4%

Housing

$195,900

Median Home Value

$949

Median Rent

1,427,175

Total Housing Units

71.5%

Owner-Occupied

28.5%

Renter-Occupied

8.6%

Vacant

Languages Spoken at Home

91.1% of Iowa residents age 5+ speak only English at home. The most common non-English languages spoken at home in Iowa:

#	Language	Speakers	% of pop. 5+
1	Spanish	55,481	1.84%
2	Vietnamese	5,538	0.18%
3	Other Asian/Pacific	5,391	0.18%
4	French (incl. Cajun)	4,348	0.14%
5	Arabic	3,999	0.13%
6	Chinese (incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)	3,929	0.13%
7	Swahili or other Bantu	3,883	0.13%
8	Thai, Lao, or other Tai-Kadai	2,817	0.09%
9	German	2,030	0.07%
10	Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic	1,896	0.06%

Commute

0.7%

Drive Alone

2.9%

Carpool

10.4%

Work From Home

19.8 min

Avg Commute

Largest Cities in Iowa

#	City	Population	Median Income	Median Home
1	Des Moines	212,464	$63,966	$183,700
2	Cedar Rapids	136,859	$67,859	$177,100
3	Davenport	101,083	$64,497	$162,900
4	Sioux City	85,651	$65,473	$162,600
5	Iowa City	75,264	$57,533	$273,600
6	Ankeny	70,542	$106,603	$311,300
7	West Des Moines	69,893	$84,925	$286,300
8	Waterloo	66,947	$56,344	$150,200
9	Ames	66,112	$60,102	$263,800
10	Council Bluffs	62,564	$64,092	$164,300
11	Dubuque	59,271	$64,985	$193,100
12	Urbandale	46,026	$113,086	$318,800
13	Marion	41,690	$87,105	$230,800
14	Cedar Falls	40,662	$74,165	$252,500
15	Bettendorf	39,297	$102,917	$295,600
16	Marshalltown	27,491	$68,854	$117,100
17	Mason City	27,135	$62,369	$130,000
18	Waukee	26,974	$106,728	$328,200
19	Ottumwa	25,352	$56,994	$92,400
20	Fort Dodge	24,788	$61,769	$128,900

Counties in Iowa

#	County	Population	Median Income
1	Polk County	497,441	$81,621
2	Linn County	229,463	$76,421
3	Scott County	174,302	$76,363
4	Johnson County	154,881	$74,721
5	Black Hawk County	130,693	$64,581
6	Woodbury County	105,760	$70,147
7	Dallas County	104,136	$102,349
8	Dubuque County	98,948	$75,919
9	Story County	98,592	$69,006
10	Pottawattamie County	93,407	$71,446
11	Warren County	53,484	$92,990
12	Clinton County	46,383	$65,177
13	Cerro Gordo County	42,785	$65,537
14	Muscatine County	42,735	$69,512
15	Marshall County	39,971	$72,785
16	Des Moines County	38,597	$60,662
17	Jasper County	37,864	$70,128
18	Webster County	36,848	$68,054
19	Sioux County	35,984	$84,736
20	Wapello County	35,265	$60,034

Compare Iowa

vs Utah vs Connecticut vs Oklahoma vs Nevada vs Arkansas

Rankings for Iowa

Largest Cities Richest Cities Most Expensive Cities Youngest Cities Most Educated Cities Highest Rent Cities Largest Counties Richest Counties Cost of Living

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)Dubuque (98,948)All US metros →

Congressional districts in Iowa

IA-1 (798,572)IA-2 (795,074)IA-3 (806,699)IA-4 (795,592)All US districts →

Largest school districts in Iowa

Other states

Connecticut Utah Nevada Arkansas Mississippi All states →

State rankings

Densest States by Population per Square Mile Least Densely Populated States US States by Land Area Populated States Oldest States by Median Age Youngest States by Median Age Racially Diverse States States With Largest Hispanic Population States With Largest Black Population States With Largest Asian Population All rankings →

Common questions about Iowa

What is the population of Iowa?What is the median household income in Iowa?What is the median home value in Iowa?What is the largest city in Iowa?What is the largest county in Iowa?What is the cheapest city in Iowa?What are the demographics of Iowa?What is the cost of living in Iowa?Is Iowa growing or shrinking?

Frequently Asked Questions

Iowa has a population of 3,195,937 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 31st-most populous state in the United States.

Iowa is gaining population, with a +45.7% change over the available historical Census record. Iowa's population has grown 45.7% since 1910 (2,224,771 → 3,241,488).

The median household income in Iowa is $73,147, with a per capita income of $39,728. 6.9% of the population lives below the federal poverty level.

85.6% of Iowa's population identifies as White (Census ACS 2023). 3.9% is Black or African American, 0.0% is Asian, and 1.2% is Hispanic or Latino (any race, counted separately under Census methodology).

Iowa is 85.6% White, 3.9% Black or African American, 0.0% Asian, and 1.2% Hispanic or Latino (any race). Hispanic/Latino is counted as an ethnicity separate from race under Census methodology, so totals may exceed 100% in some breakdowns.

The median age in Iowa is 38.6 years. The population is 50.1% male and 49.9% female.

Iowa's population has grown 45.7% since 1910 (2,224,771 → 3,241,488).

Across recent Census Population Estimates, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Illinois have shown the largest sustained population declines. Iowa's own trend is gaining. National state-by-state rankings are published annually by the Census Population Estimates Program.

Sources: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, CDC National Vital Statistics System (2022)

Demographic data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates. Birth statistics from the CDC National Vital Statistics System via Data Commons. California does not report marital status on birth certificates. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.