Wapello County, IA

County

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2024 Population

35,362

US Senator

Chuck Grassley

Republican Party

US Senator

Joni Ernst

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

39.2

1.75% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

15.8%

5.24% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$64,766

7.88% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$125,100

10.8% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

16,511

0.121% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Wapello County, IA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

93.8% of the residents in Wapello County, IA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Wapello County, IA are Indian Hills Community College (738 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Wapello County, IA was $125,100, and the homeownership rate was 68.4%.

Most people in Wapello County, IA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20 minutes. The average car ownership in Wapello County, IA was 2 cars per household.

Wapello County, IA borders Appanoose County, IA, Davis County, IA, Jefferson County, IA, Keokuk County, IA, Mahaska County, IA, Monroe County, IA, and Van Buren County, IA.

United States Iowa Ottumwa, IA

Population & Diversity

Wapello County, IA is home to a population of 35.4k people, from which 93.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 9.62% of Wapello County, IA residents were born outside of the country (3.4k people).

In 2024, there were 18.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (26.8k people) in Wapello County, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.45k Other (Hispanic) and 1.22k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

93.8%

2024 Citizenship

94.6%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 93.8% of Wapello County, IA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Wapello County, IA was 94.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Wapello County, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Wapello County, IA

White (Non-Hispanic)
26.8k ± 115
Other (Hispanic)
1.45k ± 364
White (Hispanic)
1.22k ± 361

13.4%

Hispanic Population

4.75k people

13.4% of the people in Wapello County, IA are hispanic (4.75k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Wapello County, IA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Iowa.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
42,808 ± 5,046 people
India
12,283 ± 2,716 people
China
7,889 ± 2,178 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Iowa was Mexico, the natal country of 42,808 Iowa residents, followed by India with 12,283 and China with 7,889.

Foreign-Born Population

9.62%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

3.4k people

8.73%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

3.08k people

As of 2024, 9.62% of Wapello County, IA residents (3.4k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Wapello County, IA was 8.73%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Wapello County, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
598 ± 129
Gulf War (2001-)
298 ± 118
Gulf War (1990s)
206 ± 101

Wapello County, IA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.01 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Wapello County, IA.

Economy

The economy of Wapello County, IA employs 16.5k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Wapello County, IA were Manufacturing (4,246 people), Retail Trade (2,341 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (2,242 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($97,350), Public Administration ($59,784), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($55,292).

Employment

Occupations

16.5k

2024 Value

± 893

−0.121%

1 Year decline

± 7.78%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wapello County, IA declined at a rate of −0.121%, from 16.5k employees to 16.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wapello County, IA, are Production Occupations (2,561 people), Management Occupations (1,654 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,507 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Wapello County, IA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Iowa (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

16.5k

2024 Value

± 893

−0.121%

1 Year decline

± 7.78%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wapello County, IA declined at a rate of −0.121%, from 16.5k employees to 16.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wapello County, IA, are Manufacturing (4,246 people), Retail Trade (2,341 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (2,242 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Wapello County, IA, though some of these residents may live in Wapello County, IA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,927

Median earning men ± $1,957

$38,766

Median earning women ± $2,319

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($60,781), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,114), and Manufacturing ($56,788).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($70,625), Construction ($53,450), and Wholesale Trade ($50,515).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Y-Axis

1.48%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.57M people employed in Iowa. This represents a 1.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Iowa.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

57
Other Services (except Public Administration)
42
Retail Trade
37
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$233k
Manufacturing
$101k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$66.7k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing the state of Iowa. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Wapello County, IA. Showing the available data for Iowa.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (55.7%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (42.5%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.789%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 55.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.789%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Iowa for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Iowa

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Chuck Grassley

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 1981

Joni Ernst

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing Iowa.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Iowa over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Wapello County, IA awarded 738 degrees. The student population of Wapello County, IA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 1,571 male students and 1,665 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Wapello County, IA are White (552 and 78%), Hispanic or Latino (65 and 9.18%), Black or African American (50 and 7.06%), and Two or More Races (29 and 4.1%).

The largest universities in Wapello County, IA by number of degrees awarded are Indian Hills Community College (738 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Wapello County, IA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (205 and 27.8%), Welding Technology (89 and 12.1%), and Registered Nursing (34 and 4.61%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 3,236 students enrolled in Wapello County, IA, 48.5% men and 51.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,447 records, of which 54% were women and 46% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
205 degrees awarded
Radiographer
26 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
25 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Wapello County, IA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 205 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Wapello County, IA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Indian Hills Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

738 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Indian Hills Community College with 738 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 346 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Wapello County, IA, which is 0.883 times less than the 392 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 552 degrees mean that there were 8.49 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 65 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($4,872) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,512) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Wapello County, IA was $125,100 in 2024, which is 0.376 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $112,900 to $125,100, a 10.8% increase. The homeownership rate in Wapello County, IA is 68.4%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Wapello County, IA have an average commute time of 20 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Wapello County, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 15.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wapello County, IA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 2.86%.

Housing

Property

$125,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$7,732

$9,575

Median Property Taxes

±$609

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Wapello County, IA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Wapello County, IA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68.4%

Homeownership

2024

58.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 68.4% of the housing units in Wapello County, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 67.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Wapello County, IA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$64,766

Median Household Income

± $4,224

14k

Number of Households

± 834

In 2024, the median household income of the 14k households in Wapello County, IA grew to $64,766 from the previous year's value of $60,034.

The following chart displays the households in Wapello County, IA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Wapello County, IA is from Iowa.

0.441

2023 Wage GINI in Iowa

0.442

2022 Wage GINI in Iowa

In 2023, the income inequality in Iowa was 0.441 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.304% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Iowa was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Iowa in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Iowa across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (78.5%)
Carpooled (12%)
Worked At Home (5.47%)

In 2024, 78.5% of workers in Wapello County, IA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12%) and those who worked at home (5.47%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

20 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Wapello County, IA have a shorter commute time (20 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.83% of the workforce in Wapello County, IA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Wapello County, IA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Wapello County, IA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Wapello County, IA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 15.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wapello County, IA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 2.86%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

15.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wapello County, IA (5.46k out of 34.5k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 6 - 11, followed by Males 35 - 44 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Wapello County, IA is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 16.9% of the children was living in poverty in Wapello County, IA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.9%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 315 in Wapello County, IA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 47.9 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

92.7% of the population of Wapello County, IA has health coverage, with 45.7% on employee plans, 19.6% on Medicaid, 14.8% on Medicare, 11.4% on non-group plans, and 1.23% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Wapello County, IA see 1,763 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,763 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1252 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 567 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.6% were men and 49.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,763 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Wapello County, IA

Primary care physicians in Wapello County, IA see an average of 1,763 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,763 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Wapello County, IA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.5% under 18 years, 19.5% between 18 and 34 years, 36.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 18% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.6% were men and 49.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.32%

Uninsured

45.7%

Employer Coverage

19.6%

Medicaid

14.8%

Medicare

11.4%

Non-Group

1.23%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Wapello County, IA grew by 2.28% from 7.16% to 7.32%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Wapello County, IA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 47.2 in Wapello County, IA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Wapello County, IA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 42% in Wapello County, IA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Wapello County, IA.