Decorah, IA

Census Place

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2023 Population

7,597

0.184% 1-year decline

US Senator

Chuck Grassley

Republican Party

US Senator

Joni Ernst

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

36.5

4.89% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

7.69%

21.1% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$62,177

7.31% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$234,600

2.53% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

4,224

4.63% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Decorah, IA had a population of 7.6k people with a median age of 36.5 and a median household income of $62,177. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Decorah, IA declined from 7,611 to 7,597, a −0.184% decrease and its median household income grew from $57,939 to $62,177, a 7.31% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Decorah, IA are White (Non-Hispanic) (93%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.61%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.28%), White (Hispanic) (1.11%), and Other (Hispanic) (0.724%).

None of the households in Decorah, 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.

97.7% of the residents in Decorah, IA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Decorah, IA are Luther College (499 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Decorah, IA was $234,600, and the homeownership rate was 64.7%.

Most people in Decorah, IA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 12.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Decorah, IA was 2 cars per household.

United States Iowa Winneshiek County, IA Bremer, Winneshiek, Fayette, Clayton, Allamakee, Chickasaw & Howard Counties PUMA, IA

Population & Diversity

Decorah, IA is home to a population of 7.6k people, from which 97.7% are citizens. As of 2023, 3.8% of Decorah, IA residents were born outside of the country (289 people).

In 2023, there were 35.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (7.07k people) in Decorah, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 198 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 97 Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.7%

2023 Citizenship

98.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.7% of Decorah, IA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Decorah, IA was 98.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Decorah, IA

White (Non-Hispanic)
7.07k ± 99
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
198 ± 80.8
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
97 ± 52

2.37%

Hispanic Population

180 people

2.37% of the people in Decorah, IA are hispanic (180 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Decorah, IA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
42,604 ± 5,034 people
India
12,351 ± 2,723 people
Vietnam
7,795 ± 2,165 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Iowa was Mexico, the natal country of 42,604 Iowa residents, followed by India with 12,351 and Vietnam with 7,795.

Foreign-Born Population

3.8%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

289 people

3.07%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

234 people

As of 2023, 3.8% of Decorah, IA residents (289 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Decorah, IA was 3.07%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
187 ± 79
Gulf War (2001-)
134 ± 84
Gulf War (1990s)
56 ± 53

Decorah, IA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.4 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Decorah, IA employs 4.22k people. The largest industries in Decorah, IA are Educational Services (1,244 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (487 people), and Manufacturing (472 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($67,750), Other Services Except Public Administration ($53,302), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($47,460).

Males in Iowa have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $54,745. The income inequality in Iowa (measured using the Gini index) is 0.442, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

4.22k

2023 Value

± 394

4.63%

1 Year growth

± 12.4%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Decorah, IA grew at a rate of 4.63%, from 4.04k employees to 4.22k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Decorah, IA, are Management Occupations (587 people), Sales & Related Occupations (461 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (443 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Decorah, IA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

4.22k

2023 Value

± 394

4.63%

1 Year growth

± 12.4%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Decorah, IA grew at a rate of 4.63%, from 4.04k employees to 4.22k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Decorah, IA, are Educational Services (1,244 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (487 people), and Manufacturing (472 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Decorah, IA, though some of these residents may live in Decorah, IA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$35,457

Median earning men ± $5,474

$27,996

Median earning women ± $7,225

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($61,786), Retail Trade ($50,066), and Manufacturing ($49,063).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($68,083), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($57,045), and Other Services Except Public Administration ($53,116).

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.

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 Decorah, 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.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Iowa

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Iowa have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Decorah, IA awarded 499 degrees. The student population of Decorah, IA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 727 male students and 883 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Decorah, IA are White (386 and 86.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (28 and 6.31%), Two or More Races (14 and 3.15%), and Asian (13 and 2.93%).

The largest universities in Decorah, IA by number of degrees awarded are Luther College (499 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Decorah, IA are Registered Nursing (40 and 8.02%), General Biological Sciences (36 and 7.21%), and Other Research & Experimental Psychology (30 and 6.01%).

The median tuition cost in Decorah, IA for private four year colleges is $47,510.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Decorah, IA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 75.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 24.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 1,610 (45.2% men and 54.8% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 1,610 students enrolled in Decorah, IA, 45.2% men and 54.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,206 records, of which 60% were women and 40% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
40 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
36 degrees awarded
Other Research & Experimental Psychology
30 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Decorah, IA was Registered Nursing with 40 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Luther College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

499 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Luther College with 499 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 179 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Decorah, IA, which is 0.559 times less than the 320 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 386 degrees mean that there were 13.8 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 28 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

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($47,510) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($650) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,040) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 0.66% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.685% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (751k), Some college (564k), and Bachelors Degree (469k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Decorah, IA was $234,600 in 2023, which is 0.773 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $228,800 to $234,600, a 2.53% increase. The homeownership rate in Decorah, IA is 64.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Decorah, IA have an average commute time of 12.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Decorah, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Decorah, IA is $62,177. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Decorah, IA was Census Tract 9504 with a value of $86,875, followed by Census Tract 9502 and Census Tract 9503, with respective values of $63,862 and $59,321.

Housing

Property

$234,600

Median Property Value 2023

±$10,657

$1,885

Median Property Taxes

±$253

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 Decorah, IA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

64.7%

Homeownership

2023

63.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 64.7% of the housing units in Decorah, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 63.1%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9504
Census Tract 9502
Census Tract 9503

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Decorah, IA was Census Tract 9504 with a value of $86,875, followed by Census Tract 9502 and Census Tract 9503, with respective values of $63,862 and $59,321.

The following map shows all of the places in Decorah, IA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$62,177

Median Household Income

± $6,619

2.91k

Number of Households

± 334

In 2023, the median household income of the 2.91k households in Decorah, IA grew to $62,177 from the previous year's value of $57,939.

The following chart displays the households in Decorah, 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 Decorah, IA is from Iowa.

0.442

2022 Wage GINI in Iowa

0.439

2021 Wage GINI in Iowa

In 2022, the income inequality in Iowa was 0.442 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.723% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Iowa was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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 2023

Drove Alone (58%)
Walked (23%)
Worked At Home (9.72%)

In 2023, 58% of workers in Decorah, IA drove alone to work, followed by those who walked to work (23%) and those who worked at home (9.72%).

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

12.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Decorah, IA have a shorter commute time (12.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 0.805% of the workforce in Decorah, IA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

7.69% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Decorah, IA (446 out of 5.8k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Males 65 - 74 and then Males 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Decorah, IA is White, followed by Hispanic and Asian.

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.

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.

Health

97.2% of the population of Decorah, IA has health coverage, with 51.2% on employee plans, 9.3% on Medicaid, 16.4% on Medicare, 19.3% on non-group plans, and 1.02% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Winneshiek County, IA see 903 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.66% decrease from the previous year (909 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1530 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 406 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Winneshiek County, IA.

903 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Winneshiek County, IA

Primary care physicians in Winneshiek County, IA see an average of 903 patients per year. This represents a 0.66% decrease from the previous year (909 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 17.6% under 18 years, 31.7% between 18 and 34 years, 29.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.6% were men and 53.4% were women.

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

Uninsured People

2.8%

Uninsured

51.2%

Employer Coverage

9.3%

Medicaid

16.4%

Medicare

19.3%

Non-Group

1.02%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Decorah, IA grew by 47.2% from 1.9% to 2.8%.

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

Keep Exploring

Iowa

State

Winneshiek County, IA

County

United States

Nation