Black Hawk County, IA

County

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2022 Population

131,041

0.27% 1-year decline

US Senator

Chuck Grassley

Republican Party

US Senator

Joni Ernst

Republican Party

2022 Median Age

35.5

0.281% 1-year decrease

2022 Poverty Rate

15.7%

4.87% 1-year increase

2022 Median Household Income

$62,329

8.98% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$172,500

11% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

66,619

0.545% 1-year decline

About

In 2022, Black Hawk County, IA had a population of 131k people with a median age of 35.5 and a median household income of $62,329. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Black Hawk County, IA declined from 131,396 to 131,041, a −0.27% decrease and its median household income grew from $57,191 to $62,329, a 8.98% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Black Hawk County, IA are White (Non-Hispanic) (79.4%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.62%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.95%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.6%), and White (Hispanic) (2.1%).

None of the households in Black Hawk 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.

96.5% of the residents in Black Hawk County, IA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Black Hawk County, IA are University of Northern Iowa (2,755 degrees awarded in 2022), Hawkeye Community College (925 degrees), and Allen College (253 degrees).

In 2022, the median property value in Black Hawk County, IA was $172,500, and the homeownership rate was 65.3%.

Most people in Black Hawk County, IA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 16.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Black Hawk County, IA was 2 cars per household.

Black Hawk County, IA borders Benton County, IA, Bremer County, IA, Buchanan County, IA, Butler County, IA, Fayette County, IA, Grundy County, IA, and Tama County, IA.

United States Iowa Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

Population & Diversity

Black Hawk County, IA is home to a population of 131k people, from which 96.5% are citizens. As of 2022, 6.39% of Black Hawk County, IA residents were born outside of the country (8.37k people).

In 2022, there were 8.26 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (104k people) in Black Hawk County, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 12.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 3.86k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.5%

2022 Citizenship

96.1%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 96.5% of Black Hawk County, IA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Black Hawk County, IA was 96.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Black Hawk County, IA

White (Non-Hispanic)
104k ± 326
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
12.6k ± 379
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
3.86k ± 596

4.74%

Hispanic Population

6.22k people

4.74% of the people in Black Hawk County, IA are hispanic (6.22k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Black Hawk 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
42,604 ± 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

6.39%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

8.37k people

6.54%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

8.59k people

As of 2022, 6.39% of Black Hawk County, IA residents (8.37k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Black Hawk County, IA was 6.54%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
2,461 ± 290
Gulf War (2001-)
1,114 ± 298
Gulf War (1990s)
841 ± 215

Black Hawk County, IA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.21 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Black Hawk County, IA employs 66.6k people. The largest industries in Black Hawk County, IA are Manufacturing (11,521 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,210 people), and Retail Trade (9,109 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($98,321), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($61,250), and Public Administration ($57,091).

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

66.6k

2022 Value

± 1,868

−0.545%

1 Year decline

± 3.89%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Black Hawk County, IA declined at a rate of −0.545%, from 67k employees to 66.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Black Hawk County, IA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (6,718 people), Production Occupations (6,550 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (6,241 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Black Hawk County, 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

66.6k

2022 Value

± 1,868

−0.545%

1 Year decline

± 3.89%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Black Hawk County, IA declined at a rate of −0.545%, from 67k employees to 66.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Black Hawk County, IA, are Manufacturing (11,521 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,210 people), and Retail Trade (9,109 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Black Hawk County, IA, though some of these residents may live in Black Hawk County, IA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$45,725

Median earning men ± $1,274

$31,269

Median earning women ± $1,507

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Public Administration ($62,100), Manufacturing ($60,131), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($58,607).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,096), Public Administration ($48,304), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($46,250).

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

1,296
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
986
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
640
Manufacturing

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Black Hawk County, IA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 53.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (44.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.08%).

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

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (53.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (44.8%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.08%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Black Hawk County, IA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

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 Black Hawk County, IA awarded 3,980 degrees. The student population of Black Hawk County, IA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 5,382 male students and 8,980 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Black Hawk County, IA are White (3,313 and 87.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (153 and 4.02%), Black or African American (101 and 2.66%), and Unknown (96 and 2.52%).

The largest universities in Black Hawk County, IA by number of degrees awarded are University of Northern Iowa (2,755 and 69.2%), Hawkeye Community College (925 and 23.2%), and Allen College (253 and 6.36%).

The most popular majors in Black Hawk County, IA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (305 and 7.66%), Elementary Education & Teaching (287 and 7.21%), and Registered Nursing (192 and 4.82%).

The median tuition costs in Black Hawk County, IA are $19,236 for private four year colleges, and $8,111 and $19,265 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Black Hawk County, IA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 94.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 32.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 14,362 (37.5% men and 62.5% 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 14,362 students enrolled in Black Hawk County, IA, 37.5% men and 62.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 11,761 records, of which 63% were women and 37% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
111 degrees awarded
Elementary Education & Teaching
281 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
121 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Black Hawk County, IA was General Psychology with 111 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Northern Iowa
2,755 degrees awarded
Hawkeye Community College
925 degrees awarded
Allen College
253 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Northern Iowa with 2,755 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 1,512 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Black Hawk County, IA, which is 0.613 times less than the 2,468 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 3,313 degrees mean that there were 21.7 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 153 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 ($19,236) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,300) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,200) 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 Black Hawk County, IA was $172,500 in 2022, which is 0.612 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $155,400 to $172,500, a 11% increase. The homeownership rate in Black Hawk County, IA is 65.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Black Hawk County, IA have an average commute time of 16.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Black Hawk County, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Black Hawk County, IA is $62,329. In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Black Hawk County, IA was Census Tract 30.02 with a value of $110,795, followed by Census Tract 15.03 and Census Tract 28, with respective values of $93,463 and $93,450.

In 2023, 14.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Black Hawk County, IA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.201%.

Housing

Property

$172,500

Median Property Value 2022

±$3,720

$35,056

Median Property Taxes

±$1,224

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

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

Rent vs Own

65.3%

Homeownership

2022

63.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 65.3% of the housing units in Black Hawk County, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 65.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Black Hawk County, 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 30.02
Census Tract 15.03
Census Tract 28

In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Black Hawk County, IA was Census Tract 30.02 with a value of $110,795, followed by Census Tract 15.03 and Census Tract 28, with respective values of $93,463 and $93,450.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Black Hawk County, 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.

$62,329

Median Household Income

± $2,004

53.7k

Number of Households

± 1,612

In 2022, the median household income of the 53.7k households in Black Hawk County, IA grew to $62,329 from the previous year's value of $57,191.

The following chart displays the households in Black Hawk 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 Black Hawk County, 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 2022

Drove Alone (78.5%)
Carpooled (8.81%)
Worked At Home (7.83%)

In 2022, 78.5% of workers in Black Hawk County, IA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.81%) and those who worked at home (7.83%).

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

16.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Black Hawk County, IA have a shorter commute time (16.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 1.81% of the workforce in Black Hawk County, IA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Black Hawk 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 Black Hawk County, IA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Black Hawk County, IA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 14.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Black Hawk County, IA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.201%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

15.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Black Hawk County, IA (19.8k out of 126k 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 Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Black Hawk County, IA is White, followed by Black 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 2023, 13.5% of the children was living in poverty in Black Hawk County, IA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.1%.

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.

Health

95.8% of the population of Black Hawk County, IA has health coverage, with 50.9% on employee plans, 19% on Medicaid, 13.7% on Medicare, 11.2% on non-group plans, and 1.08% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Black Hawk County, IA see 998 patients per year on average, which represents a 5.67% decrease from the previous year (1058 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1304 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 448 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

998 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Black Hawk County, IA

Primary care physicians in Black Hawk County, IA see an average of 998 patients per year. This represents a 5.67% decrease from the previous year (1,058 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.6% under 18 years, 25.9% between 18 and 34 years, 33.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

4.15%

Uninsured

50.9%

Employer Coverage

19%

Medicaid

13.7%

Medicare

11.2%

Non-Group

1.08%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Black Hawk County, IA declined by 7.54% from 4.49% to 4.15%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 53.2 in Black Hawk County, IA.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, 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 39.9% in Black Hawk County, IA.

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