Iowa

State

Add Comparison

Population

3.16M

0.332% 1-year growth

US Senator

Chuck Grassley

Republican Party

US Senator

Joni Ernst

Republican Party

Median Age

38.1

Poverty Rate

11.7%

Median Household Income

$59,955

2.36% 1-year growth

Median Property Value

$152,000

1.95% 1-year growth

Number of Employees

1.54M

0.58% 1-year growth

About

In 2018, Iowa had a population of 3.16M people with a median age of 38.1 and a median household income of $59,955. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Iowa grew from 3.15M to 3.16M, a 0.332% increase and its median household income grew from $58,570 to $59,955, a 2.36% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Iowa are White (Non-Hispanic) (85.4%), White (Hispanic) (4.77%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.6%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.52%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.88%). 8.83% of the people in Iowa speak a non-English language, and 96.6% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Iowa are Kaplan University-Davenport Campus (9,624 degrees awarded in 2017), Iowa State University (9,044 degrees), and University of Iowa (8,372 degrees).

The median property value in Iowa is $152,000, and the homeownership rate is 71.3%. Most people in Iowa commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 18.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Iowa is 2 cars per household.

Iowa borders Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Missouri.

Photo by Jason Mrachina

United States

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Iowa, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Impact on Employment

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.

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Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Iowa across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Civics

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 51.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (41.8%), followed by Gary Johnson (3.78%). The most partisan county was Lyon County, IA with 81.4% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

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 Popular Vote Over Time

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

2016 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (51.2%)
Republican Party
Hillary Rodham Clinton (41.8%)
Democratic Party
Gary Johnson (3.78%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Iowa went to Donald J. Trump with 51.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (41.8%), followed by Gary Johnson (3.78%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Iowa for each registered party from 1976 to 2016.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Iowa

51.2% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Iowa

Lyon County, IA
81.4% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Sioux County, IA
81.3% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Osceola County, IA
78.8% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2016 presidential election, the most partisan county in Iowa was Lyon County, IA with 81.4% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Iowa colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from 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 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.

Diversity

Iowa is home to a population of 3.16M people, from which 96.6% are citizens. As of 2018, 5.13% of Iowa residents were born outside of the country (162k people).

In 2018, there were 17.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (2.7M people) in Iowa than any other race or ethnicity. There were 151k White (Hispanic) and 114k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common foreign languages spoken in Iowa are Spanish (123,829 speakers), Arabic (11,940 speakers), and Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) (11,441 speakers).

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Iowa

White (Non-Hispanic)
2.7M ± 2.17k
White (Hispanic)
151k ± 5.23k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
114k ± 4.62k

6.07%

Hispanic Population

191k people

6.07% of the people in Iowa are hispanic (191k people).

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

Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

Spanish
123,829 speakers (4.19%)
Arabic
11,940 speakers (0.404%)
Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)
11,441 speakers (0.387%)

8.83% of Iowa citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 21.9%. In 2018, the most common non-English language spoken in Iowa was Spanish. 4.19% of the overall population of Iowa are native Spanish speakers. 0.404% speak Arabic and 0.387% speak Spanish, the next two most common languages.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

5.13%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

162k people

4.97%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

156k people

As of 2018, 5.13% of Iowa residents (162k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2017, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Iowa was 4.97%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.2

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.8

In 2018, the median age of all people in Iowa was 38.1. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 38, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 38. But people in Iowa are getting getting younger. In 2017, the average age of all Iowa residents was 38.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

Mexico
47,025 ± 5,284 people
India
11,319 ± 2,607 people
Vietnam
8,255 ± 2,228 people

In 2018, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Iowa was Mexico, the natal country of 47,025 Iowa residents, followed by India with 11,319 and Vietnam with 8,255.

Citizenship

96.6%

2018 Citizenship

96.8%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 96.6% of Iowa residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Iowa was 96.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
64,240 ± 2,603
Gulf War (2001-)
29,563 ± 2,701
Gulf War (1990s)
23,696 ± 2,335

Iowa has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.17 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

Median household income in Iowa is $59,955. In 2018, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Iowa was Dallas County, IA with a value of $83,990, followed by Polk County, IA and Linn County, IA, with respective values of $68,291 and $64,103.

Males in Iowa have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $45,872. The income inequality in Iowa (measured using the Gini index) is 0.44, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Iowa employs 1.54M people. The largest industries in Iowa are Elementary & secondary schools (95,929 people), Construction (83,721 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (79,251 people), and the highest paying industries are Drugs, sundries, & chemical & allied products merchant wholesalers ($139,440), Electronic shopping and mail-order houses ($123,034), and Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing ($117,849).

Wages

Median Household Income

$59,955

2018 value

± $877

2.36%

1 Year Growth

± 2.01%

Households in Iowa have a median annual income of $59,955, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $58,570 in 2017, which represents a 2.36% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Iowa compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

$61,560

Average Male Salary in Iowa

± $1,647

$45,872

Average Female Salary in Iowa

± $1,352

In 2018, full-time male employees in Iowa made 1.34 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Iowa by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Iowa

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
$54,930 ± $25,954
White
$47,771 ± $1,043
Asian
$43,191 ± $4,474

In 2018 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Iowa workers was Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. These workers were paid 1.15 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Iowa.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Iowa by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

0.44

2018 Wage GINI in Iowa

0.434

2017 Wage GINI in Iowa

In 2018, the income inequality in Iowa was 0.44 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.35% growth from 2017 to 2018, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Iowa was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2018, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Iowa was Dallas County, IA with a value of $83,990, followed by Polk County, IA and Linn County, IA, with respective values of $68,291 and $64,103.

The following map shows all of the counties in Iowa colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 18 - 24

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

11.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Iowa (354k out of 3.03M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

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.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
280,850 ± 3,476
Hispanic
38,719 ± 1,327
Black
34,056 ± 1,323

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

1.54M

2018 Value

0.58%

1 Year growth

± 0.58%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Iowa grew at a rate of 0.58%, from 1.53M employees to 1.54M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Iowa, are Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (47,511 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (41,241 people), and Laborers & freight, stock, & material movers, hand (36,785 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Iowa.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Iowa, by number of employees, are Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (47,511 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (41,241 people), and Laborers & freight, stock, & material movers, hand (36,785 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Iowa has an unusually high number of residents working as Control & valve installers & repairers (6.12 times higher than expected), Biomedical & agricultural engineers (4.2 times), and Farmers, ranchers, & other agricultural managers (3.84 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Iowa, by average salary, are Physicians ($235,882), Dentists ($186,225), and Aircraft pilots & flight engineers ($155,509).

Industries

Employment by Industries

1.54M

2018 Value

0.58%

1 Year growth

± 0.58%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Iowa grew at a rate of 0.58%, from 1.53M employees to 1.54M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Iowa, are Elementary & secondary schools (95,929 people), Construction (83,721 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (79,251 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Iowa, though some of these residents may live in Iowa and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Iowa, by number of employees, are Elementary & secondary schools (95,929 people), Construction (83,721 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (79,251 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Iowa has an unusually high number of Agricultural implement manufacturing (21.1 times higher than expected), Farm product raw material merchant wholesalers (11.2 times), and Agricultural chemical manufacturing (8.03 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Iowa, by average salary, are Drugs, sundries, & chemical & allied products merchant wholesalers ($139,440), Electronic shopping and mail-order houses ($123,034), and Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing ($117,849).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Iowa to other states, or from other states to Iowa.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2015, the top outbound Iowa product (by dollars) was Cereal grains with $24.8B, followed by Machinery ($18.8B) and Other ag prods. ($18.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Iowa products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Iowa.

$245B

2015 Value in Iowa

$363B

Projected 2045 Value in Iowa

47.9% growth

In 2015, total outbound Iowa trade was $245B. This is expected to increase 47.9% to $363B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Iowa trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Iowa to other states, or from other states to Iowa.

Most Common Trade Partners

Illinois
$26.2B
Minnesota
$16.1B
Nebraska
$11.4B

In 2015, the top outbound Iowa domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Illinois with $26.2B, followed by Minnesota with $16.1B and Nebraska and $11.4B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Iowa shares with each state (excluding itself).

Education

In 2017, universities in Iowa awarded 67,866 degrees. The student population of Iowa is skewed towards women, with 115,142 male students and 147,079 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Iowa are White (49,352 and 76.7%), followed by Black or African American (4,706 and 7.32%), Hispanic or Latino (4,131 and 6.42%), and Unknown (2,807 and 4.36%).

The largest universities in Iowa by number of degrees awarded are Kaplan University-Davenport Campus (9,624 and 14.2%), Iowa State University (9,044 and 13.3%), and University of Iowa (8,372 and 12.3%).

The most popular majors in Iowa are Liberal Arts & Sciences (6,399 and 9.43%), Registered Nursing (3,237 and 4.77%), and General Business Administration & Management (3,153 and 4.65%).

The median tuition costs in Iowa are $29,185 for private four year colleges, and $7,456 and $21,292 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
1,884 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
1,693 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
1,676 degree-majorss awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Iowa was Registered Nursing with 1,884 degree-majorss awarded.

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

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Kaplan University-Davenport Campus
9,624 degrees awarded
Iowa State University
9,044 degrees awarded
University of Iowa
8,372 degrees awarded

$7,456

Median In-State Public

$29,185

Median Private

In 2017, the Iowa institution with the largest number of graduating students was Kaplan University-Davenport Campus with 9,624 degrees awarded.

Student Gender for Common Institutions

28,522

Degrees Awarded to Men

39,344

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 28,522 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Iowa, which is 0.725 times less than the 39,344 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Iowa by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
49,352 degrees awarded
Black or African American
4,706 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
4,131 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Iowa were to White students. These 49,352 degrees mean that there were 10.5 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 4,706 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Iowa was $152,000 in 2018, which is 0.662 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $149,100 to $152,000, a 1.95% increase. The homeownership rate in Iowa is 71.3%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Iowa have an average commute time of 18.5 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Iowa is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$152,000

2018 Median

± $1,552

$149,100

2017 Median

± $1,674

In 2018, the median property value in Iowa grew to to $152,000 from the previous year's value of $149,100.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Iowa compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Iowa the largest share of households have a property value in the $200k - $250k range.

Household Income

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

$59,955

Median Household Income

± $877

1.27M

Number of Households

± 15,729

In 2018, the median household income of the 1.27M households in Iowa grew to $59,955 from the previous year's value of $58,570.

The following chart displays the households in Iowa 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.

Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Iowa distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Iowa the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

Rent vs Own

71.3%

2018 Homeownership

71.6%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 71.3% of the housing units in Iowa were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 71.6%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Iowa compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

18.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Iowa have a shorter commute time (18.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.7 minutes). Additionally, 1.35% of the workforce in Iowa have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

Drove Alone
81.6%
Carpooled
8.12%
Worked At Home
5.12%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Iowa was Drove Alone (81.6%), followed by those who Carpooled (8.12%) and those who Worked At Home (5.12%).

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.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Iowa distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Iowa have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

Health

95.3% of the population of Iowa has health coverage, with 53.9% on employee plans, 14.3% on Medicaid, 12.4% on Medicare, 13.6% on non-group plans, and 1.11% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Iowa was $8,200 in 2014. This is a 5.05% increase from the previous year ($7,806).

Primary care physicians in Iowa see 1363 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.04% increase from the previous year (1349 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1561 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 756 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Appanoose County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (13.3%). Additionally, Union County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (39.4%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,363 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Iowa

Primary care physicians in Iowa see an average of 1,363 patients per year. This represents a 1.04% increase from the previous year (1,349 patients).

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

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

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

$8,200

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Iowa

$4,076

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$6,702

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$9,317

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Iowa (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 5.05%, from $7,806 to $8,200.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

4.71%

Uninsured

53.9%

Employer Coverage

14.3%

Medicaid

12.4%

Medicare

13.6%

Non-Group

1.11%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Iowa grew by 10.6% from 4.26% to 4.71%.

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