Ottumwa, IA

Census Place

2024 Population

25,430

US Senator

Chuck Grassley

Republican Party

US Senator

Joni Ernst

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

36.7

1.87% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

17.2%

9.02% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$61,103

7.21% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$106,300

Population & Diversity

Ottumwa, IA is home to a population of 25.4k people, from which 91.5% are citizens.

As of 2024, 13.1% of Ottumwa, IA residents were born outside of the country (3.33k people).

In 2024, there were 12.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (17.5k people) in Ottumwa, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.42k Other (Hispanic) and 1.14k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

91.5%

2024 Citizenship

92.9%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 91.5% of Ottumwa, IA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Ottumwa, IA was 92.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Ottumwa, IA

White (Non-Hispanic)
17.5k ± 236
Other (Hispanic)
1.42k ± 359
White (Hispanic)
1.14k ± 360

17.1%

Hispanic Population

4.36k people

17.1% of the people in Ottumwa, IA are hispanic (4.36k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Ottumwa, 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
44,333 ± 5,134 people
India
11,889 ± 2,672 people
Guatemala
8,189 ± 2,219 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Iowa was Mexico, the natal country of 44,333 Iowa residents, followed by India with 11,889 and Guatemala with 8,189.

Foreign-Born Population

13.1%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

3.33k people

11.7%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

2.96k people

As of 2024, 13.1% of Ottumwa, IA residents (3.33k 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 Ottumwa, IA was 11.7%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
348 ± 107
Gulf War (2001-)
249 ± 115
Gulf War (1990s)
82 ± 81

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

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

Economy

The economy of Ottumwa, IA employs 11.9k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Ottumwa, IA were Manufacturing (3,349 people), Retail Trade (1,756 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,611 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($96,400), Public Administration ($70,435), and Educational Services ($58,169).

Employment

Occupations

11.9k

2024 Value

± 801

−0.831%

1 Year decline

± 9.62%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Ottumwa, IA declined at a rate of −0.831%, from 12k employees to 11.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Ottumwa, IA, are Production Occupations (2,183 people), Management Occupations (1,129 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,073 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Ottumwa, 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

11.9k

2024 Value

± 801

−0.831%

1 Year decline

± 9.62%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Ottumwa, IA declined at a rate of −0.831%, from 12k employees to 11.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Ottumwa, IA, are Manufacturing (3,349 people), Retail Trade (1,756 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,611 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Ottumwa, IA, though some of these residents may live in Ottumwa, IA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$45,175

Median earning men ± $2,351

$38,451

Median earning women ± $3,366

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($85,114), Information ($60,729), and Manufacturing ($56,763).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($72,228), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($57,713), and Construction ($51,923).

Education

The student population of Ottumwa, IA in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 1,486 male students and 1,698 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Ottumwa, IA are White (489 and 79.1%), Hispanic or Latino (57 and 9.22%), Black or African American (40 and 6.47%), and Two or More Races (16 and 2.59%).

The largest universities in Ottumwa, IA by number of degrees awarded are Indian Hills Community College (658 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Ottumwa, IA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (206 and 31.3%), Welding Technology (56 and 8.51%), and Radiographer (28 and 4.26%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2024 there were 3,184 students enrolled in Ottumwa, IA, 46.7% men and 53.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,397 records, of which 55.4% were women and 44.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
206 degrees awarded
Radiographer
28 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
26 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Ottumwa, IA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 206 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Indian Hills Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

658 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Indian Hills Community College with 658 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2024, 286 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Ottumwa, IA, which is 0.769 times less than the 372 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 489 degrees mean that there were 8.58 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 57 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 ($5,040) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($2,136) 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 Ottumwa, IA was $106,300 in 2024, which is 0.32 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $92,400 to $106,300, a 15% increase. The homeownership rate in Ottumwa, IA is 61.7%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Ottumwa, IA have an average commute time of 17.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Ottumwa, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$106,300

Median Property Value 2024

±$8,909

$6,161

Median Property Taxes

±$527

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

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

Rent vs Own

61.7%

Homeownership

2024

58.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 61.7% of the housing units in Ottumwa, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 61.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Ottumwa, 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.

$61,103

Median Household Income

± $4,338

9.98k

Number of Households

± 749

In 2024, the median household income of the 9.98k households in Ottumwa, IA grew to $61,103 from the previous year's value of $56,994.

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

0.435

2024 Wage GINI in Iowa

0.441

2023 Wage GINI in Iowa

In 2024, the income inequality in Iowa was 0.435 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.29% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Iowa was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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 (77.1%)
Carpooled (14.1%)
Worked At Home (4.33%)

In 2024, 77.1% of workers in Ottumwa, IA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (14.1%) and those who worked at home (4.33%).

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

17.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Ottumwa, IA have a shorter commute time (17.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.29% of the workforce in Ottumwa, IA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

17.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Ottumwa, IA (4.24k out of 24.7k 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 25 - 34 and then Males 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Ottumwa, 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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

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

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

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