In Iowa, the median household income is $75,059 and 72% of homes are owner-occupied (ACS 2020 to 2024). A safe personal loan starts with a license check, three written offers compared on total cost, and a payment that fits your own budget.
On this page
- Iowa by the numbers
- What the numbers mean for Iowa borrowers
- Largest places in Iowa
- Other sizable places in Iowa
- Counties with the most residents
- How Iowa earns a living
- More context for Iowa budgets
- Checking a lender in Iowa
- Can Iowa residents use the questionnaire?
- Local guides in Iowa
- Frequently asked questions
Iowa by the numbers
Sixteen lines of Census data describe the budget backdrop in Iowa; a rank of 1 means the highest value of any state or DC.
| What we measured | Iowa | Nation | Place among 51 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $75,059 | $80,734 | 32nd |
| Median home value | $208,000 | $332,700 | 46th |
| Homeownership rate | 72% | 65% | 11th |
| Cost-burdened owners with a mortgage | 20% | 28% | 49th |
| Home value to income ratio | 2.8x | 4.1x | 50th |
| Workers commuting 45+ minutes | 8% | 17% | 46th |
| Workers who work from home | 11% | 15% | 37th |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree | 31% | 36% | 39th |
| Median age | 38.6 | 38.9 | 34th |
| Income inequality (Gini index) | 0.444 | 0.483 | 49th |
| Share of households under $35,000 | 21% | 21% | 26th |
| Share of households at $100,000+ | 36% | 41% | 33rd |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 12.5% | 31st |
| Jobless rate, 5-year ACS | 3.6% | 5.2% | 44th |
| Median gross rent per month | $972 | $1,413 | 45th |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 44% | 51% | 46th |
What the numbers mean for Iowa borrowers
On commuting, Iowa ranks 46th: 8% of workers need 45 minutes or more to get to work (U.S. 17%). Where commutes are long, a car repair is often the emergency that sends people looking for a loan; see our auto repair guide.
Jobs and hardship: an average 3.6% unemployment rate in the 2020 to 2024 survey, and 11.1% of people below the federal poverty line. These are averages over five years, not this month's job market; a lender cares about your own work history.
Rent is a pressure point for 44% of Iowa renter households, who spend 30 percent or more of income on it (U.S.: 51%). Median gross rent is $972 a month, 45th highest among the 51. Size any payment to the month after rent is paid, not to your gross income.
Homeownership stands at 72% in Iowa and the median owner-occupied home is worth $208,000, which ranks 46th among the 51 jurisdictions. The owner cost burden rate, for households with a mortgage, is 20%. Owners can also compare a home-equity line against a personal loan, keeping in mind that equity borrowing puts the house at risk.
Largest places in Iowa
Big-city snapshot for Iowa, ranked by population; a linked name means a full local guide is available.
| Place | County | Population | Median household income | Rent (median) | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | Polk County, Warren County | 212,421 | $65,932 | $1,090 | $194,700 |
| Cedar Rapids | Linn County | 137,264 | $70,424 | $967 | $187,100 |
| Davenport | Scott County | 100,913 | $66,200 | $978 | $166,400 |
| Sioux City | Plymouth County, Woodbury County | 86,101 | $68,906 | $976 | $173,600 |
| Iowa City | Johnson County | 75,752 | $58,546 | $1,094 | $285,900 |
| Ankeny | Polk County | 72,615 | $108,198 | $1,319 | $331,000 |
| West Des Moines | Polk County, Dallas County | 71,083 | $86,594 | $1,237 | $309,000 |
| Ames | Story County | 67,669 | $60,991 | $1,023 | $277,400 |
| Waterloo | Black Hawk County | 67,008 | $57,480 | $923 | $152,600 |
| Council Bluffs | Pottawattamie County | 62,586 | $64,578 | $1,030 | $171,800 |
| Dubuque | Dubuque County | 59,174 | $65,845 | $948 | $204,800 |
| Urbandale | Polk County, Dallas County | 46,595 | $112,795 | $1,211 | $335,500 |
Counting places of 20,000 or more people, median household income in Iowa tops out at $112,795 in Urbandale and bottoms out at $57,480 in Waterloo. The state has 11 places over 50,000 and 42 over 10,000. Waukee renters pay the most ($1,383 at the median) and Fort Dodge renters the least ($785).
Other sizable places in Iowa
Continuing down the population list from Marion to Norwalk.
| City or town | Population | Median income | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion | 41,896 | $86,743 | $961 |
| Cedar Falls | 40,888 | $76,987 | $1,203 |
| Bettendorf | 39,647 | $100,495 | $1,187 |
| Waukee | 29,236 | $101,029 | $1,383 |
| Marshalltown | 27,626 | $69,068 | $891 |
| Mason City | 27,050 | $64,804 | $882 |
| Ottumwa | 25,430 | $61,103 | $921 |
| Fort Dodge | 24,827 | $60,649 | $785 |
| Johnston | 24,384 | $106,551 | $1,338 |
| Clinton | 24,322 | $60,230 | $791 |
| Burlington | 23,728 | $59,000 | $924 |
| Muscatine | 23,489 | $58,117 | $974 |
| Coralville | 23,234 | $69,144 | $1,057 |
| Altoona | 21,495 | $86,114 | $1,235 |
| North Liberty | 21,125 | $102,102 | $1,246 |
| Clive | 19,012 | $132,121 | $1,073 |
| Grimes | 16,366 | $120,037 | $1,251 |
| Indianola | 16,044 | $75,453 | $986 |
| Newton | 15,700 | $57,771 | $819 |
| Norwalk | 14,183 | $102,722 | $838 |
Measured as a year of median rent against median household income, housing weighs most in Muscatine (20%) and least in Clive (10%) among these 20 places.
Counties with the most residents
Of 99 counties in Iowa, these 16 have the most people.
| County | Population | Median income | Median gross rent | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 503,175 | $83,576 | $1,149 | $262,100 |
| Linn County | 230,004 | $77,649 | $945 | $214,300 |
| Scott County | 174,608 | $78,277 | $1,005 | $222,000 |
| Johnson County | 156,639 | $74,935 | $1,122 | $308,600 |
| Black Hawk County | 131,049 | $66,417 | $989 | $188,900 |
| Dallas County | 107,968 | $102,379 | $1,311 | $355,600 |
| Woodbury County | 106,247 | $73,658 | $981 | $183,200 |
| Story County | 100,466 | $69,685 | $1,018 | $258,700 |
| Dubuque County | 99,030 | $77,630 | $959 | $237,300 |
| Pottawattamie County | 93,424 | $73,602 | $1,018 | $195,700 |
| Warren County | 54,409 | $94,588 | $973 | $269,600 |
| Clinton County | 46,268 | $66,981 | $850 | $160,600 |
| Cerro Gordo County | 42,632 | $68,189 | $850 | $166,400 |
| Muscatine County | 42,559 | $69,396 | $971 | $182,100 |
| Marshall County | 40,114 | $73,315 | $885 | $145,500 |
| Des Moines County | 38,487 | $62,928 | $904 | $136,500 |
Across all 99 counties, median household income ranges from $54,934 in Appanoose County to $102,379 in Dallas County. A statewide average hides that spread, which is why the same loan can be comfortable in one county and a stretch in the next.
How Iowa earns a living
Top four employers of Iowa residents by industry, with the gap to the U.S. mix.
| Sector | Share of Iowa workers | National share | Gap vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health care and social assistance | 24% | 24% | +0.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15% | 10% | +4.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 12% | 11% | +0.7 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 8% | 7% | +0.9 pts |
Compared with the country, Iowa leans most toward manufacturing, at 15% of workers against 10% nationally. Industry matters to a borrower because it decides how easy income is to document: salaried and public jobs verify quickly, while tips, commission, seasonal and contract pay need more records.
More context for Iowa budgets
Ranked by median household income, Iowa comes in 32nd with $75,059, 7% below the country's $80,734. Medians describe the middle household, not yours, so test any payment against your own take-home pay.
The median Iowa resident is 38.6. Four-year degrees: 31% of adults. Income inequality (Gini): 0.444, 49th of 51.
Incomes are spread unevenly: 21% of Iowa households earn under $35,000 (U.S.: 21%), while 36% earn $100,000 or more (U.S.: 41%) and 9% top $200,000. A wide spread like this is why one-size borrowing advice fails; size the loan to your own pay, not to the state's.
Checking a lender in Iowa
Personal lenders that make loans to Iowa residents generally need a state license or must lend through a bank. The state banking agency, listed by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, is the Iowa Division of Banking.
- NMLS Consumer Access shows many lenders' licenses state by state.
- Never pay a fee before the money arrives; the FTC calls that an advance-fee loan scam.
- CFPB complaints reach the lender and are tracked by a federal regulator.
Can Iowa residents use the questionnaire?
You can start it, and the location step is where you find out: if partners are not yet taking Iowa requests, you will see a short email waitlist and nothing more is asked.
Local guides in Iowa
Prefer the view from your own city? 2 Iowa places have a full guide:
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify a lender in Iowa?
In Iowa, the Iowa Division of Banking is the banking agency named by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. NMLS Consumer Access lists many lenders' licenses, and the CFPB accepts complaints from every state.
How much does a typical Iowa household earn?
$75,059 a year in the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, 32nd among the 50 states and DC; the national median is $80,734.
What is the median rent in Iowa?
The typical renter pays $972; the U.S. median is $1,413. In Iowa, 44% of renting households spend 30 percent or more of income on housing.
How many Iowa residents live below the poverty line?
11.1% in the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates, compared with 12.5% nationally. Households under strain should look at free options, such as hardship plans and nonprofit counseling, before a loan.