1st Advantage MortgageIn Ida County, Iowa, the typical household earns $63,073 a year and the typical rent is $696. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Iowa before sharing details.
On this page
- Ida County at a glance
- Employment and commuting in Ida County
- How much Ida County households make
- Ida County housing compared with Iowa
- Ida County towns compared
- The counties around Ida County
- Debt-to-income at Ida County's medians
- More Ida County figures
- Borrowing situations common in Ida County
- Four steps for Ida County borrowers
- Lender oversight for Ida County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Ida County at a glance
Ida County is home to about 6,911 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 92nd most populous of 99 county-level areas in Iowa. It covers 432 square miles of land, or about 16 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Ida County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 5 places in the county (5 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Ida Grove, with about 1,967 residents, or 28% of the county. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Ida County figure on this page as a rough guide.
Employment and commuting in Ida County
The biggest employer of Ida County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 25% of workers, followed by manufacturing (21%). Compared with Iowa, the county leans toward manufacturing (21% against 15%). Averaged over the five survey years, 2.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 9% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 10% work from home. 4.6% of households have no vehicle.
| Top industries | Ida County share | +/- vs Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.9% | +0.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 20.8% | +6.1 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 9.8% | +6.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.7% | -1.8 pts |
| Construction | 9.5% | +2.6 pts |
| Other services | 4.4% | +0.1 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Ida County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
How much Ida County households make
Ida County households have a median income of $63,073 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 83rd of 99 in Iowa.
| Households earning | Ida County | +/- vs Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 24.1% | +2.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 47.9% | +5.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 22.6% | -4.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.4% | -3.2 pts |
The spread is wide: 28% of Ida County households make $100,000 or more, and 24% make less than $35,000. 11.3% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 11.1%). For a borrower in Ida County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Ida County housing compared with Iowa
Renters in Ida County pay a median of $696 a month, 28% below the Iowa figure of $972. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 25% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $108,900, about 1.7 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 73%.
| Measure | Ida County | Iowa | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $696/mo | $972/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $108,900 | $208,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 73% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 25% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 20% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Ida County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Ida County towns compared
Here are the 5 most populous of the county's 5 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 73% of Ida County residents live in one of the 5. Holstein has the highest median household income on the list ($64,115) and Battle Creek the lowest ($59,688), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $480 in Battle Creek to $848 in Holstein. No Ida County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 5.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ida Grove | city | 1,967 | $61,250 | $694 | 4 mi |
| Holstein | city | 1,600 | $64,115 | $848 | 7 mi |
| Battle Creek | city | 803 | $59,688 | $480 | 7 mi |
| Galva | city | 447 | $73,750 | $714 | 9 mi |
| Arthur | city | 252 | $53,711 | $676 | 9 mi |
The counties around Ida County
Six nearby counties, 21 to 33 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $67,027 in Crawford County to $73,838 in Sac County; all six of these neighbors top Ida County's median.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ida County | - | $63,073 | $696/mo | 73% |
| Sac County, IA | 21 mi | $73,838 | $722/mo | 78% |
| Crawford County, IA | 25 mi | $67,027 | $743/mo | 76% |
| Cherokee County, IA | 25 mi | $71,269 | $758/mo | 76% |
| Woodbury County, IA | 28 mi | $73,658 | $981/mo | 68% |
| Buena Vista County, IA | 31 mi | $71,719 | $894/mo | 73% |
| Monona County, IA | 33 mi | $68,377 | $855/mo | 76% |
Debt-to-income at Ida County's medians
Ida County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $5,256 a month: gross income for a household at the Ida County median
- Rent at the median, $696, takes 13% of that
- $1,144: what a 35% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- Under a 45% cap, $2,365 total minus rent leaves $1,669
If your rent is above $696, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
More Ida County figures
College graduates make up 22% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 5.9%, against 5.0% for Iowa.
| Ida County | Iowa | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 | 38.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.6% | 31.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.5% | 6.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.9% | 5.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.6% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 11.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 11.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.4% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Ida County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 58.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 24.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 8.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.1% |
| 60+ min | 4.5% |
Borrowing situations common in Ida County
Based on the Ida County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Ida County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
Four steps for Ida County borrowers
A short checklist for Ida County borrowers:
- Price the Ida County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- A Iowa license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Lender oversight for Ida County
The Iowa Division of Banking is the place to verify any lender's Iowa license. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on Iowa: Iowa personal loans.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Iowa guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Ida County household make?
About $63,073 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 16% below the Iowa median.
How does Ida County rent compare with Iowa?
$696 locally versus $972 for the state, 28% below.
I own my home in Ida County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 73% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
What are the biggest places in Ida County?
By population: Ida Grove, Holstein, Battle Creek, Galva, Arthur. The county has 5 Census places in all.
Is the fit check different in Ida County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.