1st Advantage MortgageAbout 80% of Mitchell County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $71,365. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- A quick profile of Mitchell County
- How much Mitchell County households make
- Work, industries and travel time in Mitchell County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Mitchell County
- Towns and communities in Mitchell County
- Mitchell County next to its neighbors
- Debt-to-income at Mitchell County's medians
- People and households in Mitchell County
- Local borrowing considerations for Mitchell County
- A Mitchell County borrower's checklist
- Checking a lender's license in Iowa
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Mitchell County
With an estimated 10,575 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Mitchell County ranks 71st of 99 in Iowa for population. Spread over 469 square miles, that works out to roughly 22.5 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 13 Census places inside Mitchell County, Osage leads by population with about 3,561; 7 of the 13 are incorporated.
How much Mitchell County households make
Half of Mitchell County households take in less than $71,365 a year and half take in more, 5% below the Iowa median of $75,059.
| Household income | Mitchell County | vs Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.7% | -0.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.6% | +1.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.0% | +0.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.7% | -1.9 pts |
Some 21% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 35% have six-figure incomes. 9.5% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 11.1%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.447 here. For a borrower in Mitchell 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.
Work, industries and travel time in Mitchell County
Manufacturing employs 22% of working residents, the largest share; education and health care is next with 18%. Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 12% of workers here, versus 4% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 1.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 7% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 12% work from home. Only 3.0% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Mitchell County workers | vs Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 22.4% | +7.7 pts |
| Education and health care | 18.2% | -6.0 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 11.5% | +7.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.6% | -3.0 pts |
| Construction | 8.4% | +1.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 5.8% | -1.8 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Rent, home values and ownership in Mitchell County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $738 in Mitchell County versus $972 statewide. By the Census definition, 36% of Mitchell County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $175,100, a typical Mitchell County house costs 2.5 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 80%. Median construction year: 1957.
| Housing | Mitchell County | Iowa statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $738/mo | $972/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $175,100 | $208,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 80% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 36% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 15% | 20% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Mitchell 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.
Towns and communities in Mitchell County
Here are the 13 most populous of the county's 13 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 55% of Mitchell County residents live in one of the 13. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $61,932 in Stacyville to $76,458 in St. Ansgar. This guide covers each of the 13 places and the rural areas around them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osage | city | 3,561 | $68,730 | $692 | 5 mi |
| St. Ansgar | city | 1,206 | $76,458 | $912 | 7 mi |
| Stacyville | city | 545 | $61,932 | $664 | 6 mi |
| Mitchell | city | 117 | $72,500 | n/a | 5 mi |
| McIntire | city | 89 | n/a | n/a | 11 mi |
| Carpenter | city | 81 | $74,107 | $767 | 13 mi |
| Orchard | city | 69 | $59,167 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Toeterville | CDP | 56 | n/a | n/a | 8 mi |
| Little Cedar | CDP | 40 | n/a | n/a | 4 mi |
| Otranto | CDP | 34 | n/a | n/a | 13 mi |
| New Haven | CDP | 30 | $45,417 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Mona | CDP | 21 | n/a | n/a | 13 mi |
| Meyer | CDP | 14 | n/a | n/a | 9 mi |
Mitchell County next to its neighbors
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (20 to 31 miles). Income ranges from $67,446 in Howard County to $78,008 in Worth County; 3 of these neighbors top Mitchell County's median. The list crosses into Minnesota, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell County | - | $71,365 | $738/mo | 80% |
| Floyd County, IA | 20 mi | $68,557 | $745/mo | 77% |
| Mower County, MN | 22 mi | $73,074 | $927/mo | 78% |
| Howard County, IA | 23 mi | $67,446 | $713/mo | 77% |
| Worth County, IA | 23 mi | $78,008 | $758/mo | 83% |
| Cerro Gordo County, IA | 30 mi | $68,189 | $850/mo | 70% |
| Chickasaw County, IA | 31 mi | $75,675 | $738/mo | 81% |
Debt-to-income at Mitchell County's medians
How much room does a median Mitchell County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Monthly gross at the median, Mitchell County: $5,947
- 12% goes to median rent ($738)
- At 36%, room after rent is $1,403 a month
Two-income households and single earners in Mitchell County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
People and households in Mitchell County
Degree holders: 25% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 7.4%, against 5.0% for Iowa.
| Measure | Mitchell County | Iowa statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 38.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 24.9% | 31.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.9% | 6.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.4% | 5.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.0% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 11.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 11.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 1.2% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Mitchell County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 50.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 26.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.8% |
| 60+ min | 3.7% |
Local borrowing considerations for Mitchell County
Based on the Mitchell County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
- Consolidating cards in Mitchell County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
A Mitchell County borrower's checklist
A short checklist for Mitchell County borrowers:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Iowa borrowers.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Checking a lender's license in Iowa
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Mitchell County, check the Iowa Division of Banking. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Iowa state guide for the statewide picture.
Related local guides
The Iowa guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mitchell County a high-income county?
Its $71,365 median ranks 47th of 99 Iowa counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How does Mitchell County rent compare with Iowa?
$738 locally versus $972 for the state, 24% below.
I live in a small Mitchell County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Osage, St. Ansgar, Stacyville, Mitchell, McIntire and 8 more.
Will a Mitchell County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Iowa as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Is there a Mitchell County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Iowa it is the Iowa Division of Banking.