1st Advantage MortgageThe median Monroe County household earns $70,996, and 9% of residents live below the poverty line. Use those as context only. A lender looks at your own documented income and debts; compare APR and total repaid on every Monroe County offer.
On this page
- Monroe County in brief
- Monroe County at the extremes
- Income in Monroe County compared with Iowa
- Monroe County industries and commutes
- Homes and rents, Monroe County
- Monroe County, Appanoose County and other neighbors
- Monroe County towns compared
- What a median Monroe County budget can carry
- Who lives in Monroe County, in numbers
- Reading the Monroe County data as a borrower
- Before you sign
- Iowa lender licensing
- Beyond Monroe County
- Frequently asked questions
Monroe County in brief
Roughly 7,513 residents live in Monroe County, Iowa, 87th by population among the state's 99 counties and county equivalents. Its 434 square miles average 17 people per square mile, by the 2024 Census Gazetteer. No metropolitan area includes Monroe County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 4 places in the county (4 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Albia, with about 3,663 residents, or 49% of the county. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Monroe County figure on this page as a rough guide.
Monroe County at the extremes
Out of every Iowa county, Monroe County is most unusual on these measures.
- The share of commutes over 45 minutes: 26% in Monroe County. Only 1 of 99 Iowa counties are higher. Long drives make car repairs a common emergency; get two written quotes.
- Monroe County ranks 2nd highest of 99 Iowa counties for the share of renters paying 30% or more of income for rent: 54%, against 44% statewide. Rent pressure leaves little room; stress-test any payment.
- On the share of mobile homes, Monroe County sits near the top of Iowa at 9.1%, 4th highest of 99. Repairs on manufactured homes are a common loan purpose; get written quotes.
Income in Monroe County compared with Iowa
Monroe County households have a median income of $70,996 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 51st of 99 in Iowa.
| Income band | Share in Monroe County | Difference from Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.4% | +0.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 46.8% | +3.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.7% | +1.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.1% | -5.5 pts |
On the low end, 21% of Monroe County households report under $35,000; at the top, 32% report $100,000-plus. 9.2% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 11.1%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.383 here. For a borrower in Monroe 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.
Monroe County industries and commutes
By the Census industry count, 26% of employed Monroe County residents work in education and health care and 19% in manufacturing. The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 19% locally and 15% for Iowa. The survey's unemployment rate for Monroe County averages 3.1% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 3.6%). Long commutes are common here: 26% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 5.6% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Where residents work | Monroe County | Difference from Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.6% | +1.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 19.4% | +4.7 pts |
| Construction | 9.6% | +2.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.6% | -2.9 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 8.3% | +0.6 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.1% | +2.0 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Homes and rents, Monroe County
Half of Monroe County renters pay more than $798 a month and half pay less; the Iowa midpoint is $972. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 54% of renter households here. Median value $156,300; median income $70,996; ratio 2.2. Owners occupy 81% of homes.
| Housing | Monroe County | Iowa statewide | Monroe County vs state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent-burdened renters | 54% | 44% | +10.4 pts |
| Owners | 81% | 72% | +9.6 pts |
| Mobile homes | 9.1% | 3.2% | +5.9 pts |
| Median home value | $156,300 | $208,000 | 25% lower |
| Median gross rent | $798/mo | $972/mo | 18% lower |
| Burdened owners | 19% | 20% | -1.7 pts |
In an owner-heavy county like Monroe 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. With rent burdens at 54%, keep any Monroe County loan to the smallest amount that solves the problem.
Monroe County, Appanoose County and other neighbors
Appanoose County is closest, 20 miles from center to center; the sixth, Davis County, is 31 miles off. Richest neighbor: Marion County, $78,680. Poorest: Appanoose County, $54,934. Monroe County: $70,996.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | - | $70,996 | $798/mo | 81% |
| Appanoose County, IA | 20 mi | $54,934 | $784/mo | 69% |
| Marion County, IA | 24 mi | $78,680 | $884/mo | 78% |
| Wapello County, IA | 24 mi | $64,766 | $920/mo | 68% |
| Lucas County, IA | 24 mi | $61,793 | $709/mo | 79% |
| Mahaska County, IA | 24 mi | $70,940 | $793/mo | 68% |
| Davis County, IA | 31 mi | $77,194 | $868/mo | 83% |
Monroe County towns compared
4 Census places fall mainly inside Monroe County; the 4 biggest are below. They account for 4,816 residents, leaving about 36% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Live in one of these Monroe County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albia | city | 3,663 | $70,455 | $915 | 3 mi |
| Moravia | city | 624 | $49,286 | $700 | 10 mi |
| Lovilia | city | 414 | $58,750 | $750 | 8 mi |
| Melrose | city | 115 | $56,250 | n/a | 10 mi |
What a median Monroe County budget can carry
DTI math using Monroe County medians ($70,996 income, $798 rent):
- Start: $5,916 gross per month ($70,996 / 12)
- 13% goes to median rent ($798)
- Under a 40% cap, $2,367 total minus rent leaves $1,569
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Who lives in Monroe County, in numbers
College graduates make up 21% of the adult population. 3.6% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Monroe County | Difference from Iowa | Difference from middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 | +3.2 yrs | +0.3 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.4% | -10.1 pts | -0.8 pts |
| No high school diploma | 4.6% | -2.2 pts | n/a |
| No health insurance | 3.6% | -1.5 pts | -4.3 pts |
| No vehicle | 5.6% | +0.2 pts | +0.2 pts |
| Work from home | 9.0% | -2.3 pts | +0.3 pts |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | -1.9 pts | -4.0 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.1% | -0.4 pts | -1.3 pts |
| Commute length | Monroe County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 31.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 16.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 25.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 16.0% |
| 60+ min | 10.0% |
Reading the Monroe County data as a borrower
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Monroe County borrowers.
- Car trouble. For Monroe County drivers (26% with 45-minute-plus trips), price the repair against the car's value first.
- Tight rental budgets. With 54% of Monroe County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
Before you sign
Steps that save money for Monroe County residents:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Iowa.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Iowa lender licensing
Monroe County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Iowa Division of Banking. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on Iowa: Iowa personal loans.
Beyond Monroe County
Statewide:
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Monroe County household make?
About $70,996 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 5% below the Iowa median.
How much is rent in Monroe County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $798 a month; 54% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Can Monroe County owners borrow against a $156,300 home?
Many can, through a home equity loan or line. It is secured by the house, so compare it with an unsecured personal loan before choosing.
I live near Albia. Which guide is mine?
This one. Albia and the rest of Monroe County have no separate city guide.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Monroe County or elsewhere in Iowa, the same rules apply.