1st Advantage MortgageIn Winneshiek County, Iowa, the typical household earns $79,066 a year and the typical rent is $861. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Iowa license first.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Winneshiek County
- What it costs to live in Winneshiek County
- How much Winneshiek County households make
- Employment and commuting in Winneshiek County
- How Winneshiek County compares with nearby counties
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Winneshiek County
- Debt-to-income at Winneshiek County's medians
- More Winneshiek County figures
- Borrowing situations common in Winneshiek County
- Lender oversight for Winneshiek County
- Before you sign
- More guides for Winneshiek County
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Winneshiek County
Winneshiek County is home to about 19,873 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 34th most populous of 99 county-level areas in Iowa. Spread over 690 square miles, that works out to roughly 28.8 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 9 places in the county (8 incorporated, 1 census-designated); the largest is Decorah, with about 7,535 residents, or 38% of the county.
What it costs to live in Winneshiek County
Renters in Winneshiek County pay a median of $861 a month, 11% below the Iowa figure of $972. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 36% of renter households here. With a median value of $259,200, a typical Winneshiek County house costs 3.3 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 74% of homes.
| Cost | Winneshiek County | Iowa figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $861/mo | $972/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $259,200 | $208,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 36% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 27% | 20% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 1.7% | 3.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 8% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Winneshiek 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.
How much Winneshiek County households make
The median household income in Winneshiek County is $79,066; statewide it is $75,059, so Winneshiek County runs 5% above Iowa as a whole.
| Household income | Winneshiek County | vs Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 19.5% | -1.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.0% | +0.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 30.0% | +2.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.4% | -1.1 pts |
Some 19% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 37% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 8.4% of Winneshiek County residents in poverty, against 11.1% across Iowa. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.444 here. For a borrower in Winneshiek 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.
Employment and commuting in Winneshiek County
Education and health care employs 29% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 13%. Education and health care stands out: 29% of workers here, versus 24% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Winneshiek County averages 2.3% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 3.6%). About 70% drive to work alone and 7% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Where residents work | Winneshiek County | Difference from Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.2% | +5.0 pts |
| Manufacturing | 13.4% | -1.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.5% | -1.0 pts |
| Construction | 8.9% | +1.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.3% | +1.3 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 6.4% | +2.6 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
How Winneshiek County compares with nearby counties
Allamakee County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Houston County, is 31 miles off. 1 of the six report a higher median household income than Winneshiek County; Houston County is highest at $79,825 and Fayette County lowest at $60,165. Some neighbors are in Minnesota. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Winneshiek County resident follows Iowa rules.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winneshiek County | - | $79,066 | $861/mo | 74% |
| Allamakee County, IA | 24 mi | $70,694 | $796/mo | 80% |
| Howard County, IA | 24 mi | $67,446 | $713/mo | 77% |
| Chickasaw County, IA | 28 mi | $75,675 | $738/mo | 81% |
| Fillmore County, MN | 29 mi | $77,512 | $797/mo | 83% |
| Fayette County, IA | 30 mi | $60,165 | $881/mo | 77% |
| Houston County, MN | 31 mi | $79,825 | $879/mo | 83% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Winneshiek County
Here are the 9 most populous of the county's 9 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 54% of Winneshiek County residents live in one of the 9. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $64,366 in Decorah to $92,500 in Calmar. Median rent ranges from $694 in Calmar to $853 in Decorah. None of the 9 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decorah | city | 7,535 | $64,366 | $853 | 3 mi |
| Calmar | city | 974 | $92,500 | $694 | 8 mi |
| Ossian | city | 806 | $71,875 | $772 | 11 mi |
| Spillville | city | 356 | $54,375 | $870 | 8 mi |
| Fort Atkinson | city | 346 | $73,750 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Ridgeway | city | 315 | $61,607 | $650 | 7 mi |
| Burr Oak | CDP | 225 | $56,250 | $1,208 | 11 mi |
| Castalia | city | 142 | $61,250 | n/a | 15 mi |
| Jackson Junction | city | 26 | n/a | n/a | 17 mi |
Debt-to-income at Winneshiek County's medians
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Winneshiek County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Monthly gross at the median, Winneshiek County: $6,589
- Housing at the median rent of $861 uses 13%
- At 36%, room after rent is $1,511 a month
- Under a 43% cap, $2,833 total minus rent leaves $1,972
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Winneshiek County's.
More Winneshiek County figures
College graduates make up 31% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 2.7%, against 5.0% for Iowa.
| People and households | Winneshiek County | Iowa | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 38.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 31.2% | 31.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 3.8% | 6.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 2.7% | 5.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 12.1% | 11.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 11.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.3% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Winneshiek County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 49.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 33.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 10.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 1.7% |
| 60+ min | 5.2% |
Borrowing situations common in Winneshiek County
Based on the Winneshiek County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
Lender oversight for Winneshiek County
Winneshiek County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Iowa Division of Banking. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. The Iowa guide covers state rules in more detail.
Before you sign
A short checklist for Winneshiek County borrowers:
- Price the Winneshiek County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
More guides for Winneshiek County
For statewide rules and data, see the Iowa guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Winneshiek County?
$79,066 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $75,059 for Iowa. It ranks 14th of 99 in the state.
What do renters pay in Winneshiek County?
$861 a month at the median, about 13% of median household income.
I own my home in Winneshiek County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 74% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
I live in a small Winneshiek County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Decorah, Calmar, Ossian, Spillville, Fort Atkinson and 4 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Winneshiek County or elsewhere in Iowa, the same rules apply.