1st Advantage MortgageWoodbury County households have a median income of $73,658 and median rent of $981 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). 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
- Getting oriented in Woodbury County
- Household income in Woodbury County
- What it costs to live in Woodbury County
- Work, industries and travel time in Woodbury County
- Woodbury County next to its neighbors
- Woodbury County towns compared
- A Woodbury County household budget, worked through
- More Woodbury County figures
- Reading the Woodbury County data as a borrower
- Who licenses lenders for Woodbury County residents
- Four steps for Woodbury County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Woodbury County
Roughly 106,247 residents live in Woodbury County, Iowa, 7th by population among the state's 99 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 873 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 122 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Sergeant Bluff is the biggest of its 15 Census places, at roughly 5,171 people (5% of the county total).
Household income in Woodbury County
Half of Woodbury County households take in less than $73,658 a year and half take in more, 2% below the Iowa median of $75,059. Only 32 Iowa counties post a higher median.
| Income band | Share in Woodbury County | Difference from Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 24.3% | +3.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.7% | -2.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.0% | +0.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.0% | -1.5 pts |
The spread is wide: 35% of Woodbury County households make $100,000 or more, and 24% make less than $35,000. 14.0% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 11.1%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.436 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Woodbury County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
What it costs to live in Woodbury County
A typical Woodbury County rental runs $981 a month including utilities. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 42% of renter households here. Home values center on $183,200, or 2.5 years of median income. 68% of Woodbury County households own their home and 32% rent.
| Cost | Woodbury County | Iowa figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $981/mo | $972/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $183,200 | $208,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 68% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 42% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 20% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.5% | 3.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 6% | 8% | n/a |
Work, industries and travel time in Woodbury County
By the Census industry count, 22% of employed Woodbury County residents work in education and health care and 19% in manufacturing. Manufacturing stands out: 19% of workers here, versus 15% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Woodbury County averages 4.1% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 3.6%). About 79% drive to work alone and 5% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 6.1% of the total (5.4% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Woodbury County | Gap to Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.1% | -2.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 19.2% | +4.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.3% | -0.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.5% | +2.6 pts |
| Construction | 7.9% | +1.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.4% | -1.2 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Woodbury County next to its neighbors
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Woodbury County's, from 24 to 32 miles away. Income ranges from $63,073 in Ida County to $83,251 in Plymouth County; 1 of these neighbors top Woodbury County's median. Some neighbors are in Nebraska. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Woodbury County resident follows Iowa rules.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodbury County | - | $73,658 | $981/mo | 68% |
| Monona County, IA | 24 mi | $68,377 | $855/mo | 76% |
| Plymouth County, IA | 25 mi | $83,251 | $910/mo | 74% |
| Dakota County, NE | 26 mi | $70,329 | $1,069/mo | 64% |
| Ida County, IA | 28 mi | $63,073 | $696/mo | 73% |
| Thurston County, NE | 30 mi | $69,177 | $699/mo | 61% |
| Cherokee County, IA | 32 mi | $71,269 | $758/mo | 76% |
Woodbury County towns compared
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 15 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 11% of Woodbury County residents live in one of the 15. Sergeant Bluff has the highest median household income on the list ($123,481) and Correctionville the lowest ($50,192), counting places with at least 500 residents. Live in one of these Woodbury County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeant Bluff | city | 5,171 | $123,481 | $1,156 | 15 mi |
| Moville | city | 1,670 | $96,016 | $745 | 7 mi |
| Sloan | city | 1,018 | $68,125 | $755 | 14 mi |
| Lawton | city | 790 | $86,875 | $959 | 9 mi |
| Correctionville | city | 761 | $50,192 | $850 | 15 mi |
| Anthon | city | 514 | $51,250 | $1,069 | 10 mi |
| Salix | city | 402 | $62,500 | $950 | 13 mi |
| Hornick | city | 340 | $85,938 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Bronson | city | 312 | $86,458 | $1,375 | 8 mi |
| Pierson | city | 302 | $75,000 | $638 | 14 mi |
| Danbury | city | 283 | $64,375 | $750 | 20 mi |
| Cushing | city | 243 | $66,875 | $686 | 20 mi |
| Smithland | city | 137 | $98,750 | $725 | 13 mi |
| Oto | city | 68 | n/a | n/a | 11 mi |
A Woodbury County household budget, worked through
How much room does a median Woodbury County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $6,138 a month: gross income for a household at the Woodbury County median
- 16% goes to median rent ($981)
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,658 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Woodbury County's.
More Woodbury County figures
Degree holders: 24% of adults over 25. About 7% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Woodbury County | Iowa | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 38.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 24.3% | 31.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 12.4% | 6.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.3% | 5.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 11.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 14.0% | 11.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.1% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Woodbury County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 41.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 45.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 8.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 1.9% |
| 60+ min | 3.0% |
Reading the Woodbury County data as a borrower
Based on the Woodbury County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Woodbury County borrower sees (free reports).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
Who licenses lenders for Woodbury County residents
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Woodbury County borrowers answers to 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.
Four steps for Woodbury County borrowers
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Price the Woodbury County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Iowa.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Related local guides
The Iowa guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Woodbury County?
$73,658 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $75,059 for Iowa. It ranks 33rd of 99 in the state.
What do renters pay in Woodbury County?
$981 a month at the median, about 16% of median household income.
What are the biggest places in Woodbury County?
By population: Sergeant Bluff, Moville, Sloan, Lawton, Correctionville. The county has 15 Census places in all.
Will a Woodbury County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Iowa as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Woodbury County residents?
The Iowa Division of Banking licenses consumer lenders in Iowa; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.