1st Advantage MortgageThe median Worth County household earns $78,008, and 8% of residents live below the poverty line. 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
- Worth County, IA: the basics
- What Worth County households earn
- How Worth County residents earn a living
- Renting and owning in Worth County
- Towns and communities in Worth County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Worth County households compared
- What the numbers mean for Worth County borrowers
- Budget math at the Worth County median
- Four steps for Worth County borrowers
- Licensing and complaints for Worth County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Worth County, IA: the basics
Roughly 7,350 residents live in Worth County, Iowa, 89th by population among the state's 99 counties and county equivalents. It covers 400 square miles of land, or about 18 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Worth County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Of the 8 Census places inside Worth County, Northwood leads by population with about 2,040; 7 of the 8 are incorporated. Because Worth County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
What Worth County households earn
The median household income in Worth County is $78,008; statewide it is $75,059, so Worth County runs 4% above Iowa as a whole.
| Band | Worth County | Compared with Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.3% | -0.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.0% | +1.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 30.4% | +2.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.4% | -3.2 pts |
Some 20% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 36% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 8.2% of Worth County residents in poverty, against 11.1% across Iowa. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.398 here. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Worth County median.
How Worth County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 21% of employed Worth County residents work in manufacturing and 18% in education and health care. Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 11% of workers here, versus 4% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 3.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 7% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 4.6% of the total (5.4% statewide).
| Sector | Worth County | Compared with Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 20.8% | +6.1 pts |
| Education and health care | 17.6% | -6.6 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 11.3% | +7.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.0% | -1.6 pts |
| Construction | 6.6% | -0.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.0% | -1.0 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Renting and owning in Worth County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $758 in Worth County versus $972 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 21% of renter households here. Home values center on $145,800, or 1.9 years of median income. The ownership rate is 83%. Median construction year: 1948.
| Measure | Worth County | Iowa | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $758/mo | $972/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $145,800 | $208,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 83% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 21% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 19% | 20% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 1.6% | 3.2% | n/a |
Because most Worth County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Towns and communities in Worth County
Here are the 8 most populous of the county's 8 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 63% of Worth County residents live in one of the 8. No Worth County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 8.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwood | city | 2,040 | $63,450 | $706 | 5 mi |
| Manly | city | 1,320 | $72,813 | $756 | 6 mi |
| Grafton | city | 271 | $48,750 | $638 | 10 mi |
| Kensett | city | 270 | $44,643 | $650 | 2 mi |
| Fertile | city | 255 | $65,000 | $858 | 12 mi |
| Hanlontown | city | 249 | $72,813 | $794 | 9 mi |
| Joice | city | 207 | $66,250 | $800 | 11 mi |
| Bolan | CDP | 0 | n/a | n/a | 7 mi |
Neighboring counties at a glance
Six nearby counties, 21 to 32 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $67,642 in Winnebago County to $73,074 in Mower County; none of these neighbors top Worth County's median. The list crosses into Minnesota, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worth County | - | $78,008 | $758/mo | 83% |
| Cerro Gordo County, IA | 21 mi | $68,189 | $850/mo | 70% |
| Freeborn County, MN | 21 mi | $71,023 | $849/mo | 80% |
| Mitchell County, IA | 23 mi | $71,365 | $738/mo | 80% |
| Winnebago County, IA | 25 mi | $67,642 | $717/mo | 71% |
| Mower County, MN | 32 mi | $73,074 | $927/mo | 78% |
| Floyd County, IA | 32 mi | $68,557 | $745/mo | 77% |
Worth County households compared
Degree holders: 19% of adults over 25. 7.0% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Worth County | Iowa | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 38.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.1% | 31.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.4% | 6.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.0% | 5.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.6% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 11.3% | 11.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 11.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.5% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Worth County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 31.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 44.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 17.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.1% |
| 60+ min | 4.3% |
What the numbers mean for Worth County borrowers
Based on the Worth County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Worth County borrower sees (free reports).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
Budget math at the Worth County median
Here is the Worth County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- $78,008 a year is $6,501 of gross monthly income
- Median rent: $758, or 12 cents of every gross dollar
- At 36%, room after rent is $1,582 a month
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Worth County's.
Four steps for Worth County borrowers
Quick steps for Worth County:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Worth County.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Licensing and complaints for Worth County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Worth County resident can confirm its license with the Iowa Division of Banking. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. See the Iowa state guide for the statewide picture.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Iowa guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Worth County?
$78,008 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $75,059 for Iowa. It ranks 18th of 99 in the state.
What do renters pay in Worth County?
$758 a month at the median, about 12% of median household income.
Should Worth County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 83% of Worth County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
I live in a small Worth County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Northwood, Manly, Grafton, Kensett, Fertile and 3 more.
Does living in Worth County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Worth County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.