Iowa

Iowa by the Numbers:
Key Statistical Data and Facts

Key Details

• As of 2022, Iowa is the 31st most populous state in the US (population of 3,200,517). 
• Iowa's owner-occupancy rate is 71.6%, with a median value of $160,700. 
• Governor Kim Reynolds was elected to office in 2017. 
• Approximately 92.8% of residents have high school graduate degrees. 
• Iowa has an unemployment rate of 2.7 as of May 2023. 
• Iowa has an estimated median household income of $85,806 and a mean income of $115,522. 
• In 2021, 45.1% of residents aged 15 years and over were married, while 38.3% had never married. 
• Life expectancy at birth in Iowa is 77.5 years, and heart disease is the leading cause of death. 
• The crime rate per 100,000 residents is 2,001.8, with larceny-theft accounting for almost half the recorded crimes. 
• The incarceration rate is 262 per 100,000, with nine state prisons and 90 jail facilities. 

Iowa Population Demographics

As of 2022, Iowa is the 31st most populous state in the US, with an estimated population of 3,200,517. According to the US Census, the state's population grew by 0.3% between 2020 and 2022 and by more than 4.8% between 2020 and 2010.

Nearly 1 in 4 persons was aged 18 years and below (23.1% of the population), while one out of 6 was 65 years and above (17.7%). Females comprised 49.8% of the state's population, while males accounted for 50.2%. Between 2017 and 2021, 5.5% of the population had foreign-born origins.

Iowa Housing

1,438,565 households

As of 2022, Iowa has 1,438,565 households.

28.6%

Between 2017 and 2021, the state recorded 2.42 persons per household. 28.6% of households had one or more people under 18, while 30.5% had persons aged 65 years or older. 

$160,700

Iowa has a high owner occupancy rate. Between 2017 and 2021, owner-occupied housing units accounted for 71.6% of households in Iowa, with a median value of $160,700.

78.8%

Renters made up nearly 28.1%. 78.8% of structures were one unit, 18.4% had two or more units, and 2.8% were mobile homes or some other type of unit.

$1,348

The median selected monthly owner's cost ranged from $1,348 (with a mortgage) to $524 (without a mortgage).

$845

In contrast, renters paid a median gross of $845.

Iowa Racial Demographics

Elections in Iowa

As of 2023, Iowa is considered a Red state. The Republican party controls the major government positions, including the attorney general, secretary of state, and the Governor's office. Kim Reynolds serves as the state governor, while Patt Grassley and Amy Sinclair serve as the State Speaker of the House and President of the State Senate, respectively.  

Kim Reynolds was appointed governor in 2017, becoming the state's first female governor. She went on to win an election in 2018 and a reelection in 2022. Republicans Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst represent Iowa in the US Senate.  

2020 Presidential Election 

Republican candidate Donald Trump won the 2020 general elections in Iowa. He defeated his opponent, Joe Biden, with 53.09% (897,672) of the votes, compared to 44.89%. Trump claimed victories in all the counties except for Black Hawk, Johnson, Linn, Polk, and Scott. 

Joe Biden

Donald Trump

Iowa Voting Statistics

As of January 2023, Iowa has 2,248,245 registered voters. It includes 1,907,972 active voters and 339,273 inactive voters. Among active voters, 695,420 registered as Republicans, while 601,822 registered as Democrats. Approximately 596,144 registered without party affiliation, while 15,580 registered with other parties.

How Educated is Iowa

According to 2020 census estimates, up to 92.8% of residents have a high school graduate degree or higher. A breakdown of figures reveals 20.7% of the residents have a Bachelor's degree or higher, while 9.9% have a graduate degree or higher. Over 30.3% have only a high school or equivalent degree, while 32.6% have an associate's degree or some college certificate.

As of 2020, Iowa had up to 60 colleges and universities offering various degrees. It includes two research universities and 21 associate colleges. Iowa State University had the largest number of enrolled students, with 30,000+, ahead of the University of Iowa (29,000+) and Des Moines rea Community College (20,000+).

Iowa Employment Rate

As of May 2023, Iowa has an unemployment rate of 2.7, down from the 3.0% recorded in December 2022. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, out of a civilian labor force of approximately 1,734,000 workers, 1,688,600 were employed, while 46,300 were unemployed.

Trade, transportation, and Utilities provided the most jobs, with 314,000 workers. It was followed by the Government services sector with 261,800 jobs, education, and health services with 237,300, and manufacturing with 227,400. Between 2022 and 2023, all the major industries experience growth, except for professional and business services, which shrink by 1.3%

Average Income in Iowa

Iowa has an estimated median household income of $85,806 and a mean income of $115,522. The median and mean income among married-couple families was $102,432 and $134,093, while that for non-family households was $41,549 and $61,090. Approximately 9.8% of households earned $200,000 or more, while 17.4% earned $24,999 or less. 16.8% of households earned between $50,000 and $74,99, while 29.1% earned between $75,000 and $149,999

Families in Iowa

Iowa Marriage Rates

According to 2020 census estimates, 45.1% of residents aged 15 years and over were married, while 38.3% had never married. Roughly six out of every ten women (60.2%) between the ages of 45 to 54 years were married, compared to three out of ten for women between the ages of 20 and 34. In contrast, six out of 10 men aged 45 to 65 were married, compared to 2 out of 10 men between 20 and 34.

Among racial groups, 53% of whites (aged 15 years and over) were married, compared to 51.5% of Asians, 38.2% of American Indians or Alaskan Natives, and 32.2% of Blacks or African Americans. Approximately 42% of Hispanic or Latinos were married as of 2020.

Iowa Divorce Rates

As of 2020, 10.5 % of Iowaians are divorced. This includes 9.4% of males and 11.6% of females. Approximately 16% of males between the ages of 45 and 64 were divorced, compared to roughly 18% of females in the same age group.

Grouped by age, 14.9% of women aged 65 and older were divorced, compared to 12.0% of men older than 65. The divorce percentage was lowest for residents 34 years and younger. Less than 4% of residents between the ages of 15 and 34 were divorced.

Among ethnic groups, the divorce percentage was highest with American Indians or Alaskan Natives (14.3%), compared to 10.8% for whites, 10.3% for Blacks or African Americans, and 8.1% for Hispanics. 5% of Asians were divorced, while 7.7% of divorced residents identified as some other race.

Life Expectancy in Iowa

According to the CDC, Iowa has a life expectancy of 77.5 years at birth. In 2021, heart disease was the leading cause of death in the state, resulting in 7,7404 deaths. It was followed by cancer (6,258 deaths) and Covid (3,098 deaths). Other leading causes of death in the state included diabetes, hypertension, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and stroke. Iowa also recorded 549 suicides and 633 firearm injuries within the same period.

For females between the age of 15 and 44, the state recorded 60.8 births per 1,000 women. Roughly 35 percent of births were to unmarried mothers, while 29.7 out of 100 births were via caesarian. Teenage pregnancies accounted for 12.7 births out of 1000 females between 15 and 19.

Iowa Crime Rates

303.4

1,698.3

1,130

In 2020, Iowa had a crime rate of 2,001.8 crimes per 100,000 residents. According to data published by the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program, the state's violent crime rate was 303.4 per 100,000, while property crime was 1,698.3 per 100,000. Larceny theft accounted for almost half of all offenses, with a rate of 1,130 per 100,000.

Other recurring property crimes included burglary and motor vehicle theft, with rates of 371 and 197, respectively. Aggravated assault was the most recurring violent crime. Iowa recorded 229.4 aggravated assault incidents per 100,000 residents. Other crimes include rape, robbery, and homicide, with a rate of 40.7, 29.8, and 3.5, respectively.

Iowa Incarceration Rate

262 per 100,000 residents

According to the National Institute of Correction, Iowa has an incarceration rate of 262 per 100,000 residents, lower than the national average as of 2020.

8,307

The state housed a prison population of 8,307, with 7,261 on parole.

24,829

Approximately 24,829 were out on probation, leading to a probation rate of 1,018 per 100,000.

$456,189,906

As of 2020, the state had nine state prisons and over 90 jail facilities, with 2,573 workers and a budget of $456,189,906.

Iowa Bankruptcy Rate

2022

2,305 bankruptcy filings

Iowa recorded 2,305 bankruptcy filings in 2022, the lowest number in two decades. It was 50% less than the number registered in 2014 and almost 80% less than recorded in 2009. A breakdown of data reveals that residents filed 1,952 Chapter 7 cases, twenty-two Chapter 11 cases, and 325 Chapter 13 cases. Iowa also recorded 104 business bankruptcy cases, including 72 Chapter 7 filings, twenty-two Chapter 11 cases, and four Chapter 13 cases. According to the American Banking Institute, between 2000 and 2022, the total number of filings relative to the population was 30% below the national average.

Weird Laws in Iowa

Iowa has its share of laws that some might find weird, from state laws to local ordinances. For instance, in Ottumwa, Iowa, it's unlawful for a male to wink at a female he doesn't know. Other strange laws include: