Black Hawk County, Iowa Demographics 2026

Name: Black Hawk County, Iowa Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Black Hawk County, Iowa has a population of 131,049, the 5th most populous county in Iowa. The median household income is $66,417 and the median home value is $188,900. The poverty rate is 14.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Black Hawk County Quick Facts

Population 131,049

Median Household Income $66,417

Median Home Value $188,900

Poverty Rate 14.9%

Unemployment Rate 4.6%

Median Age 35.7 years

Homeownership Rate 66.2%

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 30.3%

High School Graduation 92.9%

Cities/Places 12

Population 131,049 5th of 99

Median Income $66,417 12% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.9%

Unemployment 4.6%

How Black Hawk County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	130,693	131,049	+0.3%
Median household income	$64,581	$66,417	+2.8%
Median home value	$182,400	$188,900	+3.6%

Median Household Income

Black Hawk

$66,417

$75,059

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Black Hawk

$188,900

$208,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 15.4%

$25K-$50K 21.4%

$50K-$100K 32.4%

$100K+ 30.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.2%

$10K-$15K

4.0%

$15K-$20K

3.1%

$20K-$25K

4.1%

$25K-$30K

4.5%

$30K-$35K

3.6%

$35K-$40K

4.3%

$40K-$45K

4.6%

$45K-$50K

4.3%

$50K-$60K

8.7%

$60K-$75K

10.6%

$75K-$100K

13.1%

$100K-$125K

10.1%

$125K-$150K

6.6%

$150K-$200K

7.3%

$200K+

6.8%

Employment

4.6% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

66.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.2%

Renter 33.8%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $989/mo 17.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.9%

18-34

27.1%

35-54

22.1%

55-74

21.6%

75+

7.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 31 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Black Hawk County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Waterloo	67,008	$57,480	16.6%	$152,600
Cedar Falls	40,888	$76,987	15.7%	$263,600
Evansdale	4,518	$60,397	24.0%	$150,300
Hudson	2,699	$120,481	4.0%	$242,700
Jesup	2,561	$89,408	7.0%	$190,200
La Porte City	2,071	$70,500	10.8%	$163,200
Elk Run Heights	964	$76,500	4.0%	$171,200
Janesville	917	$103,542	5.5%	$221,700
Raymond	899	$76,711	4.3%	$222,600
Dunkerton	821	$86,413	7.0%	$189,700
Gilbertville	761	$79,583	3.1%	$197,400
Washburn	714	$61,406	2.7%	$142,300

Explore Iowa Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Black Hawk County is located in Iowa with a total population of 131,049. It is the 5th most populous county out of 99 in Iowa. The county encompasses 12 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Black Hawk County is 35.7 years. This is 8% lower than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Black Hawk County is $66,417. This is 12% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.9%. This is 35% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.6%. This is 27% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $188,900. Housing costs are 9% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Black Hawk County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 66.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% lower than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Black Hawk County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 78.1% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 9.2%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (9.2% vs 3.8%).

Education

30.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 4% lower than the state rate of 31.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Black Hawk County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Iowa and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Black Hawk County, Iowa?

Black Hawk County has a population of 131,049, making it the 5th most populous county in Iowa.

What is the median income in Black Hawk County?

The median household income in Black Hawk County is $66,417 with a poverty rate of 14.9%.

How many cities are in Black Hawk County, Iowa?

Black Hawk County contains 12 Census-designated places.