Cedar County, Iowa Demographics 2026

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

Cedar County, Iowa has a population of 18,349, the 38th most populous county in Iowa. The median household income is $80,602 and the median home value is $211,300. The poverty rate is 7.3%.

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

Cedar County Quick Facts

Population 18,349

Median Household Income $80,602

Median Home Value $211,300

Poverty Rate 7.3%

Unemployment Rate 2.3%

Median Age 44.0 years

Homeownership Rate 81.5%

Affordability Ratio 2.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 23.7%

High School Graduation 95.7%

Cities/Places 8

Population 18,349 38th of 99

Median Income $80,602 7% higher than state

Poverty Rate 7.3%

Unemployment 2.3%

How Cedar 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	18,427	18,349	-0.4%
Median household income	$79,080	$80,602	+1.9%
Median home value	$199,700	$211,300	+5.8%

Median Household Income

Cedar

$80,602

$75,059

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cedar

$211,300

$208,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 10.2%

$25K-$50K 18.2%

$50K-$100K 33.6%

$100K+ 38.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

1.8%

$10K-$15K

3.0%

$15K-$20K

2.4%

$20K-$25K

2.9%

$25K-$30K

3.3%

$30K-$35K

3.9%

$35K-$40K

1.7%

$40K-$45K

4.6%

$45K-$50K

4.6%

$50K-$60K

8.6%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

15.7%

$100K-$125K

12.3%

$125K-$150K

10.8%

$150K-$200K

8.3%

$200K+

6.6%

Employment

2.3% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

64.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 81.5%

Renter 18.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $879/mo 13.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.1%

18-34

17.8%

35-54

24.9%

55-74

27.3%

75+

8.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very 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 Cedar County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Tipton	3,106	$61,115	12.3%	$165,500
Clarence	1,166	$56,250	12.1%	$154,300
Mechanicsville	964	$70,000	19.1%	$161,400
Lowden	699	$56,118	7.7%	$119,800
Stanwood	533	$63,264	12.8%	$145,000
Bennett	390	$69,375	11.9%	$130,300
Rochester	90	N/A	0.0%	$340,300
Downey	59	N/A	0.0%	N/A

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

Cedar County is located in Iowa with a total population of 18,349. It is the 38th most populous county out of 99 in Iowa. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cedar County is 44.0 years. This is 14% higher than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cedar County is $80,602. This is 7% higher than the state median of $75,059. It is also about the same as the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.3%. This is 34% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 2.3%. This is 37% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $211,300. Housing costs are 2% higher than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Cedar County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Cedar County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.8%. The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.8%) is well below the state average of 7.3%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

23.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 24% 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 95.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Cedar 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 Cedar County, Iowa?

Cedar County has a population of 18,349, making it the 38th most populous county in Iowa.

What is the median income in Cedar County?

The median household income in Cedar County is $80,602 with a poverty rate of 7.3%.

How many cities are in Cedar County, Iowa?

Cedar County contains 8 Census-designated places.