Cedar Falls city, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Cedar Falls city is a mid-sized community located in Iowa, within Black Hawk County. The total population is 40,662. It ranks as the 14th most populous out of 1,018 cities and towns in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cedar Falls city is 29.8 years. This is 23% lower than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cedar Falls city is $74,165. This is 1% higher than the state median of $73,147. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 6% lower. The poverty rate stands at 15.6%. This is 42% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.0%. The unemployment rate is 3.2%. This is 12% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $252,500. Housing costs are 29% higher than the state median of $195,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 62.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% lower than the state average of 71.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Cedar Falls city has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.0% of all residents. Asian residents account for 3.3%. The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.8%) is well below the state average of 7.0%.

Education

49.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Cedar Falls city in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 59% higher than the state rate of 30.9%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.4%. Notably, 21.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cedar Falls city, Iowa is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually, providing reliable estimates for communities of all sizes. Comparisons are made against Iowa state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,018 Census-designated places in Iowa. For official data, visit data.census.gov.