Dakota City, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

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

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Dakota City, Iowa had a total population of 752, the 368th largest city in Iowa, with a median household income of $60,417, which is 20% lower than the state average. The poverty rate is 6.3%.

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

Key Takeaways

Only 7.5% of adults have a bachelor's degree, well below the national average of 35.7%.
Housing is very affordable with a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x.
Unemployment rate of 9.1% is notably above the national average.

Dakota City Quick Facts

Population 752

Median Household Income $60,417

Median Home Value $119,800

Poverty Rate 6.3%

Unemployment Rate 9.1%

Median Age 42.7 years

Homeownership Rate 78.4%

Affordability Ratio 2.0x

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 7.5%

High School Graduation Rate 90.1%

Diversity Index 22/100

Population 752 368th of 1,017

Median Income $60,417 below average

Poverty Rate 6.3% 49% lower than national

Median Home Value $119,800 average

How Dakota City 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	887	752	-15.2%
Median household income	$66,111	$60,417	-8.6%
Median home value	$119,300	$119,800	+0.4%

How Dakota City Compares

Median Household Income

Dakota City

$60,417

$75,059

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Dakota City

$119,800

$208,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.2%

$25K-$50K 19.5%

$50K-$100K 41.4%

$100K+ 25.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.7%

$10K-$15K

2.1%

$15K-$20K

6.6%

$20K-$25K

1.8%

$25K-$30K

3.3%

$30K-$35K

5.4%

$35K-$40K

5.1%

$40K-$45K

2.7%

$45K-$50K

3.0%

$50K-$60K

17.1%

$60K-$75K

7.5%

$75K-$100K

16.8%

$100K-$125K

11.4%

$125K-$150K

8.1%

$150K-$200K

2.7%

$200K+

3.6%

Employment

9.1% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

76.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.4%

Renter 21.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $965/mo 19.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.5%

18-34

14.6%

35-54

27.1%

55-74

27.7%

75+

6.1%

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+)

Dakota City Rankings in Iowa

#368 Population of 1,017

#629 Median Income of 948

#863 Education of 1,016

#477 Home Value of 947

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

Other Cities in Humboldt County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Humboldt	4,771	$74,500	15.9%	$173,600
Gilmore City	748	$53,375	12.7%	$83,900
Livermore	416	$66,250	19.0%	$71,500
Bode	379	$59,531	9.8%	$75,700
Thor	257	$57,305	31.5%	$101,800
Renwick	229	$52,125	9.2%	$81,100
Rutland	120	$85,625	0.8%	$50,000
Bradgate	104	N/A	13.5%	$43,100
Ottosen	31	$41,667	22.6%	$50,000
Hardy	10	N/A	10.0%	N/A

Cities Similar to Dakota City

These cities in the same state have comparable population and economic profiles.

City	Population	Median Income	Home Value	Bachelor's+	Poverty
Edgewood	752	$61,625	$173,700	13.8%	8.6%
Shelby	752	$63,654	$162,500	10.7%	10.2%
Ruthven	732	$58,625	$105,700	18.6%	15.3%
Sioux Rapids	722	$60,000	$88,700	18.5%	6.1%
Montrose	744	$66,250	$103,500	12.8%	11.7%

A note before these figures: with a population of 752, Dakota City's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Dakota City is a small community located in Iowa, within Humboldt County. The total population is 752. It ranks as the 368th most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dakota City is 42.7 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dakota City is $60,417. This is 20% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.3%. This is 43% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 9.1%. This is 154% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $119,800. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Dakota City is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 78.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Dakota City has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.2%. The Black or African American population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 7.3%.

Education

7.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 76% 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 90.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Dakota City, Iowa is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Iowa state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Dakota City, Iowa?

Dakota City, Iowa has a population of 752 according to the most recent U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median household income in Dakota City, IA?

The median household income in Dakota City is $60,417, which is 25% lower than the national median of $80,734.

What is the poverty rate in Dakota City, IA?

The poverty rate in Dakota City is 6.3%. This means approximately 47 residents live below the federal poverty line.

What is the racial makeup of Dakota City, Iowa?

Dakota City's population is 87.8% White, 0.7% Black, 1.2% Hispanic/Latino, and 0.0% Asian.

What is the median home value in Dakota City, IA?

The median home value in Dakota City is $119,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 2.0x.

How educated is Dakota City, Iowa?

7.5% of adults (25+) in Dakota City hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 2.2% hold a graduate or professional degree.