Decatur County, Iowa Demographics 2026

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

Decatur County, Iowa has a population of 7,759, the 86th most populous county in Iowa. The median household income is $59,044 and the median home value is $113,900. The poverty rate is 14.6%.

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

Decatur County Quick Facts

Population 7,759

Median Household Income $59,044

Median Home Value $113,900

Poverty Rate 14.6%

Unemployment Rate 1.9%

Median Age 36.1 years

Homeownership Rate 69.7%

Affordability Ratio 1.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 23.5%

High School Graduation 89.8%

Cities/Places 9

Population 7,759 86th of 99

Median Income $59,044 21% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.6%

Unemployment 1.9%

How Decatur 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	7,669	7,759	+1.2%
Median household income	$57,146	$59,044	+3.3%
Median home value	$109,500	$113,900	+4.0%

Median Household Income

Decatur

$59,044

$75,059

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Decatur

$113,900

$208,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.5%

$25K-$50K 22.5%

$50K-$100K 34.6%

$100K+ 23.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.9%

$10K-$15K

4.7%

$15K-$20K

5.2%

$20K-$25K

4.7%

$25K-$30K

5.0%

$30K-$35K

4.2%

$35K-$40K

4.4%

$40K-$45K

4.5%

$45K-$50K

4.5%

$50K-$60K

9.1%

$60K-$75K

13.2%

$75K-$100K

12.2%

$100K-$125K

10.4%

$125K-$150K

5.8%

$150K-$200K

3.9%

$200K+

3.4%

Employment

1.9% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

62.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 69.7%

Renter 30.3%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $611/mo 12.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.2%

18-34

26.3%

35-54

18.8%

55-74

23.1%

75+

9.6%

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 Decatur County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Lamoni	2,207	$54,554	16.6%	$113,400
Leon	1,899	$54,231	10.7%	$99,800
Van Wert	188	$74,375	5.3%	$66,800
Garden Grove	171	$34,000	22.2%	$46,100
Grand River	166	$40,156	19.3%	$40,000
Davis City	160	$36,833	20.0%	$54,300
Weldon	88	$51,875	5.7%	N/A
Pleasanton	61	N/A	0.0%	$210,700
Le Roy	19	$56,875	5.3%	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

Decatur County is located in Iowa with a total population of 7,759. It is the 86th most populous county out of 99 in Iowa. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Decatur County is 36.1 years. This is 6% lower than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Decatur County is $59,044. This is 21% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.6%. This is 31% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 1.9%. This is 46% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $113,900. Housing costs are 45% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Decatur County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 69.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Decatur County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.5%. The Black or African American population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.5%) is well below the state average of 7.3%. The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

23.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 25% 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 89.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Decatur 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 Decatur County, Iowa?

Decatur County has a population of 7,759, making it the 86th most populous county in Iowa.

What is the median income in Decatur County?

The median household income in Decatur County is $59,044 with a poverty rate of 14.6%.

How many cities are in Decatur County, Iowa?

Decatur County contains 9 Census-designated places.