Dow City, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 454, Dow 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

Dow City is a small community located in Iowa, within Crawford County. The total population is 454. It ranks as the 490th most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dow City is 32.6 years. This is 16% lower than the state median of 38.6 years. 11.0% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dow City is $48,421. This is 35% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 40% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.4%. This is 93% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Dow City, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $126,900. Housing costs are 39% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Dow City is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 64.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% lower than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Dow City is White (non-Hispanic), making up 82.2% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 15.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (15.0% vs 7.3%).

Education

4.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 85% 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 88.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Dow 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.