Fostoria, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 181, Fostoria'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

Fostoria is a small community located in Iowa, within Clay County. The total population is 181. It ranks as the 717th most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fostoria is 56.2 years. This is 46% higher than the state median of 38.6 years. Only 12.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fostoria is $81,250. This is 8% higher than the state median of $75,059. It is also about the same as the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Fostoria. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The unemployment rate is 1.8%. This is 49% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $161,800. Housing costs are 22% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Fostoria is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 87.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Fostoria has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.6% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 2.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 7.3%.

Education

14.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 55% 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 Fostoria, 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.