Goose Lake, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 387, Goose Lake'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

Goose Lake is a small community located in Iowa, within Clinton County. The total population is 387. It ranks as the 542nd most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Goose Lake is 32.4 years. This is 16% lower than the state median of 38.6 years. With 33.9% of the population under 18, Goose Lake has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Goose Lake is $76,875. This is 2% higher than the state median of $75,059. It is also 5% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.6%. This is 86% 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 unemployment rate is 3.2%. This is 9% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $139,900. Housing costs are 33% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Goose Lake is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 96.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 35% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Goose Lake has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.1%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.1%) is well below the state average of 7.3%.

Education

23.6% 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 75.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Goose Lake, 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.