Lee County, Iowa Demographics 2026

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

Lee County, Iowa has a population of 32,893, the 22nd most populous county in Iowa. The median household income is $62,382 and the median home value is $141,400. The poverty rate is 13.1%.

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

Lee County Quick Facts

Population 32,893

Median Household Income $62,382

Median Home Value $141,400

Poverty Rate 13.1%

Unemployment Rate 4.5%

Median Age 43.6 years

Homeownership Rate 76.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.7%

High School Graduation 92.5%

Cities/Places 13

Population 32,893 22nd of 99

Median Income $62,382 17% lower than state

Poverty Rate 13.1%

Unemployment 4.5%

How Lee 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	33,175	32,893	-0.9%
Median household income	$59,803	$62,382	+4.3%
Median home value	$123,600	$141,400	+14.4%

Median Household Income

Lee

$62,382

$75,059

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Lee

$141,400

$208,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.9%

$25K-$50K 20.8%

$50K-$100K 32.6%

$100K+ 26.7%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.5%

$10K-$15K

5.0%

$15K-$20K

4.7%

$20K-$25K

4.8%

$25K-$30K

4.9%

$30K-$35K

4.4%

$35K-$40K

4.4%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

3.0%

$50K-$60K

7.5%

$60K-$75K

11.3%

$75K-$100K

13.8%

$100K-$125K

9.4%

$125K-$150K

5.7%

$150K-$200K

6.5%

$200K+

5.1%

Employment

4.5% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

57.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 76.3%

Renter 23.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $835/mo 16.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.3%

18-34

19.0%

35-54

23.2%

55-74

27.6%

75+

9.0%

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 Lee County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Fort Madison	10,133	$50,705	15.0%	$94,200
Keokuk	9,662	$52,711	18.3%	$104,300
West Point	840	$73,125	10.2%	$178,700
Denmark	835	$136,875	1.0%	$194,400
Donnellson	776	$54,453	14.1%	$147,800
Montrose	744	$66,250	11.7%	$103,500
Sandusky	354	$108,977	11.6%	$331,300
Franklin	148	N/A	1.4%	$111,300
Mooar	144	$69,423	4.9%	$77,200
Wever	142	$43,750	16.2%	$311,100
Houghton	72	$106,042	1.4%	$252,800
St. Paul	65	$72,500	0.0%	$140,600
Argyle	62	N/A	0.0%	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

Lee County is located in Iowa with a total population of 32,893. It is the 22nd most populous county out of 99 in Iowa. The county encompasses 13 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lee County is 43.6 years. This is 13% higher than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lee County is $62,382. This is 17% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 23% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.1%. This is 18% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.5%. This is 24% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $141,400. Housing costs are 32% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Lee County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 76.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Lee County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.5%) is well below the state average of 7.3%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

21.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 31% 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 92.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Lee 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 Lee County, Iowa?

Lee County has a population of 32,893, making it the 22nd most populous county in Iowa.

What is the median income in Lee County?

The median household income in Lee County is $62,382 with a poverty rate of 13.1%.

How many cities are in Lee County, Iowa?

Lee County contains 13 Census-designated places.