Orleans, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 527, Orleans'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

Orleans is a small community located in Iowa, within Dickinson County. The total population is 527. It ranks as the 462nd most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Orleans is 60.3 years. This is 56% higher than the state median of 38.6 years. Only 8.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 13.1% 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 Orleans is $74,750. This is about the same as the state median of $75,059. It is also 7% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 1.9%. This is 83% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 8.4%. This is 135% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $573,200. Housing costs are 176% higher than the state median of $208,000. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.7x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 91.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 28% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Orleans has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.9% of all residents. Asian residents account for 7.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 7.3%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (7.0% vs 2.5%).

Education

43.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Orleans in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 38% higher 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 91.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Orleans, 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.