Osceola County, Iowa Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Osceola County is located in Iowa with a total population of 6,100. It is the 95th most populous county out of 99 in Iowa. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Osceola County is 43.1 years. This is 12% higher than the state median of 38.6 years. 10.6% 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 Osceola County is $69,239. This is 8% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 14% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.0%. This is 44% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 3.4%. This is 5% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $122,600. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Osceola County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 77.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Osceola County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 10.6%. The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

16.7% 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 47% 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 87.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Osceola 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.