St. Joseph, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 73, St. Joseph'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

St. Joseph is a small community located in Iowa, within Kossuth County. The total population is 73. It ranks as the 903rd most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in St. Joseph is 73.5 years. This is 90% higher than the state median of 38.6 years. Only 13.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 30.1% 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 St. Joseph is $37,344. This is 50% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 54% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 26.0%. This is 135% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in St. Joseph, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. 85.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in St. Joseph was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

60.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places St. Joseph in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 92% higher than the state rate of 31.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 30.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for St. Joseph, 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.