Swea City, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 591, Swea City'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

Swea City is a small community located in Iowa, within Kossuth County. The total population is 591. It ranks as the 428th most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Swea City is 39.3 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 38.6 years. 14.7% 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 Swea City is $47,656. This is 37% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 41% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 27.0%. This is 143% 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 2.4%. This is 34% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $56,400. Housing costs are 73% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.2x, Swea City is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 69.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Swea City is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.6% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 9.3%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (9.3% vs 3.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 7.3%.

Education

15.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 52% 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 91.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Swea City, 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.