Wadena, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 177, Wadena'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

Wadena is a small community located in Iowa, within Fayette County. The total population is 177. It ranks as the 726th most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wadena is 53.6 years. This is 39% higher than the state median of 38.6 years. Only 11.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 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 Wadena is $38,750. This is 48% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 52% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 27.8%. This is 151% 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 4.9%. This is 37% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $94,200. Housing costs are 55% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Wadena is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 76.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wadena has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.4% of all residents. Asian residents account for 0.6%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

13.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 56% 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 88.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Wadena, 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.