Wahpeton, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 443, Wahpeton'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

Wahpeton is a small community located in Iowa, within Dickinson County. The total population is 443. It ranks as the 499th most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wahpeton is 59.5 years. This is 54% higher than the state median of 38.6 years. 20.1% 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 Wahpeton is $107,917. This is 44% higher than the state median of $75,059. It is also 34% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.8%. This is 48% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Wahpeton, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $495,500. Housing costs are 138% higher than the state median of $208,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.6x. 79.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wahpeton has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.5%) is well below the state average of 7.3%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

59.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Wahpeton in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 89% 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, 18.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Wahpeton, 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.