Webster County, Iowa Demographics 2026
Webster County, Iowa has a population of 36,886, the 18th most populous county in Iowa. The median household income is $68,975 and the median home value is $153,800. The poverty rate is 12.9%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Webster County Quick Facts
How Webster County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,848 | 36,886 | +0.1% |
| Median household income | $68,054 | $68,975 | +1.4% |
| Median home value | $138,500 | $153,800 | +11.0% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.
State average: 31 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Webster County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Dodge | 24,827 | $60,649 | 15.9% | $144,100 |
| Gowrie | 932 | $80,417 | 9.4% | $109,900 |
| Stratford | 735 | $47,875 | 9.0% | $89,300 |
| Dayton | 689 | $57,500 | 9.8% | $114,800 |
| Coalville | 649 | $78,000 | 14.0% | $197,500 |
| Badger | 433 | $72,750 | 5.1% | $142,800 |
| Callender | 413 | $75,000 | 5.0% | $107,100 |
| Farnhamville | 386 | $57,188 | 16.2% | $72,300 |
| Otho | 380 | $43,482 | 15.5% | $89,900 |
| Duncombe | 376 | $52,500 | 8.6% | $117,100 |
| Lehigh | 340 | $54,500 | 15.3% | $75,000 |
| Barnum | 250 | $86,615 | 5.2% | $135,600 |
| Harcourt | 249 | $72,708 | 15.7% | $85,000 |
| Moorland | 166 | $80,250 | 11.5% | $105,900 |
| Vincent | 161 | $87,500 | 5.6% | $102,100 |
| Clare | 128 | $80,417 | 1.6% | $72,500 |
Explore Iowa Rankings
Population Overview
Webster County is located in Iowa with a total population of 36,886. It is the 18th most populous county out of 99 in Iowa. The county encompasses 16 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Webster County is 39.7 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 38.6 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Webster County is $68,975. This is 8% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 15% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.9%. This is 16% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.8%. This is 35% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $153,800. Housing costs are 26% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Webster County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 70.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% lower than the state average of 71.7%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Webster County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.6%. The Asian population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.
Education
22.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 30% 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 93.0%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Webster 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Webster County, Iowa?
Webster County has a population of 36,886, making it the 18th most populous county in Iowa.
What is the median income in Webster County?
The median household income in Webster County is $68,975 with a poverty rate of 12.9%.
How many cities are in Webster County, Iowa?
Webster County contains 16 Census-designated places.