Whittemore, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 569, Whittemore'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

Whittemore is a small community located in Iowa, within Kossuth County. The total population is 569. It ranks as the 439th most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in Whittemore is 40.8 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Whittemore is $78,702. This is 5% higher than the state median of $75,059. It is also 3% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.2%. This is 62% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Whittemore, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $100,500. Housing costs are 52% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.3x, Whittemore is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 86.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Whittemore has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 7.3%.

Education

20.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 36% 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 95.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Whittemore, 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.