United States › Iowa › Council Bluffs CITY
Council Bluffs Iowa · 62,680 residents (2025 est.) · 43.0 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 62,586 people, Council Bluffs is a city in Iowa. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The typical home is worth $171,800, having more than doubled since 2000. 5% of residents were born outside the United States. Getting to work takes 18 minutes on average. Density works out to 1,457 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 58,268 in 2000
62,680 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,457 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 1,396 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
53K 56K 59K 61K 64K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Council Bluffs Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $64,578
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,221 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,143 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 22.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.398 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.5%
Public administration 5.5%
Transportation & warehousing 2.8%
Education & health services 1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$171,800
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,030
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $550 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 65.0% in 2000
36.9% rent
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.33 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 44.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 92.5%(53,903)
Hispanic / Latino 4.5%(2,594)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 81.2%(50,840)
Hispanic / Latino 11.6%(7,244)
from 23 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 32 more ancestry groups with data from 13.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 81.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 68.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 76.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 91.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 6.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 40.2%(10,030)
Women 15+
Never married 30.4%(7,995)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 52.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 64.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 43.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 23.4%(943)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.2%(853)
Share of the 4,030 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Council Bluffs, Iowa? Council Bluffs, Iowa has about 62,586 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Council Bluffs, Iowa? The typical household in Council Bluffs, Iowa earns about $64,578 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Council Bluffs, Iowa expensive? In Council Bluffs, Iowa, the median home is worth about $171,800, and the typical rent is about $1,030 a month.
How educated are people in Council Bluffs, Iowa? About 21.5% of adults age 25 and over in Council Bluffs, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Council Bluffs, Iowa? About 15.1% of people in Council Bluffs, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Council Bluffs, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Council Bluffs, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,271 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.
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