CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Decorah

Iowa · 8,063 residents · 7.24 sq mi

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The short version

Decorah is home to 8,063 people in Iowa. The median age is 29.0, younger than the US median of 33.0. Getting to work takes 12 minutes on average. 28% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median home value sits at $58,000. Median rent is $292 a month.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Younger

median age 29.0

US median: 33.0

More educated

28% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 21%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

8,063

−1%vs 2000

vs 8,172 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

29.0

−3%vs 2000

vs 29.8 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

7.24 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20248K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 54.6%(369)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 95.2%(417)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 144.2%(341)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 1913.9%(1,123)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 2417.6%(1,416)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3411.8%(954)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4410.1%(813)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 547%(562)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 648%(647)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 747.8%(631)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 846.4%(518)

US avg: 4%

85 and over3.4%(272)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$25,660

−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $37,485 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$11,011

−33%vs 2000

vs $16,351 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

11.8%

+3.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 8.0% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$58,000

−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $97,100 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$292

−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $410 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

62.1%

−1.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 63.5% in 2000

37.9% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic95.3%(7,784)

Black1.1%(92)

Hispanic / Latino1.3%(106)

Asian1.6%(130)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic97.3%(7,846)

Black0.2%(17)

Hispanic / Latino0.2%(14)

Asian2.3%(183)

Other0.2%(17)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Central American1.8%(138)

Guatemalan1.5%(112)

Mexican1.3%(99)

Honduran0.3%(26)

South American0.3%(20)

Ecuadorian0.1%(9)

Colombian0.1%(8)

Chilean0%(3)

Asian origin

Burmese0.4%(33)

Japanese0.4%(28)

Vietnamese0.2%(12)

Bangladeshi0.1%(9)

Chinese0.1%(4)

Asian Indian0%(3)

Filipino0%(1)

Ancestry

German30.4%(2,288)

Norwegian21.9%(1,649)

Irish14.5%(1,094)

English8.3%(626)

Czech6.2%(465)

American3.5%(266)

Swedish2.1%(156)

Dutch1.6%(123)

Scottish1.4%(107)

Italian1.2%(91)

Polish1%(72)

French0.9%(71)

+ 22 more ancestry groups with data

Slovene0.9%(70)

Bulgarian0.9%(69)

Danish0.7%(50)

French Canadian0.5%(38)

Welsh0.5%(38)

Scotch-Irish0.5%(35)

Finnish0.4%(28)

British0.3%(23)

Armenian0.3%(22)

Ukrainian0.3%(19)

Lithuanian0.2%(17)

Turkish0.2%(17)

Swiss0.2%(15)

Hungarian0.2%(13)

Subsaharan African0.2%(12)

Slovak0.1%(9)

Greek0.1%(8)

Russian0.1%(8)

Ghanaian0.1%(6)

Belgian0.1%(5)

Arab0.1%(4)

Lebanese0.1%(4)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Czech population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

28.3%

−2.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 30.6% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

80.0%

−4.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 84.7% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

9.3%

−2.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 11.6% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

12.4 min

+15%vs 2000

vs 10.8 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married45.4%(1,412)

Married41.5%(1,290)

Widowed4.1%(128)

Divorced9%(280)

Women 15+

Never married44.8%(1,639)

Married37.5%(1,369)

Widowed7.6%(276)

Divorced10.2%(371)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

3.5%

−0.9 ptssince 2013

from 4.4% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

55.7%

−8.6 ptssince 2020

from 64.3% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

24.0%

−0.1 ptssince 2020

from 24.1% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

23.8%

+2.6 ptssince 2020

from 21.2% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

15.6%

+5.9 ptssince 2020

from 9.7% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.2%

+0.8 ptssince 2020

from 2.4% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

77.9%

−6.3 ptssince 2020

from 84.2% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

37.0%

+8.0 ptssince 2020

from 29.0% 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)22.5%(106)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)35.4%(167)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era41.9%(198)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War6.8%(32)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 472 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

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