CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Fertile

Iowa · 358 residents · 0.94 sq mi

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Part of the Mason City micropolitan area

The short version

Fertile is a city of 358 people in Iowa. Owners hold 83% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $30,000. About 10% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The median age is 36.5, about 4 years above the US median. Poverty is uncommon here, at 4.7% of people here.

At a glance

Lower income

median household income $27,500, below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 36.5

US median: 33.0

Less educated

10% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 23%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

358

−1%vs 2000

vs 360 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Population density

380 / sq mi

−1%vs 2000

vs 383 / sq mi in 2000

US average: 221

Median age

36.5

−11%vs 2000

vs 40.8 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

0.94 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

2024255

Age distribution, 1990

Under 58.1%(29)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 98.7%(31)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 145.3%(19)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 193.9%(14)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 244.2%(15)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3418.2%(65)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4410.3%(37)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5412.6%(45)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 647.8%(28)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7412%(43)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 847.3%(26)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.7%(6)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$27,500

+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $33,558 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$11,971

−17%vs 2000

vs $14,464 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

4.7%

−4.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 9.3% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$30,000

−23%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $51,100 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$304

+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $363 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

82.7%

−3.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 86.6% in 2000

17.3% rent

Afford Score

1.1

1990 – 2024

Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic95.8%(345)

Black0.3%(1)

Hispanic / Latino2.5%(9)

Asian0%(0)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.4%(356)

Black0%(0)

Hispanic / Latino0.6%(2)

Asian0%(0)

Other0%(0)

Diversity Score

1990 – 2024

Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican3.1%(8)

Ancestry

German33.7%(86)

Norwegian20%(51)

Irish11.8%(30)

English8.2%(21)

Danish4.7%(12)

Polish4.3%(11)

Swedish4.3%(11)

Scottish2.7%(7)

Dutch2%(5)

French2%(5)

Scotch-Irish2%(5)

American1.6%(4)

+ 3 more ancestry groups with data

Czech1.2%(3)

Arab0.8%(2)

Swiss0.8%(2)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

10.0%

+0.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 9.4% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

80.0%

−2.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 82.0% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

1.6%

−2.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.5% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

22.4 min

+56%vs 2000

vs 14.4 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 married21.9%(25)

Married70.2%(80)

Widowed1.8%(2)

Divorced6.1%(7)

Women 15+

Never married11.8%(13)

Married62.7%(69)

Widowed15.5%(17)

Divorced10%(11)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

0.4%

−5.5 ptssince 2013

from 5.9% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

51.4%

−13.3 ptssince 2020

from 64.7% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

27.5%

+8.9 ptssince 2020

from 18.6% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

39.6%

+9.8 ptssince 2020

from 29.8% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

9.0%

−1.2 ptssince 2020

from 10.2% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

4.3%

+1.6 ptssince 2020

from 2.7% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

77.3%

−4.7 ptssince 2020

from 82.0% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

46.3%

+10.0 ptssince 2020

from 36.3% 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)0%(0)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)0%(0)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era60.7%(17)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War0%(0)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 28 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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