United States › Iowa › Fort Dodge CITY
Fort Dodge Iowa · 24,837 residents (2025 est.) · 16.0 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Fort Dodge is a city of 24,827 people in Iowa. 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $144,100. 4% of people here were born outside the United States. Median rent is $785 a month. Getting to work takes 19 minutes on average.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% 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 25,136 in 2000
24,837 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,551 / sq mi
−1%since 2009
from 1,572 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
24K 25K 25K 26K 26K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Fort Dodge Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $60,649
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,361 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,018 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.433 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 4.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 2%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Education & health services 0.2%
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$144,100
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $64,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$785
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $418 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 66.4% in 2000
35.6% rent
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.29 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.1 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 91.1%(22,904)
Hispanic / Latino 2.9%(739)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 79.6%(19,759)
Hispanic / Latino 8.9%(2,214)
from 30 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
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 19.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 83.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 65.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 74.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 84.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 83.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 48.2%(5,185)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 27.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 64.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 44.6% 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) 17.8%(190)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.8%(190)
Share of the 1,069 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
Places similar to Fort Dodge Head to head
Compare Fort Dodge to nearby cities FORT DODGE VS
Boone
Income $69,222 +14%
Home value $173,000 +20%
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FORT DODGE VS
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FORT DODGE VS
Carroll
Income $69,706 +15%
Home value $188,700 +31%
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FORT DODGE VS
Perry
Income $68,910 +14%
Home value $121,400 −16%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Fort Dodge, Iowa? Fort Dodge, Iowa has about 24,827 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Fort Dodge, Iowa? The typical household in Fort Dodge, Iowa earns about $60,649 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Fort Dodge, Iowa expensive? In Fort Dodge, Iowa, the median home is worth about $144,100, and the typical rent is about $785 a month.
How educated are people in Fort Dodge, Iowa? About 21.7% of adults age 25 and over in Fort Dodge, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Fort Dodge, Iowa? About 15.9% of people in Fort Dodge, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Fort Dodge, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Fort Dodge, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,067 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.
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