United States › Iowa › Houghton CITY
Houghton Iowa · 126 residents (2025 est.) · 0.30 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
Houghton is home to 72 people in Iowa. At a median age of 52.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 87% of the housing stock. That puts it in the top 6% of US cities for household income. There are 58 fewer people here than in 2000. That is roughly 41% ahead of the Iowa median.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 52.3
US median: 38.9
Average education
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 98%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 130 in 2000
126 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
243 / sq mi
−56%since 2009
from 547 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 44.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
63 91 120 148 177 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Houghton Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $106,042
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,500 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,203 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 47.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.294 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 22.9%
Education & health services 5.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$252,800
+98%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $70,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$900
+128%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $217 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 87.0% in 2000
12.9% rent
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.32 people
−21%since 2009
from 2.95 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.2 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 100%(130)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 88.9%(64)
from 0 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 10.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 92.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 0.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 9.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 77.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 0.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 71.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 84.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 8.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 63.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 79.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
100.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 100.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
100.0%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 100.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 42.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 35.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 4.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 83.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 38.5% 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)
Share of the 8 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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Frequently asked
How many people live in Houghton, Iowa? Houghton, Iowa has about 72 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Houghton, Iowa? The typical household in Houghton, Iowa earns about $106,042 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Houghton, Iowa expensive? In Houghton, Iowa, the median home is worth about $252,800, and the typical rent is about $900 a month.
How educated are people in Houghton, Iowa? About 36.8% of adults age 25 and over in Houghton, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Houghton, Iowa? About 1.4% of people in Houghton, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Houghton, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Houghton, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 58 residents, a change of about -45 percent over that period.
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