United States › Iowa › Indianola CITY
Indianola Iowa · 16,829 residents (2025 est.) · 11.4 sq mi
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The short version
Indianola is home to 16,044 people in Iowa. The foreign-born share is 1%. Growth has run 23% since 2000, or 3,046 more people. This skews young, with a median age of 35.9. The typical home is worth $237,500, having more than doubled since 2000. There are 1,403 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.9
US median: 38.9
Average education
35% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 12,998 in 2000
16,829 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,403 / sq mi
+12%since 2009
from 1,252 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
11K 12K 14K 15K 17K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Indianola Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $75,453
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,725 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,574 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 31.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 7.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.404 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 10.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.8%
Transportation & warehousing 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
Education & health services 0.4%
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$237,500
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $98,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$986
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $487 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 66.2% in 2000
30.1% rent
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.42 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 32.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.8 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 97.4%(12,661)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(111)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.8%(14,723)
Hispanic / Latino 2.9%(459)
from 8 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 27.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 90.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 74.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 73.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 76.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 37.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 10.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 7.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 78.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 91.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 81.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 39.1%(2,394)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 7.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 16.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 18.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 80.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 33.4% 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) 35.8%(283)
Gulf War (1990s) 25.8%(204)
Share of the 791 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 Indianola, Iowa? Indianola, Iowa has about 16,044 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Indianola, Iowa? The typical household in Indianola, Iowa earns about $75,453 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Indianola, Iowa expensive? In Indianola, Iowa, the median home is worth about $237,500, and the typical rent is about $986 a month.
How educated are people in Indianola, Iowa? About 35.0% of adults age 25 and over in Indianola, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Indianola, Iowa? About 6.4% of people in Indianola, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Indianola, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Indianola, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,704 residents, a change of about 41 percent over that period.
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