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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
median household income $75,453, 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
Unique to this place

What stands out about Indianola

What changed most since 1990

  • White share98.3% → 91.8% (−6.6 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
  • Homes owned by their occupants63.5% → 69.9% (+6.4 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts

Among the 73 cities and towns in the Des Moines metro

  • 47th in household income$75,453
  • 22nd in share with a bachelor's degree35.0%
  • Tied for 26th in home value$237,500
  • 33rd in diversity score19.5

Its weight in Warren County

Indianola's population equals 29% of Warren County's. Its number of households without a car equals 42% of the county's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 22% of the county's.

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
16,044
+23%since 2000
from 12,998 in 2000
16,829 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,403 / sq mi
+23%since 2000
from 1,137 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
35.9
+7%since 2000
from 33.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
11.4 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
11K12K14K15K17K19902000201020202024Indianola
202416K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.7%(910)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.9%(1,101)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.4%(1,021)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198.4%(1,340)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 249.4%(1,515)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.6%(1,863)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414.1%(2,262)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549.1%(1,454)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.4%(1,672)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.1%(1,618)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.2%(827)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.9%(461)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$75,453
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,725 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$36,086
+84%since 2000
from $19,574 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
50.4%
+19.2 ptssince 2009
from 31.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
6.4%
−0.8 ptssince 2000
from 7.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.390
−4%since 2010
from 0.404 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information16.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services12.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration10.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Retail trade6.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance3.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$237,500
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $98,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$986
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $487 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
69.9%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 66.2% in 2000
30.1% rent
Vacancy rate
5.7%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.38 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.42 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
21.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
44.8%
+11.9 ptssince 2009
from 32.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.1
+11%since 2009
from 2.8 in 2009
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.
Gentrification Score
44
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic97.4%(12,661)
Black0.4%(52)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(111)
Asian0.5%(66)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic91.8%(14,723)
Black1%(160)
Hispanic / Latino2.9%(459)
Asian0.9%(151)
Other3.4%(551)
Diversity Score
19
+130%since 2009
from 8 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.1%(339)
Salvadoran0.1%(16)
Guatemalan0.1%(14)
Venezuelan0.1%(14)
Colombian0.1%(10)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.7%(108)
Korean0.1%(23)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German28.4%(4,551)
Irish16.8%(2,695)
English14.1%(2,266)
American4.1%(657)
Dutch3.7%(595)
Norwegian3.1%(501)
Swedish2.8%(445)
French2.1%(343)
Danish2%(317)
Italian1.9%(302)
Scottish1.8%(282)
Czech1.5%(239)
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.9%(142)
Polish0.8%(130)
Welsh0.4%(65)
Swiss0.3%(46)
Portuguese0.3%(45)
Canadian0.3%(41)
British0.2%(28)
Ukrainian0.1%(24)
West Indian0.1%(24)
Jamaican0.1%(24)
Russian0.1%(21)
Belgian0.1%(15)
Hungarian0.1%(15)
Romanian0.1%(15)
Turkish0.1%(13)
Greek0.1%(11)
Arab0.1%(10)
Croatian0.1%(10)
Finnish0.1%(10)
Slovak0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
35.0%
+7.9 ptssince 2000
from 27.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
97.2%
+6.4 ptssince 2000
from 90.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.9%
+4.4 ptssince 2000
from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.8 min
+38%since 2000
from 15.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
73.3%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 74.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
5.6%
−5.9 ptssince 2009
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
14.3%
+8.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
5.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2011
from 4.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
65.5%
−7.6 ptssince 2011
from 73.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
77.8%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 76.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.7%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
37.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 37.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 46.7% in 2009
Female
52.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 53.3% in 2009
Foreign born
1.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.4%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2012
from 10.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
1.5%
−5.5 ptssince 2013
from 7.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
91.0%
+12.5 ptssince 2017
from 78.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.3%
+5.2 ptssince 2020
from 91.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
85.9%
+4.0 ptssince 2020
from 81.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
97.1%
+0.3 ptssince 2016
from 96.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 1.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married39.1%(2,394)
Married50.4%(3,092)
Widowed3.2%(196)
Divorced7.3%(448)
Women 15+
Never married32%(2,202)
Married43.5%(2,997)
Widowed11.8%(810)
Divorced12.7%(873)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
1.5%
−5.5 ptssince 2013
from 7.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
65.8%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 65.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.1%
−2.1 ptssince 2020
from 17.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.4%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 16.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
17.4%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 18.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.9%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
78.9%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 80.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.2%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.8%(204)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era25.5%(202)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.6%(60)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.8%(6)
US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Indianola, decade by decade

Indianola population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
199011,340$69,158$149,04421.8%4.1
200012,998$79,652$179,06927.0%6.4
201014,782$78,949$208,88030.7%10.2
202015,833$76,069$203,13830.9%19.6
202416,044$75,453$237,50035.0%19.5

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Indianola

Longwood
Pop 16,892
St. Augustine
Pop 16,141
Davenport
Pop 18,110
Seminole
Pop 18,997
Places similar to Indianola
Head to head

Compare Indianola to nearby cities

INDIANOLA VS
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INDIANOLA VS
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INDIANOLA VS
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INDIANOLA VS
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Income$86,594+15%
Home value$309,000+30%
Population74,224+341%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
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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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →