United States › Iowa › Kensett CITY
Kensett Iowa · 258 residents (2025 est.) · 1.01 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
Kensett is a city of 270 people in Iowa. At a median age of 50.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 10% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $67,100. That trails the Iowa median by roughly 41%. The foreign-born share is 0%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 50.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
10% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 8%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 280 in 2000
258 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
267 / sq mi
+23%since 2009
from 216 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 43.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
206 244 282 320 358 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Kensett Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $44,643
−20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,500 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,601 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.324 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Transportation & warehousing 7.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6.3%
Public administration 5.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.9%
Education & health services 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$67,100
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$650
+40%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $255 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 87.8% in 2000
22.3% rent
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 1.99 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 44.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.4 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%(280)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 89.6%(242)
Hispanic / Latino 8.1%(22)
from 4 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
+ 2 more ancestry groups with data from 11.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 78.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 85.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 16.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 17.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 83.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.8% 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 17.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 28.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 33.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 9.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 65.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.3% 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)
Share of the 15 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Kensett Head to head
Compare Kensett to nearby cities KENSETT VS
Mason City
Income $64,804 +45%
Home value $142,000 +112%
Population 26,853 +10308%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KENSETT VS
Albert Lea
Income $64,603 +45%
Home value $157,500 +135%
Population 18,217 +6961%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KENSETT VS
Austin
Income $68,057 +52%
Home value $163,900 +144%
Population 26,689 +10245%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KENSETT VS
Owatonna
Income $80,750 +81%
Home value $245,200 +265%
Population 26,633 +10223%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Kensett, Iowa? Kensett, Iowa has about 270 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Kensett, Iowa? The typical household in Kensett, Iowa earns about $44,643 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Kensett, Iowa expensive? In Kensett, Iowa, the median home is worth about $67,100, and the typical rent is about $650 a month.
How educated are people in Kensett, Iowa? About 9.5% of adults age 25 and over in Kensett, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Kensett, Iowa? About 8.1% of people in Kensett, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Kensett, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Kensett, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 25 residents, a change of about -8 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 