United States › Iowa › Lost Nation CITY
Lost Nation Iowa · 425 residents (2025 est.) · 0.76 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
Lost Nation is home to 390 people in Iowa. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 17% of adults. Getting to work takes 46 minutes on average. The typical home is worth $77,300, having risen by half since 2000. Median rent is $492 a month. 2% of people here were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 13%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 497 in 2000
425 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
516 / sq mi
−15%since 2009
from 606 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
378 413 448 483 518 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lost Nation Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $57,000
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,354 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,933 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.330 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 9.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing 3.5%
Public administration 3.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.9%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$77,300
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $48,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$492
−29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $381 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 69.5% in 2000
31.4% rent
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.11 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.8% 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 98.2%(488)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 92.3%(360)
from 1 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 8.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 85.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 87.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 9.0% 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 8.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 72.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 75.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 17.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 3.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 67.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 3.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 39.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 33.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 36.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 71.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 54.1% 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) 8.3%(2)
Gulf War (1990s) 41.7%(10)
Share of the 24 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 Lost Nation Head to head
Compare Lost Nation to nearby cities LOST NATION VS
Davenport
Income $66,200 +16%
Home value $166,400 +115%
Population 100,358 +23514%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LOST NATION VS
Clinton
Income $60,230 +6%
Home value $118,200 +53%
Population 24,049 +5559%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LOST NATION VS
Bettendorf
Income $100,495 +76%
Home value $306,500 +297%
Population 40,710 +9479%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LOST NATION VS
Rock Island
Income $59,041 +4%
Home value $125,900 +63%
Population 36,225 +8424%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Lost Nation, Iowa? Lost Nation, Iowa has about 390 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lost Nation, Iowa? The typical household in Lost Nation, Iowa earns about $57,000 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Lost Nation, Iowa expensive? In Lost Nation, Iowa, the median home is worth about $77,300, and the typical rent is about $492 a month.
How educated are people in Lost Nation, Iowa? About 17.0% of adults age 25 and over in Lost Nation, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Lost Nation, Iowa? About 14.1% of people in Lost Nation, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Lost Nation, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Lost Nation, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 98 residents, a change of about -20 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 