United States › Iowa › Mason City CITY
Mason City Iowa · 26,853 residents (2025 est.) · 27.9 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
Mason City is home to 27,050 people in Iowa. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The typical home is worth $142,000, having more than doubled since 2000. The average commute runs 14 minutes. The foreign-born share is 3%. The median age is 42.5, about 4 years above the US median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 29,172 in 2000
26,853 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 987 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
27K 27K 28K 29K 29K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Mason City Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $64,804
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,852 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,899 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 22.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 10.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.439 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.4%
Public administration 3.6%
Transportation & warehousing 3.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.1%
Education & health services 0.6%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$142,000
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $72,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$882
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $405 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 67.4% in 2000
34.5% rent
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.18 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 43.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 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 93.4%(27,237)
Hispanic / Latino 3.4%(1,005)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 84.9%(22,976)
Hispanic / Latino 7%(1,897)
from 19 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
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data from 20.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 86.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 69.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 81.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 72.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 32.3%(3,509)
Women 15+
Never married 26.3%(3,059)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 55.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 21.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 70.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.7% 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) 23.9%(446)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.5%(326)
Share of the 1,864 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
Places similar to Mason City Head to head
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MASON CITY VS
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MASON CITY VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Mason City, Iowa? Mason City, Iowa has about 27,050 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Mason City, Iowa? The typical household in Mason City, Iowa earns about $64,804 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Mason City, Iowa expensive? In Mason City, Iowa, the median home is worth about $142,000, and the typical rent is about $882 a month.
How educated are people in Mason City, Iowa? About 20.8% of adults age 25 and over in Mason City, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Mason City, Iowa? About 12.0% of people in Mason City, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Mason City, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Mason City, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,990 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
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