With 5,834 people, Oelwein is a city in Iowa. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 17% of adults. The typical home is worth $96,300, having more than doubled since 2000. That trails the Iowa median by roughly 38%. 1% of locals were born outside the United States. Owners hold 77% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $46,653, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Oelwein
What changed most since 1990
White share96.8% → 91.6%(−5.2 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree13.8% → 17.5%(+3.7 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Population6,493 → 5,834(−10%)US over the same years: +35%
Its weight in Fayette County
Oelwein's population equals 30% of Fayette County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 8.6% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 52% of the county's.
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)30.5%(155)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.7%(80)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37%(188)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.8%(9)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 508 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
Oelwein, decade by decade
Oelwein population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
6,493
$49,285
$64,322
13.8%
7.9
2000
6,692
$49,817
$95,637
12.6%
10.3
2010
6,415
$51,238
$89,767
10.9%
14.7
2020
5,920
$46,445
$106,417
15.6%
25.9
2024
5,834
$46,653
$96,300
17.5%
19.6
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.
