United States › Iowa › Ottumwa CITY
Ottumwa Iowa · 25,319 residents (2025 est.) · 16.1 sq mi
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The short version
Ottumwa is a city of 25,430 people in Iowa. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The typical home is worth $106,300, having more than doubled since 2000. The average commute runs 18 minutes. Density works out to 1,583 people per square mile. Renters pay $921 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.7
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 24,998 in 2000
25,319 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,583 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 1,522 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
24K 25K 25K 25K 26K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Ottumwa Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $61,103
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,174 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,040 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.436 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.6%
Public administration 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
Education & health services 0.3%
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$106,300
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$921
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $427 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.5% in 2000
38.3% rent
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 19.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 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 94.1%(23,514)
Hispanic / Latino 2.8%(691)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 69%(17,541)
Hispanic / Latino 17.1%(4,356)
from 30 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
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 64.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 71.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 83.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 83.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 12.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 43.4%(4,438)
Women 15+
Never married 31.3%(3,189)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 29.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 65.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 43.5% 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) 28.1%(249)
Share of the 885 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
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Ottumwa, Iowa? Ottumwa, Iowa has about 25,430 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ottumwa, Iowa? The typical household in Ottumwa, Iowa earns about $61,103 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Ottumwa, Iowa expensive? In Ottumwa, Iowa, the median home is worth about $106,300, and the typical rent is about $921 a month.
How educated are people in Ottumwa, Iowa? About 20.8% of adults age 25 and over in Ottumwa, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Ottumwa, Iowa? About 17.2% of people in Ottumwa, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Ottumwa, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Ottumwa, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 942 residents, a change of about 4 percent over that period.
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