United States › Iowa › Ottumwa CITY · 2020 ACS
Ottumwa Iowa · 25,529 residents · 16.1 sq mi
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The short version
Ottumwa is a city of 25,529 people in Iowa. The typical home is worth $75,800, having risen by half since 2000. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. Households here earn about 31% less than in Iowa as a whole. The average commute runs 16 minutes. The median household earns $42,418, about 36% below the national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 36.7
US median: 38.8
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
24K 25K 25K 25K 26K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Ottumwa Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $42,418
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,174 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $16,040 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 17.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 15.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 3.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Education & health services 0.3%
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$75,800
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,000 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$765
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $427 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 71.5% in 2000
36.3% rent
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 94.1%(23,514)
Hispanic / Latino 2.8%(691)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 71.1%(18,163)
Hispanic / Latino 15.7%(4,013)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 79.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 5.4% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 76.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 64.2% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 12.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 17.9%(236)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.8%(248)
Share of the 1,316 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 Ottumwa Head to head
Compare Ottumwa to nearby cities OTTUMWA VS
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OTTUMWA VS
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Home value $156,000 +106%
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OTTUMWA VS
Pella
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Income $61,042 +44%
Home value $160,900 +112%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Ottumwa, Iowa? Ottumwa, Iowa has about 25,529 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ottumwa, Iowa? The typical household in Ottumwa, Iowa earns about $42,418 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 $75,800, and the typical rent is about $765 a month.
How educated are people in Ottumwa, Iowa? About 20.1% 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 18.1% 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 1,041 residents, a change of about 4 percent over that period.
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