CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Peterson

Iowa · 408 residents · 0.52 sq mi

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The short version

With 408 people, Peterson is a city in Iowa. Median home value sits at $16,900. Owners hold 82% of the housing stock. At a median age of 39.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 20% national rate. That trails the Iowa median by roughly 31%.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 39.1

US median: 33.0

Less educated

7% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 36%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

408

+10%vs 2000

vs 372 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

39.1

−16%vs 2000

vs 46.5 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

0.52 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

2024298

Age distribution, 1990

Under 55.4%(22)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 96.9%(28)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 1410.8%(44)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 194.9%(20)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 241.5%(6)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3413.2%(54)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.7%(60)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 545.6%(23)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6411.3%(46)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7413.5%(55)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 849.1%(37)

US avg: 4%

85 and over3.2%(13)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$18,077

−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $30,000 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$10,533

−38%vs 2000

vs $16,932 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

14.5%

+4.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 10.3% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$16,900

−36%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $35,000 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$223

+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $288 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

82.3%

−1.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 84.0% in 2000

17.7% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic98.9%(368)

Black0%(0)

Hispanic / Latino1.1%(4)

Asian0%(0)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic98.3%(401)

Black0%(0)

Hispanic / Latino0%(0)

Asian0%(0)

Other1.7%(7)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican1%(3)

Puerto Rican0.7%(2)

Ancestry

German39.3%(117)

English13.1%(39)

Irish7.7%(23)

Norwegian7.7%(23)

American4.4%(13)

Danish4.4%(13)

Swedish4.4%(13)

Scotch-Irish2%(6)

Scottish2%(6)

Dutch1%(3)

Welsh1%(3)

Italian0.3%(1)

+ 2 more ancestry groups with data

Polish0.3%(1)

Swiss0.3%(1)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest American population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

6.9%

Unchangedvs 2000

vs 7.0% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

72.6%

−13.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 86.4% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

1.7%

−1.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 3.7% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

20.8 min

+3%vs 2000

vs 20.2 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married30.2%(38)

Married63.5%(80)

Widowed0.8%(1)

Divorced5.6%(7)

Women 15+

Never married20.2%(26)

Married57.4%(74)

Widowed12.4%(16)

Divorced10.1%(13)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

1.7%

−4.1 ptssince 2013

from 5.8% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

57.0%

+11.0 ptssince 2020

from 46.0% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

24.2%

−2.5 ptssince 2020

from 26.7% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

34.9%

+10.7 ptssince 2020

from 24.2% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

8.4%

−11.5 ptssince 2020

from 19.9% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

0.7%

−1.2 ptssince 2020

from 1.9% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

81.2%

+10.2 ptssince 2020

from 71.0% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

40.9%

−0.7 ptssince 2020

from 41.6% 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)22.6%(7)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)0%(0)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era48.4%(15)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War16.1%(5)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 31 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

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