United States › Iowa › Story City CITY
Story City Iowa · 3,382 residents (2025 est.) · 2.86 sq mi
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The short version
Story City is a city of 3,398 people in Iowa. Few US cities rank higher on income. 79% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 3%. Households here earn about 29% more than in Iowa as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $215,600.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
44% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 3,228 in 2000
3,382 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,190 / sq mi
+2%since 2009
from 1,170 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K 3K 3K 3K 3K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Story City Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $96,605
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,275 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $20,345 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 28.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 6.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.440 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5%
Arts, entertainment, food 3.4%
Public administration 2.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2.2%
Education & health services 1.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 0%
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$215,600
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $94,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$999
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $497 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 68.7% in 2000
21.2% rent
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.23 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 17.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 51.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.8 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 98.6%(3,184)
Hispanic / Latino 0.4%(14)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.3%(3,101)
Hispanic / Latino 6.6%(224)
from 12 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
+ 4 more ancestry groups with data from 27.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 91.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 75.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 31.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 24.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 10.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 90.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 30.5% 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) 14.3%(16)
Gulf War (1990s) 29.5%(33)
Share of the 112 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 Story City Head to head
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STORY CITY VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Story City, Iowa? Story City, Iowa has about 3,398 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Story City, Iowa? The typical household in Story City, Iowa earns about $96,605 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Story City, Iowa expensive? In Story City, Iowa, the median home is worth about $215,600, and the typical rent is about $999 a month.
How educated are people in Story City, Iowa? About 44.0% of adults age 25 and over in Story City, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Story City, Iowa? About 12.6% of people in Story City, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Story City, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Story City, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 439 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.
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