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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Black Hawk County

Iowa · 131,144 residents · 566 sq mi
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The short version

Black Hawk County is a county of 131,144 people in Iowa. Getting to work takes 17 minutes on average. The typical home is worth $150,200, having more than doubled since 2000. 7% of people here were born outside the United States. People stay put here: 80% were in the same home a year ago. Median rent is $818 a month.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 36.8
US median: 38.8
Average education
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 31%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
131,144
+2%since 2000
from 128,012 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
36.8
+7%since 2000
from 34.4 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
566 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
123K126K128K131K134K19902000201020202024Black Hawk County
2024131K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56%(7,929)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(8,019)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.2%(8,122)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.1%(9,293)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 249.1%(11,926)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.2%(17,375)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.9%(15,606)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.4%(13,670)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6412.2%(15,939)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.5%(13,714)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845%(6,602)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.2%(2,949)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$54,774
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,266 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,347
+66%since 2000
from $18,885 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
35.4%
+12.6 ptssince 2009
from 22.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
15.5%
+2.4 ptssince 2000
from 13.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade17.5%
US avg: 10%
Information14.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services5.8%
US avg: 6.6%
Wholesale trade5.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration4.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Finance & insurance3.9%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3.4%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.7%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.2%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$150,200
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$818
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $472 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
65.3%
−3.7 ptssince 2000
from 68.9% in 2000
34.7% rent
Persons per household
2.38 people
+1%since 2009
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.7
+3%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
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-Hispanic87.7%(112,223)
Black7.9%(10,108)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(2,359)
Asian1%(1,246)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic77.1%(101,150)
Black10.3%(13,529)
Hispanic / Latino4.9%(6,448)
Asian2.6%(3,412)
Other2.9%(3,851)
Segregation Score
44
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.2%(4,273)
Puerto Rican0.3%(386)
Guatemalan0.2%(310)
Salvadoran0.1%(196)
Dominican0.1%(109)
Panamanian0.1%(105)
Spaniard0.1%(72)
Honduran0.1%(71)
Argentine0%(32)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Colombian0%(32)
Peruvian0%(14)
Chilean0%(9)
Cuban0%(7)
Asian origin
Burmese0.6%(841)
Asian Indian0.5%(712)
Pakistani0.5%(616)
Korean0.3%(397)
Thai0.2%(253)
Chinese0.2%(236)
Laotian0.1%(151)
Japanese0.1%(78)
Vietnamese0.1%(72)
Filipino0%(64)
Taiwanese0%(27)
Cambodian0%(13)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0.1%(92)
Marshallese0.1%(89)
Samoan0%(58)
Chamorro0%(56)
Ancestry
German30.9%(40,782)
Irish12%(15,801)
English7.3%(9,688)
Norwegian4.5%(5,935)
American4.3%(5,619)
Dutch2%(2,701)
French1.7%(2,258)
Swedish1.7%(2,211)
Italian1.7%(2,198)
Scottish1.6%(2,099)
Czech1.5%(2,011)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Danish1.5%(1,966)
Polish0.9%(1,182)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(1,144)
Swiss0.6%(827)
Welsh0.5%(706)
British0.4%(507)
Belgian0.2%(238)
Greek0.2%(226)
Austrian0.1%(193)
Russian0.1%(174)
Hungarian0.1%(144)
Finnish0.1%(139)
Croatian0.1%(124)
Serbian0.1%(118)
Iranian0.1%(110)
Portuguese0.1%(96)
Canadian0.1%(88)
Moroccan0.1%(80)
Bulgarian0.1%(77)
Ghanaian0.1%(72)
Romanian0%(65)
Jamaican0%(54)
Slovak0%(43)
Arab0%(35)
Lebanese0%(34)
Ukrainian0%(33)
Armenian0%(16)
Slovene0%(13)
Haitian0%(9)
Kenyan0%(7)
Turkish0%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
29.2%
+6.2 ptssince 2000
from 23.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
91.8%
+5.3 ptssince 2000
from 86.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
9.8%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 8.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
16.6 min
+61%since 2000
from 10.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
80.2%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 82.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
7.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.3%
−1.8 ptssince 2011
from 7.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
67.8%
+1.0 ptssince 2011
from 66.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
78.3%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
33.0%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 29.8% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.1%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 48.2% in 2009
Female
50.9%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 51.8% in 2009
Foreign born
6.7%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
4.5%
−3.7 ptssince 2013
from 8.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
90.5%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
79.9%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married40.8%(21,350)
Married47.9%(25,050)
Widowed2.4%(1,264)
Divorced8.9%(4,633)
Women 15+
Never married35.7%(19,577)
Married45.6%(24,977)
Widowed8.2%(4,491)
Divorced10.5%(5,776)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
4.5%
−3.7 ptssince 2013
from 8.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
62.0%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
13.0%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
18.4%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
21.2%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.0%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
72.8%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
37.5%
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)13.6%(926)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)17.4%(1,184)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era40%(2,724)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War8.9%(606)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II3.9%(268)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 6,807 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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Black Hawk County to nearby counties

BLACK HAWK COUNTY VS
Bremer County
Income$86,784+58%
Home value$219,600+46%
Population25,296−81%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACK HAWK COUNTY VS
Buchanan County
Income$78,236+43%
Home value$176,000+17%
Population20,883−84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACK HAWK COUNTY VS
Grundy County
Income$87,205+59%
Home value$198,800+32%
Population12,361−91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLACK HAWK COUNTY VS
Benton County
Income$86,962+59%
Home value$208,200+39%
Population26,004−80%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Black Hawk County, Iowa?

Black Hawk County, Iowa has about 131,144 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Black Hawk County, Iowa?

The typical household in Black Hawk County, Iowa earns about $54,774 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Black Hawk County, Iowa expensive?

In Black Hawk County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $150,200, and the typical rent is about $818 a month.

How educated are people in Black Hawk County, Iowa?

About 29.2% of adults age 25 and over in Black Hawk County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Black Hawk County, Iowa?

About 15.5% of people in Black Hawk County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.

Has Black Hawk County, Iowa grown since 1990?

Yes, Black Hawk County, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 7,346 residents, a change of about 6 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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