COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Buchanan County

Iowa · 20,844 residents · 571 sq mi

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With 20,844 people, Buchanan County is a county in Iowa. The typical home is worth $36,300. Owners hold 75% of the housing stock. About 11% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Median rent is $271 a month. The average commute runs 28 minutes.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Mid-age

median age 33.5

US median: 33.0

Less educated

11% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 37%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

20,844

−1%vs 2000

vs 21,093 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

33.5

−8%vs 2000

vs 36.4 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

571 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202421K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 57.8%(1,616)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 99%(1,871)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 149.2%(1,925)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.2%(1,499)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 244.8%(1,006)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.4%(3,005)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.7%(2,848)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 549.9%(2,066)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 648.5%(1,764)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 748.7%(1,815)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 845.1%(1,053)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.8%(376)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$23,386

−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $38,036 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$10,925

−41%vs 2000

vs $18,405 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

16.7%

+7.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 9.4% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$36,300

−37%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $76,200 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$271

−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $376 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

75.0%

−3.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 78.2% in 2000

25.0% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic98%(20,667)

Black0.3%(54)

Hispanic / Latino0.6%(131)

Asian0.4%(85)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.4%(20,721)

Black0.2%(51)

Hispanic / Latino0.4%(86)

Asian0%(6)

Other0.3%(66)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican1.4%(291)

South American0.3%(62)

Ecuadorian0.2%(40)

Chilean0.1%(22)

Central American0.1%(12)

Panamanian0%(9)

Puerto Rican0%(7)

Spaniard0%(7)

Honduran0%(3)

Asian origin

Filipino0.2%(32)

Thai0%(4)

Pacific Islander origin

Tongan0.1%(23)

Guamanian0%(5)

Native Hawaiian0%(2)

Samoan0%(1)

Ancestry

German39.8%(8,241)

Irish15.3%(3,166)

English12.3%(2,553)

American5.6%(1,160)

Norwegian3.5%(722)

Scottish1.8%(378)

Dutch1.8%(374)

Italian1.6%(328)

French1.5%(309)

Danish1.2%(246)

Czech1.1%(232)

Swedish1%(208)

+ 24 more ancestry groups with data

Polish0.7%(149)

Scotch-Irish0.5%(112)

Subsaharan African0.4%(92)

Swiss0.4%(89)

French Canadian0.2%(41)

Belgian0.2%(39)

Welsh0.2%(38)

Hungarian0.2%(34)

British0.1%(22)

Austrian0.1%(14)

Canadian0.1%(13)

Greek0%(9)

Arab0%(8)

West Indian0%(7)

Croatian0%(5)

Haitian0%(5)

Jordanian0%(4)

Syrian0%(4)

Russian0%(4)

Lithuanian0%(2)

Slovene0%(2)

Jamaican0%(2)

Portuguese0%(1)

Ukrainian0%(1)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

11.2%

−1.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 12.7% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

78.4%

−6.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 84.6% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

2.9%

−0.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 3.1% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

28.4 min

+78%vs 2000

vs 15.9 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 married27.5%(2,281)

Married58.6%(4,867)

Widowed3.4%(281)

Divorced10.5%(875)

Women 15+

Never married19.8%(1,616)

Married57.4%(4,678)

Widowed10.2%(834)

Divorced12.5%(1,018)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

6.7%

−4.3 ptssince 2013

from 11.0% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

62.6%

−0.5 ptssince 2020

from 63.1% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

14.0%

−0.1 ptssince 2020

from 14.1% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

19.5%

+0.5 ptssince 2020

from 19.0% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

17.3%

+1.0 ptssince 2020

from 16.3% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.5%

−0.5 ptssince 2020

from 3.0% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

74.4%

−0.6 ptssince 2020

from 75.0% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

35.4%

+1.5 ptssince 2020

from 33.9% 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)20.1%(213)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)20%(212)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era37.9%(401)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War1.2%(13)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II1.8%(19)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,059 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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