United States › Iowa › Cerro Gordo County COUNTY
Cerro Gordo County Iowa · 42,372 residents (2025 est.) · 568 sq mi
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The short version
Cerro Gordo County is home to 42,632 people in Iowa. The median age is 44.0, about 5 years above the US median. About 24% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $166,400, having more than doubled since 2000. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. The average commute runs 16 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 46,447 in 2000
42,372 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 77 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
42K 43K 45K 46K 47K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Cerro Gordo County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $68,189
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,867 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,184 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.426 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.3%
Public administration 4.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.6%
Transportation & warehousing 3.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.1%
Education & health services 1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$166,400
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$850
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $404 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.5% in 2000
29.6% rent
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.20 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 38.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 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 94.7%(43,977)
Hispanic / Latino 2.8%(1,291)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 88.2%(37,619)
Hispanic / Latino 5.6%(2,397)
from 16 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 22 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data from 20.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 87.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 68.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 80.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 8.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 30.9%(5,353)
Women 15+
Never married 25.1%(4,532)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 8.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 55.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 73.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 40.3% 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) 23%(613)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.7%(392)
Share of the 2,669 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 Cerro Gordo County Head to head
Compare Cerro Gordo County to nearby counties CERRO GORDO COUNTY VS
Worth County
Income $78,008 +14%
Home value $145,800 −12%
Population 7,338 −83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CERRO GORDO COUNTY VS
Franklin County
Income $59,894 −12%
Home value $124,100 −25%
Population 9,868 −77%
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CERRO GORDO COUNTY VS
Floyd County
Income $68,557 +1%
Home value $143,500 −14%
Population 14,901 −65%
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CERRO GORDO COUNTY VS
Hancock County
Income $70,601 +4%
Home value $141,400 −15%
Population 10,528 −75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa? Cerro Gordo County, Iowa has about 42,632 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa? The typical household in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa earns about $68,189 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Cerro Gordo County, Iowa expensive? In Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $166,400, and the typical rent is about $850 a month.
How educated are people in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa? About 24.0% of adults age 25 and over in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa? About 10.6% of people in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Cerro Gordo County, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 4,101 residents, a change of about -9 percent over that period.
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