COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Cerro Gordo County

Iowa · 46,733 residents · 568 sq mi

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Part of the Mason City micropolitan area

The short version

With 46,733 people, Cerro Gordo County is a county in Iowa. The typical home is worth $45,300. The average commute runs 15 minutes. Renters pay $321 a month at the median. About 15% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The poverty rate is 8.9%, under the national 13.2%.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.3

US median: 33.0

Less educated

15% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 22%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

46,733

+1%vs 2000

vs 46,447 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

35.3

−10%vs 2000

vs 39.3 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

568 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202443K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.8%(3,186)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.2%(3,351)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147%(3,277)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 196.9%(3,229)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.8%(2,702)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3415.9%(7,434)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.2%(6,659)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 549.4%(4,413)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 649.9%(4,608)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749%(4,217)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 845.7%(2,658)

US avg: 4%

85 and over2.1%(999)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$25,116

−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $35,867 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$12,304

−36%vs 2000

vs $19,184 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

8.9%

+0.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 8.5% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$45,300

−22%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $76,100 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$321

+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $404 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

68.8%

−2.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 71.5% in 2000

31.2% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic94.7%(43,977)

Black0.8%(358)

Hispanic / Latino2.8%(1,291)

Asian0.7%(317)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic98.1%(45,853)

Black0.8%(355)

Hispanic / Latino1.7%(778)

Asian0.6%(267)

Other0.6%(258)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican4.4%(1,870)

Puerto Rican0.4%(166)

South American0.3%(114)

Central American0.2%(104)

Bolivian0.2%(94)

Guatemalan0.2%(87)

Spaniard0.1%(37)

Paraguayan0%(20)

Salvadoran0%(9)

Panamanian0%(8)

Asian origin

Chinese0.3%(115)

Asian Indian0.2%(102)

Vietnamese0.2%(90)

Laotian0.2%(84)

Filipino0.1%(48)

Korean0.1%(30)

Okinawan0%(14)

Thai0%(4)

Pacific Islander origin

Samoan0%(5)

Ancestry

German34.6%(14,755)

Norwegian12.5%(5,326)

Irish10.6%(4,498)

English7.6%(3,259)

American4.7%(2,021)

Danish2.2%(944)

Dutch2.1%(909)

French2%(833)

Czech1.8%(763)

Swedish1.4%(611)

Polish1.1%(485)

Italian1.1%(468)

+ 29 more ancestry groups with data

Scottish0.7%(299)

Scotch-Irish0.7%(284)

Greek0.5%(220)

Welsh0.4%(164)

Arab0.4%(151)

British0.3%(147)

Swiss0.3%(146)

Russian0.2%(92)

Lithuanian0.2%(90)

Subsaharan African0.1%(60)

Finnish0.1%(57)

Austrian0.1%(56)

Slovak0.1%(54)

Syrian0.1%(49)

Moroccan0.1%(35)

Croatian0.1%(34)

Ukrainian0.1%(22)

Lebanese0%(21)

Serbian0%(18)

French Canadian0%(15)

Portuguese0%(15)

Macedonian0%(14)

Hungarian0%(9)

West Indian0%(9)

Belgian0%(8)

Canadian0%(8)

Kenyan0%(8)

Ghanaian0%(7)

Nigerian0%(5)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

15.5%

−4.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 20.3% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

81.3%

−6.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 87.3% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.6%

−1.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 6.2% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

15.2 min

+44%vs 2000

vs 10.6 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 married30.9%(5,353)

Married55.1%(9,553)

Widowed2.9%(499)

Divorced11.2%(1,935)

Women 15+

Never married25.1%(4,532)

Married53.4%(9,633)

Widowed9.9%(1,791)

Divorced11.5%(2,076)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

4.5%

−3.8 ptssince 2013

from 8.3% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

54.0%

−1.7 ptssince 2020

from 55.7% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

18.2%

−1.7 ptssince 2020

from 19.9% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

24.9%

+1.4 ptssince 2020

from 23.5% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

21.1%

+1.3 ptssince 2020

from 19.8% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

4.2%

+0.4 ptssince 2020

from 3.8% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

70.6%

−3.1 ptssince 2020

from 73.7% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

43.4%

+3.1 ptssince 2020

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)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)14.7%(392)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era32.4%(864)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War7.9%(211)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0.7%(20)

US avg: 1%

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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