United States › Iowa › Decatur County COUNTY
Decatur County Iowa · 7,655 residents (2025 est.) · 532 sq mi
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The short version
Decatur County is a county of 7,759 people in Iowa. The typical home is worth $113,900, having more than doubled since 2000. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 24% of adults. There are 15 people per square mile. The foreign-born share is 2%. Median rent is $611 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.1
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 8,689 in 2000
7,655 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 16 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 8K 8K 8K 9K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Decatur County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $59,044
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,343 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,209 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.453 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.8%
Public administration 3.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.1%
Education & health services 0.7%
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$113,900
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $51,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$611
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $340 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.1% in 2000
30.3% rent
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.22 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 44.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.0 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 95.5%(8,296)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(148)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 90.2%(6,997)
Hispanic / Latino 3.5%(274)
from 14 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 21 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
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 15.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 81.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 71.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 73.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 18.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 35.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 63.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 82.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 93.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 33.5%(1,047)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 20.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 66.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 43.5% 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) 10%(36)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.2%(62)
Share of the 360 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 Decatur County Head to head
Compare Decatur County to nearby counties DECATUR COUNTY VS
Clarke County
Income $71,641 +21%
Home value $161,100 +41%
Population 9,574 +25%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DECATUR COUNTY VS
Wayne County
Income $61,964 +5%
Home value $111,300 −2%
Population 6,738 −12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DECATUR COUNTY VS
Ringgold County
Income $73,346 +24%
Home value $156,200 +37%
Population 4,642 −39%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DECATUR COUNTY VS
Mercer County
Income $62,679 +6%
Home value $104,900 −8%
Population 3,404 −56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Decatur County, Iowa? Decatur County, Iowa has about 7,759 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Decatur County, Iowa? The typical household in Decatur County, Iowa earns about $59,044 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Decatur County, Iowa expensive? In Decatur County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $113,900, and the typical rent is about $611 a month.
How educated are people in Decatur County, Iowa? About 23.5% of adults age 25 and over in Decatur County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Decatur County, Iowa? About 14.6% of people in Decatur County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Decatur County, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Decatur County, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 579 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
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