COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Decatur County

Iowa · 8,338 residents · 532 sq mi

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Decatur County is a county of 8,338 people in Iowa. The typical home is worth $22,800. Households here earn about 31% less than in Iowa as a whole. Renters pay $220 a month at the median. About 12% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The median household earns $18,105, about 40% below the national median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.4

US median: 33.0

Less educated

12% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 42%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

8,338

−4%vs 2000

vs 8,689 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

35.4

−3%vs 2000

vs 36.4 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

532 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20248K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.1%(507)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 96.8%(570)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.4%(531)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 199.6%(798)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 248.4%(702)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3412.1%(1,009)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4411.7%(974)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 548.8%(734)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 649.6%(803)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7410.1%(842)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 847.2%(597)

US avg: 4%

85 and over3.3%(271)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$18,105

−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $27,343 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$8,918

−37%vs 2000

vs $14,209 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

21.0%

+5.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 15.5% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$22,800

−42%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $51,900 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$220

−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $340 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

70.8%

−0.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 71.1% in 2000

29.2% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic95.5%(8,296)

Black0.9%(79)

Hispanic / Latino1.7%(148)

Asian0.6%(54)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.1%(8,261)

Black0.2%(15)

Hispanic / Latino0.5%(43)

Asian0.4%(35)

Other0.3%(27)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican2.5%(197)

South American0.3%(20)

Spaniard0.2%(17)

Puerto Rican0.2%(16)

Venezuelan0.2%(16)

Dominican0.1%(6)

Cuban0.1%(5)

Argentine0.1%(4)

Asian origin

Korean0.5%(39)

Thai0.1%(6)

Japanese0.1%(4)

Uzbek0.1%(4)

Pacific Islander origin

Samoan0%(1)

Chamorro0%(1)

Ancestry

German19.6%(1,520)

English14%(1,086)

Irish10.2%(793)

American4.7%(364)

Dutch3.3%(257)

Scottish2.6%(204)

Norwegian2.1%(163)

French1.5%(119)

Polish1.4%(109)

Danish1.1%(82)

Swedish1.1%(82)

Italian1%(78)

+ 19 more ancestry groups with data

Scotch-Irish0.9%(67)

Subsaharan African0.8%(61)

Swiss0.8%(60)

Russian0.5%(42)

Nigerian0.5%(39)

West Indian0.4%(33)

Jamaican0.4%(33)

Welsh0.3%(26)

Canadian0.2%(16)

Finnish0.2%(13)

Czech0.2%(12)

British0.1%(9)

Lithuanian0.1%(9)

Kenyan0.1%(9)

French Canadian0.1%(8)

Australian0.1%(5)

Greek0.1%(5)

Guyanese0.1%(5)

Romanian0.1%(4)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

12.3%

−2.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 15.1% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

71.8%

−9.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 81.7% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

5.0%

−0.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 5.4% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

26.5 min

+50%vs 2000

vs 17.7 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 married33.5%(1,047)

Married53.6%(1,673)

Widowed2.6%(81)

Divorced10.3%(322)

Women 15+

Never married27.9%(901)

Married48.8%(1,577)

Widowed11.3%(366)

Divorced12%(389)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

7.6%

−7.3 ptssince 2013

from 14.9% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

49.0%

+2.8 ptssince 2020

from 46.2% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

18.5%

−2.4 ptssince 2020

from 20.9% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

22.1%

+1.1 ptssince 2020

from 21.0% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

23.7%

−2.8 ptssince 2020

from 26.5% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.8%

−0.6 ptssince 2020

from 3.4% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

66.0%

Unchangedsince 2020

from 66.0% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

42.2%

−1.3 ptssince 2020

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)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)17.2%(62)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era50.6%(182)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War9.4%(34)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II2.2%(8)

US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

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