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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Decatur County

Iowa · 8,689 residents · 532 sq mi
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The short version

Decatur County is a county of 8,689 people in Iowa. The typical home is worth $51,900, having more than doubled since 1990. Households here earn about 31% less than in Iowa as a whole. About 15% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Renters pay $340 a month at the median. The median household earns $27,343, about 36% below the national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 36.4
US median: 35.2
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 73%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

8,689
+4%since 1990
from 8,338 in 1990
1990 – 2025
36.4
+3%since 1990
from 35.4 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
532 sq mi
Population, 19902024
8K8K8K8K9K19902000201020202024Decatur County
20248K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.5%(481)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.3%(545)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.8%(589)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1910.2%(886)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2410.5%(914)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 349.2%(797)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4412.4%(1,078)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5412%(1,040)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 649.5%(824)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 748.6%(749)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 846.2%(542)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.8%(244)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$27,343
+15%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $18,105 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$14,209
+59%since 1990
from $8,918 in 1990
US average: $21,522
15.5%
−5.5 ptssince 1990
from 21.0% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$51,900
+73%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $22,800 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$340
+17%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $220 in 1990
US average: $602
71.1%
+0.2 ptssince 1990
from 70.8% in 1990
28.9% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic99.1%(8,261)
Black0.2%(15)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(43)
Asian0.4%(35)
2000
White, non-Hispanic95.5%(8,296)
Black0.9%(79)
Hispanic / Latino1.7%(148)
Asian0.6%(54)

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)
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)
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)
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)
Australian0.1%(5)
Greek0.1%(5)
Guyanese0.1%(5)
Romanian0.1%(4)
Section 05

Education

15.1%
+2.9 ptssince 1990
from 12.3% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
81.7%
+9.9 ptssince 1990
from 71.8% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
5.4%
+0.4 ptssince 1990
from 5.0% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

17.7 min
−33%since 1990
from 26.5 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29.4%(990)
Married60.5%(2,040)
Widowed2.6%(89)
Divorced7.4%(251)
Women 15+
Never married24.4%(903)
Married54.6%(2,020)
Widowed12.4%(459)
Divorced8.5%(316)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

7.6%
−7.3 ptssince 2013
from 14.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
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%
22.1%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 21.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
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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Frequently asked

How many people live in Decatur County, Iowa?

Decatur County, Iowa has about 8,689 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Decatur County, Iowa?

The typical household in Decatur County, Iowa earns about $27,343 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 $51,900, and the typical rent is about $340 a month.

How educated are people in Decatur County, Iowa?

About 15.1% 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 15.5% of people in Decatur County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.

Has Decatur County, Iowa grown since 1990?

Yes, Decatur County, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 351 residents, a change of about 4 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →