United States › Iowa › Delaware County COUNTY
Delaware County Iowa · 17,674 residents (2025 est.) · 578 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Delaware County is home to 17,558 people in Iowa. That puts it in the top 7% of US counties for household income. Owners hold 80% of the housing stock. 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 0% of residents were born outside the United States. At a median age of 43.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% 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 18,404 in 2000
17,674 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 30 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 17K 18K 18K 19K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Delaware County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $74,989
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,168 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,327 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 24.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 7.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.388 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 9.2%
Public administration 4.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.1%
Transportation & warehousing 3.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
Education & health services 0.5%
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$177,900
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$764
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $370 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 77.8% in 2000
20.4% rent
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.41 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 19.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 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 98.8%(18,179)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(121)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94.1%(16,514)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(301)
from 4 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 4 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
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 13.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 85.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 3.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 71.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 84.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 5.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 72.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 25.7%(1,854)
Women 15+
Never married 20.6%(1,448)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 5.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 59.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 23.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 14.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 80.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 31.0% 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) 7.4%(63)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.2%(147)
Share of the 853 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 Delaware County Head to head
Compare Delaware County to nearby counties DELAWARE COUNTY VS
Buchanan County
Income $78,236 +4%
Home value $176,000 −1%
Population 20,883 +18%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DELAWARE COUNTY VS
Dubuque County
Income $77,630 +4%
Home value $237,300 +33%
Population 99,381 +462%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DELAWARE COUNTY VS
Clayton County
Income $67,242 −10%
Home value $168,500 −5%
Population 16,845 −5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DELAWARE COUNTY VS
Jones County
Income $73,531 −2%
Home value $184,800 +4%
Population 21,253 +20%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Delaware County, Iowa? Delaware County, Iowa has about 17,558 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Delaware County, Iowa? The typical household in Delaware County, Iowa earns about $74,989 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Delaware County, Iowa expensive? In Delaware County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $177,900, and the typical rent is about $764 a month.
How educated are people in Delaware County, Iowa? About 22.6% of adults age 25 and over in Delaware County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Delaware County, Iowa? About 7.8% of people in Delaware County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Delaware County, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Delaware County, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 477 residents, a change of about -3 percent over that period.
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