Kossuth County is home to 14,516 people in Iowa. At a median age of 44.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Owners hold 79% of the housing stock. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $148,300. Density works out to 15 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $67,697, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Kossuth County
What changed most since 1990
Population18,591 → 14,516(−22%)US over the same years: +35%
White share99.4% → 91.7%(−7.7 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Hispanic share0.3% → 4.5%(+4.2 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
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)18.9%(148)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.7%(170)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era45.9%(360)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.9%(15)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(7)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 784 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
Over time
Kossuth County, decade by decade
Kossuth County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
18,591
$55,972
$81,362
11.8%
1.4
2000
17,163
$62,960
$104,199
13.6%
4.3
2010
15,543
$69,450
$121,847
16.7%
6.7
2020
14,828
$68,063
$132,597
18.2%
17.2
2024
14,516
$67,697
$148,300
22.8%
19.5
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
