United States › Iowa › Lee County COUNTY
Lee County Iowa · 32,306 residents (2025 est.) · 518 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
With 32,893 people, Lee County is a county in Iowa. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 22% of adults. The typical home is worth $141,400, having more than doubled since 2000. The median age is 43.6, about 5 years above the US median. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. Owners hold 76% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 38,052 in 2000
32,306 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 69 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
32K 34K 36K 38K 39K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lee County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $62,382
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,193 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,430 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.412 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.8%
Public administration 3.8%
Transportation & warehousing 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
Education & health services 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$141,400
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$835
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $398 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 75.5% in 2000
23.7% rent
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.29 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 38.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.8 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 93%(35,401)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(902)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 90.3%(29,696)
Hispanic / Latino 3.5%(1,145)
from 19 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 34 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
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 12.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 83.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 62.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 73.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 70.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 33.7%(4,558)
Women 15+
Never married 25.4%(3,439)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 24.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 69.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 44.0% 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) 19.6%(445)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.2%(482)
Share of the 2,270 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Lee County Head to head
Compare Lee County to nearby counties LEE COUNTY VS
Clark County
Income $51,781 −17%
Home value $130,700 −8%
Population 6,475 −80%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Hancock County
Income $65,865 +6%
Home value $113,800 −20%
Population 16,803 −48%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Henry County
Income $67,436 +8%
Home value $164,300 +16%
Population 19,349 −40%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Des Moines County
Income $62,928 +1%
Home value $136,500 −3%
Population 38,077 +18%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Lee County, Iowa? Lee County, Iowa has about 32,893 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lee County, Iowa? The typical household in Lee County, Iowa earns about $62,382 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Lee County, Iowa expensive? In Lee County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $141,400, and the typical rent is about $835 a month.
How educated are people in Lee County, Iowa? About 21.7% of adults age 25 and over in Lee County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Lee County, Iowa? About 13.1% of people in Lee County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Lee County, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Lee County, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 5,794 residents, a change of about -15 percent over that period.
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