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COUNTY

Marion County

Iowa · 34,192 residents (2025 est.) · 554 sq mi
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The short version

Marion County is a county of 33,642 people in Iowa. Few US counties rank higher on income. Owners hold 78% of the housing stock. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $233,000, having more than doubled since 2000. Renters pay $884 a month at the median.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.9
US median: 38.9
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 47%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
33,642
+5%since 2000
from 32,052 in 2000
34,192 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
61 / sq mi
+3%since 2009
from 59 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.9
+7%since 2000
from 37.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
554 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
30K31K32K33K34K19902000201020202024Marion County
202434K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.2%(1,751)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.6%(1,899)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.7%(2,591)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.8%(2,633)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247%(2,346)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.4%(3,507)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.2%(4,096)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.3%(3,795)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.4%(4,509)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.6%(3,567)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.6%(1,876)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.2%(1,072)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$78,680
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,401 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$40,274
+115%since 2000
from $18,717 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
52.6%
+23.3 ptssince 2009
from 29.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
8.2%
+0.5 ptssince 2000
from 7.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.433
+9%since 2010
from 0.397 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade23.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Information8.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services6.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade6.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration6.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance3.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$233,000
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $87,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$884
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $472 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
77.7%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 75.6% in 2000
22.3% rent
Vacancy rate
7.4%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.40 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.45 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
15.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
36.4%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 41.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.0
+19%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
54
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96.9%(31,074)
Black0.4%(129)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(257)
Asian1%(330)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic93.3%(31,393)
Black0.4%(141)
Hispanic / Latino2.3%(773)
Asian1.4%(473)
Other2.6%(862)
Diversity Score
16
+73%since 2009
from 9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
28
−16%since 2020
from 33 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.5%(501)
Puerto Rican0.3%(108)
Spaniard0.1%(39)
Honduran0.1%(31)
Dominican0.1%(19)
Asian origin
Korean0.3%(88)
Asian Indian0.3%(88)
Burmese0.2%(74)
Laotian0.2%(55)
Filipino0.2%(54)
Hmong0.1%(45)
Chinese0.1%(21)
Thai0%(14)
Japanese0%(12)
Cambodian0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German24%(8,059)
Dutch18.7%(6,278)
English11.9%(4,004)
Irish11.5%(3,862)
American4.8%(1,602)
Italian2.8%(944)
Norwegian2.7%(910)
Swedish1.6%(529)
Scottish1.4%(480)
French1.4%(477)
Welsh1%(353)
Czech0.8%(271)
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.7%(242)
Polish0.6%(200)
Russian0.4%(148)
Greek0.4%(122)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(120)
British0.3%(111)
Swiss0.3%(94)
Belgian0.1%(41)
Australian0.1%(38)
Croatian0.1%(25)
West Indian0.1%(24)
Arab0.1%(20)
Lebanese0.1%(20)
Portuguese0.1%(19)
Ukrainian0%(16)
Jamaican0%(15)
Canadian0%(11)
Brazilian0%(10)
Iranian0%(5)
Slovak0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
32.1%
+13.2 ptssince 2000
from 18.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.8%
+10.9 ptssince 2000
from 84.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
9.7%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 5.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.0 min
+35%since 2000
from 15.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.8%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 76.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
5.5%
−5.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.2%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.3%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.5%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.4%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.2%
−2.9 ptssince 2011
from 5.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
65.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2011
from 66.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
81.2%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 79.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
14.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
40.1%
+8.3 ptssince 2009
from 31.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
Female
49.8%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
Foreign born
2.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.7%
−5.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.6%
+2.2 ptssince 2012
from 11.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
2.5%
−3.2 ptssince 2013
from 5.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.4%
+13.6 ptssince 2017
from 74.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.7%
+5.1 ptssince 2020
from 89.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
87.8%
+7.6 ptssince 2020
from 80.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
96.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 96.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 1.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.9%(3,973)
Married59.7%(8,198)
Widowed2%(280)
Divorced9.3%(1,281)
Women 15+
Never married21.9%(2,989)
Married56.7%(7,745)
Widowed9.1%(1,244)
Divorced12.4%(1,691)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
2.5%
−3.2 ptssince 2013
from 5.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
63.8%
−2.3 ptssince 2020
from 66.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.7%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.2%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 18.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
16.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 17.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.5%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 3.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
78.7%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 79.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.7%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 33.4% 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)17.6%(258)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)24.5%(359)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37.4%(548)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.3%(34)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.7%(25)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,466 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 Marion County

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Pop 34,519
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Pop 36,178
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Pop 37,167
Gilmer County
Pop 33,894
Places similar to Marion County
Head to head

Compare Marion County to nearby counties

MARION COUNTY VS
Mahaska County
Income$70,940−10%
Home value$157,800−32%
Population21,880−36%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MARION COUNTY VS
Monroe County
Income$70,996−10%
Home value$156,300−33%
Population7,406−78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MARION COUNTY VS
Lucas County
Income$61,793−21%
Home value$120,200−48%
Population8,847−74%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MARION COUNTY VS
Jasper County
Income$71,311−9%
Home value$186,300−20%
Population38,153+12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Marion County, Iowa?

Marion County, Iowa has about 33,642 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Marion County, Iowa earns about $78,680 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Marion County, Iowa expensive?

In Marion County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $233,000, and the typical rent is about $884 a month.

How educated are people in Marion County, Iowa?

About 32.1% of adults age 25 and over in Marion County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Marion County, Iowa?

About 8.2% of people in Marion County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.

Has Marion County, Iowa grown since 1990?

Yes, Marion County, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,641 residents, a change of about 12 percent over that period.

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

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