United States › Iowa › Mills County COUNTY
Mills County Iowa · 14,793 residents (2025 est.) · 437 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
Mills County is home to 14,568 people in Iowa. 84% of homes are owner-occupied. Few US counties rank higher on income. The foreign-born share is 1%. There are 33 people per square mile. At a median age of 42.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.1
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth 14,568
Unchangedsince 2000
from 14,547 in 2000
14,793 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 34 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K 14K 14K 15K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Mills County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $90,753
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,428 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,736 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 34.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.380 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 5.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.2%
Education & health services 1.4%
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$237,800
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $95,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$959
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $465 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 79.5% in 2000
16.5% rent
from 8.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.55 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.5 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 97.2%(14,134)
Hispanic / Latino 1.2%(179)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 92.7%(13,503)
Hispanic / Latino 3.9%(563)
from 9 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 7 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
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data from 16.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 83.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 75.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 20.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 6.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 93.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 31.3%(1,834)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 6.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 58.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 18.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 75.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 37.9% 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) 28.8%(296)
Gulf War (1990s) 32.4%(332)
Share of the 1,026 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 Mills County Head to head
Compare Mills County to nearby counties MILLS COUNTY VS
Fremont County
Income $71,621 −21%
Home value $154,400 −35%
Population 6,522 −56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MILLS COUNTY VS
Pottawattamie County
Income $73,602 −19%
Home value $195,700 −18%
Population 92,996 +529%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MILLS COUNTY VS
Montgomery County
Income $63,666 −30%
Home value $121,400 −49%
Population 10,002 −32%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MILLS COUNTY VS
Sarpy County
Income $103,321 +14%
Home value $314,100 +32%
Population 208,303 +1308%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Mills County, Iowa? Mills County, Iowa has about 14,568 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Mills County, Iowa? The typical household in Mills County, Iowa earns about $90,753 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Mills County, Iowa expensive? In Mills County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $237,800, and the typical rent is about $959 a month.
How educated are people in Mills County, Iowa? About 31.0% of adults age 25 and over in Mills County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Mills County, Iowa? About 8.2% of people in Mills County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Mills County, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Mills County, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,366 residents, a change of about 10 percent over that period.
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