United States › Iowa › Monroe County COUNTY
Monroe County Iowa · 7,406 residents (2025 est.) · 434 sq mi
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The short version
Monroe County is a county of 7,513 people in Iowa. That puts it in the top 10% of US counties for household income. 81% of homes are owner-occupied. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The foreign-born share is 1%. The typical home is worth $156,300, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 48%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 8,016 in 2000
7,406 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 18 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
7K 8K 8K 8K 8K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Monroe County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $70,996
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,877 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,155 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.401 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.8%
Education & health services 2.3%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
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$156,300
+48%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $58,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$798
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $399 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 78.4% in 2000
18.7% rent
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 44.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 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 98.1%(7,864)
Hispanic / Latino 0.5%(40)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94.8%(7,121)
Hispanic / Latino 2.1%(156)
from 6 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 14 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
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 12.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 82.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 62.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 80.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 10.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 10.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 57.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 21.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 72.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 38.6% 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) 5.5%(15)
Share of the 275 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 Monroe County Head to head
Compare Monroe County to nearby counties MONROE COUNTY VS
Appanoose County
Income $54,934 −23%
Home value $124,200 −21%
Population 12,077 +63%
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MONROE COUNTY VS
Marion County
Income $78,680 +11%
Home value $233,000 +49%
Population 34,192 +362%
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MONROE COUNTY VS
Wapello County
Income $64,766 −9%
Home value $125,100 −20%
Population 35,210 +375%
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MONROE COUNTY VS
Lucas County
Income $61,793 −13%
Home value $120,200 −23%
Population 8,847 +19%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Monroe County, Iowa? Monroe County, Iowa has about 7,513 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Monroe County, Iowa? The typical household in Monroe County, Iowa earns about $70,996 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Monroe County, Iowa expensive? In Monroe County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $156,300, and the typical rent is about $798 a month.
How educated are people in Monroe County, Iowa? About 21.4% of adults age 25 and over in Monroe County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Monroe County, Iowa? About 9.2% of people in Monroe County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Monroe County, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Monroe County, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 601 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
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