COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Palo Alto County

Iowa · 10,669 residents · 564 sq mi

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Palo Alto County is home to 10,669 people in Iowa. The typical home is worth $28,900. The median age is 37.4, about 4 years above the US median. Renters pay $245 a month at the median. About 13% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Households here earn about 19% less than in Iowa as a whole.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 37.4

US median: 33.0

Less educated

13% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 32%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

10,669

+5%vs 2000

vs 10,147 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

37.4

−8%vs 2000

vs 40.7 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

564 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20249K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.4%(680)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 98.2%(870)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.8%(830)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.6%(811)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 244.3%(454)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3412.7%(1,352)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4412.2%(1,305)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 548.9%(953)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6411.5%(1,225)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749.9%(1,057)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 847.5%(802)

US avg: 4%

85 and over3.1%(330)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$21,223

−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $32,409 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$10,749

−39%vs 2000

vs $17,733 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

15.3%

+4.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 10.6% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$28,900

−32%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $55,900 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$245

−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $337 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

70.9%

−3.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 74.1% in 2000

29.1% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic98.1%(9,956)

Black0.1%(9)

Hispanic / Latino0.8%(77)

Asian0.3%(31)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.5%(10,612)

Black0.1%(13)

Hispanic / Latino0.1%(8)

Asian0.1%(11)

Other0.3%(33)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican1.6%(146)

Central American1.1%(96)

Guatemalan0.7%(66)

Spaniard0.4%(32)

Honduran0.3%(30)

Cuban0.2%(18)

South American0.2%(16)

Colombian0.1%(13)

Puerto Rican0%(3)

Bolivian0%(3)

Asian origin

Filipino0.4%(33)

Taiwanese0.2%(16)

Vietnamese0.1%(5)

Asian Indian0%(3)

Ancestry

German40.1%(3,556)

Irish21.3%(1,887)

Norwegian9%(796)

English6.6%(584)

American4.8%(428)

Swedish2.8%(251)

Dutch2.2%(191)

French1.7%(153)

Swiss1.6%(142)

Danish1.5%(133)

Italian1.3%(118)

Subsaharan African0.9%(79)

+ 13 more ancestry groups with data

Ghanaian0.9%(79)

Scotch-Irish0.8%(67)

Scottish0.7%(64)

Polish0.7%(63)

Portuguese0.4%(36)

Welsh0.4%(36)

French Canadian0.4%(33)

Czech0.3%(30)

Belgian0.1%(11)

Canadian0.1%(9)

Finnish0.1%(5)

Lithuanian0%(2)

British0%(1)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest English population · Largest American population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

12.8%

−1.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 13.9% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

76.9%

−6.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 83.7% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

2.8%

−1.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 3.8% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

26.0 min

+128%vs 2000

vs 11.4 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married30.5%(1,113)

Married51.8%(1,891)

Widowed4.6%(169)

Divorced13%(476)

Women 15+

Never married19.4%(696)

Married54.8%(1,965)

Widowed13.1%(470)

Divorced12.7%(457)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

4.8%

−3.0 ptssince 2013

from 7.8% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

49.9%

−5.1 ptssince 2020

from 55.0% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

19.7%

−2.9 ptssince 2020

from 22.6% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

23.3%

+0.5 ptssince 2020

from 22.8% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

24.3%

+6.2 ptssince 2020

from 18.1% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.0%

−0.8 ptssince 2020

from 3.8% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

68.8%

−5.6 ptssince 2020

from 74.4% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

43.3%

+5.9 ptssince 2020

from 37.4% 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)9.7%(49)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)15.6%(79)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era43.6%(221)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War11.6%(59)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II3%(15)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 507 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

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