COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Palo Alto County

Iowa · 10,147 residents · 564 sq mi

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The short version

Palo Alto County is home to 10,147 people in Iowa. The median age is 40.7, about 5 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $55,900, having more than doubled since 1990. About 14% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Median rent is $337 a month. Owners hold 74% of the housing stock.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $42,589

Older

median age 40.7

US median: 35.2

Less educated

14% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 24%

Less affordable

home values up 47%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $120,530

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

10,147

−5%since 1990

from 10,669 in 1990

1990 – 2025

Median age

40.7

+9%since 1990

from 37.4 in 1990

US average: 35.2

Land area

564 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20249K

Age distribution, 2000

Under 55.4%(550)

US avg: 6.8%

5 to 96.1%(622)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.2%(733)

US avg: 7.3%

15 to 199%(914)

US avg: 7.2%

20 to 245.8%(587)

US avg: 6.7%

25 to 349.1%(923)

US avg: 14.2%

35 to 4414.1%(1,435)

US avg: 16%

45 to 5412.3%(1,250)

US avg: 13.4%

55 to 649.6%(970)

US avg: 8.6%

65 to 7410.3%(1,047)

US avg: 6.5%

75 to 847.4%(748)

US avg: 4.4%

85 and over3.6%(368)

US avg: 1.5%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$32,409

+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $21,223 in 1990

US average: $42,589

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$17,733

+65%since 1990

from $10,749 in 1990

US average: $21,522

Poverty rate

10.6%

−4.7 ptssince 1990

from 15.3% in 1990

US average: 12.4%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$55,900

+47%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $28,900 in 1990

US average: $120,530

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$337

+4%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $245 in 1990

US average: $602

Owner-occupied

74.1%

+3.2 ptssince 1990

from 70.9% in 1990

25.9% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990

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

Black0.1%(13)

Hispanic / Latino0.1%(8)

Asian0.1%(11)

2000

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

Black0.1%(9)

Hispanic / Latino0.8%(77)

Asian0.3%(31)

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

13.9%

+1.0 ptssince 1990

from 12.8% in 1990

US average: 24.4%

High school or higher

83.7%

+6.8 ptssince 1990

from 76.9% in 1990

US average: 80.3%

Graduate degree

3.8%

+1.1 ptssince 1990

from 2.8% in 1990

US average: 8.8%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

11.4 min

−56%since 1990

from 26.0 min in 1990

US average: 17.6

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status

Men 15+

Never married27.5%(1,082)

Married63%(2,476)

Widowed3.4%(134)

Divorced6%(237)

Women 15+

Never married19.8%(851)

Married55.3%(2,376)

Widowed18.9%(811)

Divorced5.9%(255)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000

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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