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COUNTY

Pottawattamie County

Iowa · 92,996 residents (2025 est.) · 951 sq mi
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The short version

Pottawattamie County is a county of 93,424 people in Iowa. Few US counties rank higher on income. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 24% of adults. The typical home is worth $195,700, having more than doubled since 2000. 4% of people here were born outside the United States. Getting to work takes 20 minutes on average.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
93,424
+7%since 2000
from 87,704 in 2000
92,996 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
98 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 94 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
40.1
+10%since 2000
from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
951 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
82K85K88K91K95K19902000201020202024Pottawattamie County
202493K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.6%(5,257)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.6%(6,128)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(6,209)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197%(6,520)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.6%(5,250)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.1%(11,269)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.7%(11,907)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.4%(10,649)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.6%(12,727)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.4%(10,647)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.2%(4,813)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.2%(2,048)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$73,602
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,089 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,477
+94%since 2000
from $19,275 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
48.8%
+20.4 ptssince 2009
from 28.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.1%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 8.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.428
+7%since 2010
from 0.399 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade11.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance7.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services7.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical6.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration6%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$195,700
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $84,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,018
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $537 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
69.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 71.1% in 2000
30.1% rent
Vacancy rate
6.1%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.41 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.37 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
18.6%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 22.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
40.6%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 42.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.7
+6%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
44
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic94.3%(82,667)
Black0.8%(658)
Hispanic / Latino3.3%(2,892)
Asian0.5%(421)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic84.5%(78,988)
Black1.8%(1,717)
Hispanic / Latino9.1%(8,536)
Asian0.9%(800)
Other3.6%(3,383)
Diversity Score
34
+94%since 2009
from 18 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
23
−24%since 2020
from 31 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
Mexican7.5%(7,049)
Guatemalan0.4%(338)
Cuban0.3%(288)
Puerto Rican0.2%(173)
Salvadoran0.2%(170)
Spaniard0.1%(87)
Dominican0%(18)
Colombian0%(14)
Asian origin
Chinese0.3%(291)
Vietnamese0.1%(112)
Korean0.1%(94)
Filipino0.1%(83)
Thai0.1%(58)
Asian Indian0.1%(56)
Japanese0%(40)
Laotian0%(39)
Burmese0%(34)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German28.1%(26,226)
Irish12.5%(11,706)
English12.3%(11,467)
American6.1%(5,708)
Danish3.7%(3,416)
Italian2.7%(2,523)
Swedish2.1%(1,997)
Norwegian2%(1,863)
Scottish1.7%(1,579)
Polish1.7%(1,566)
French1.4%(1,277)
Czech1.3%(1,256)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1.2%(1,151)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(489)
Welsh0.4%(352)
British0.3%(300)
Greek0.2%(215)
Russian0.2%(201)
Swiss0.2%(171)
Arab0.1%(101)
Portuguese0.1%(84)
Nigerian0.1%(82)
Ukrainian0.1%(63)
Austrian0.1%(57)
Belgian0.1%(55)
Hungarian0.1%(54)
Bulgarian0.1%(53)
Lebanese0.1%(47)
Romanian0%(45)
Finnish0%(38)
Serbian0%(37)
Croatian0%(35)
Syrian0%(34)
Canadian0%(32)
Slovak0%(29)
Brazilian0%(16)
Jamaican0%(15)
Latvian0%(14)
Iranian0%(12)
Egyptian0%(10)
Moroccan0%(10)
Kenyan0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
23.6%
+8.6 ptssince 2000
from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.7%
+6.6 ptssince 2000
from 84.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.9%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 4.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.8 min
+56%since 2000
from 12.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.8%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 81.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
6.7%
−3.2 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.8%
+5.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.8%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.8%
−2.6 ptssince 2011
from 6.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
63.4%
−6.4 ptssince 2011
from 69.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
75.8%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 77.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
11.8%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
34.3%
+6.0 ptssince 2009
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.5%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 48.9% in 2009
Female
50.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 51.1% in 2009
Foreign born
4.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.4%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.7%
+2.0 ptssince 2012
from 13.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.0%
−6.8 ptssince 2013
from 11.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.2%
+11.8 ptssince 2017
from 74.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
93.4%
+4.1 ptssince 2020
from 89.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.8%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 88.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
93.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2016
from 93.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2016
from 5.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.9%(13,405)
Married50.3%(18,797)
Widowed3.3%(1,222)
Divorced10.5%(3,941)
Women 15+
Never married26.6%(10,244)
Married49.9%(19,189)
Widowed9%(3,476)
Divorced14.4%(5,556)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.0%
−6.8 ptssince 2013
from 11.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
56.3%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 55.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 13.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.1%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 19.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
23.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 22.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
67.3%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 68.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
40.3%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 39.3% 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)20%(1,205)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20%(1,207)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era35.2%(2,127)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.8%(291)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(29)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 6,038 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

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Head to head

Compare Pottawattamie County to nearby counties

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY VS
Mills County
Income$90,753+23%
Home value$237,800+22%
Population14,793−84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY VS
Shelby County
Income$72,738−1%
Home value$164,000−16%
Population11,689−87%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY VS
Harrison County
Income$79,535+8%
Home value$176,000−10%
Population14,623−84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY VS
Montgomery County
Income$63,666−13%
Home value$121,400−38%
Population10,002−89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Pottawattamie County, Iowa?

Pottawattamie County, Iowa has about 93,424 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Pottawattamie County, Iowa earns about $73,602 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Pottawattamie County, Iowa expensive?

In Pottawattamie County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $195,700, and the typical rent is about $1,018 a month.

How educated are people in Pottawattamie County, Iowa?

About 23.6% of adults age 25 and over in Pottawattamie County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Pottawattamie County, Iowa?

About 12.1% of people in Pottawattamie County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.

Has Pottawattamie County, Iowa grown since 1990?

Yes, Pottawattamie County, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 10,796 residents, a change of about 13 percent over that period.

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

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