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COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Story County

Iowa · 74,252 residents · 573 sq mi
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The short version

Story County is home to 74,252 people in Iowa. 38% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 20% nationally. The median age is 25.9, younger than the US median of 33.0. 56% of homes are owner-occupied. Median home value sits at $63,700. 16.5% of residents live below the federal poverty line.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 25.9
US median: 33.0
More educated
38% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 24%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

74,252
−7%vs 2000
vs 79,981 in 2000
1990 – 2025
25.9
−2%vs 2000
vs 26.5 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
573 sq mi
Population, 19902024
72K79K87K95K103K19902000201020202024Story County
2024100K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 55.9%(4,367)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 95.9%(4,406)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.1%(3,755)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 1910.6%(7,889)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2420.9%(15,507)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416.2%(12,059)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4412.7%(9,449)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 547%(5,184)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 646.1%(4,503)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 745.1%(3,764)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 843.2%(2,380)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.3%(989)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$26,668
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $40,442 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$11,958
−40%vs 2000
vs $19,949 in 2000
US average: $14,340
16.5%
+2.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 14.1% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$63,700
−24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $110,600 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$392
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $575 in 2000
US average: $450
56.0%
−2.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 58.3% in 2000
44.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic90.3%(72,221)
Black1.8%(1,441)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(1,238)
Asian5.1%(4,076)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic93.2%(69,223)
Black1.7%(1,241)
Hispanic / Latino1%(720)
Asian4.5%(3,367)
Other0.6%(421)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.8%(2,855)
Puerto Rican0.4%(396)
Guatemalan0.3%(330)
Venezuelan0.2%(174)
Cuban0.2%(168)
Spaniard0.1%(122)
Salvadoran0.1%(98)
Argentine0.1%(80)
Colombian0%(46)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese1.9%(1,863)
Asian Indian1.4%(1,358)
Korean1.1%(1,059)
Filipino0.3%(349)
Vietnamese0.3%(345)
Bangladeshi0.3%(314)
Indonesian0.1%(102)
Nepalese0.1%(96)
Pakistani0.1%(92)
Sri Lankan0.1%(84)
Japanese0.1%(77)
Mongolian0.1%(60)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Laotian0.1%(55)
Thai0%(48)
Taiwanese0%(24)
Cambodian0%(22)
Hmong0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(27)
Samoan0%(22)
Tongan0%(9)
Ancestry
German28.6%(28,749)
Irish10.7%(10,771)
English10.3%(10,350)
Norwegian7.7%(7,703)
American2.9%(2,888)
Swedish2.5%(2,541)
Italian2.3%(2,360)
Dutch2.3%(2,275)
Polish1.7%(1,698)
Danish1.6%(1,625)
Scottish1.6%(1,595)
French1.3%(1,327)
+ 42 more ancestry groups with data
Czech1.2%(1,207)
British0.7%(711)
Welsh0.7%(659)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(622)
Swiss0.5%(482)
Arab0.4%(435)
Russian0.3%(324)
Belgian0.3%(323)
Iranian0.3%(318)
Brazilian0.3%(317)
Canadian0.2%(238)
Greek0.2%(199)
Austrian0.2%(156)
Lebanese0.2%(155)
Nigerian0.1%(133)
Romanian0.1%(125)
Hungarian0.1%(117)
Somali0.1%(98)
Finnish0.1%(96)
Ghanaian0.1%(85)
Croatian0.1%(81)
Turkish0.1%(81)
Lithuanian0.1%(72)
Ukrainian0.1%(71)
Jordanian0.1%(64)
Armenian0%(44)
Latvian0%(44)
Ethiopian0%(39)
Slovene0%(38)
Bulgarian0%(32)
Guyanese0%(31)
Slovak0%(26)
Serbian0%(19)
Jamaican0%(19)
Barbadian0%(13)
Egyptian0%(10)
Section 05

Education

38.4%
−6.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 44.5% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
91.0%
−2.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 93.5% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
17.3%
−2.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 19.6% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

17.0 min
+48%vs 2000
vs 11.5 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 married56.6%(25,901)
Married36.3%(16,605)
Widowed2.3%(1,059)
Divorced4.8%(2,178)
Women 15+
Never married46.6%(19,247)
Married39.8%(16,463)
Widowed5%(2,059)
Divorced8.6%(3,568)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

4.2%
−1.4 ptssince 2013
from 5.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
70.9%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 71.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.3%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
13.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
10.3%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 9.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
84.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 84.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
23.0%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 21.0% 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)27.5%(919)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.5%(516)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.2%(1,140)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.8%(159)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.1%(71)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 3,337 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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Frequently asked

How many people live in Story County, Iowa?

Story County, Iowa has about 74,252 residents according to the 1990 Census.

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

The typical household in Story County, Iowa earns about $26,668 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Story County, Iowa expensive?

In Story County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $63,700, and the typical rent is about $392 a month.

How educated are people in Story County, Iowa?

About 38.4% of adults age 25 and over in Story County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Story County, Iowa?

About 16.5% of people in Story County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →