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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Story County

Iowa · 79,981 residents · 573 sq mi
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The short version

Story County is home to 79,981 people in Iowa. The median age is 26.5, younger than the US median of 35.2. 45% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 24% nationally. 58% of homes are owner-occupied. Getting to work takes 12 minutes on average. Headcount has barely moved since 1990.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 26.5
US median: 35.2
More educated
45% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 32%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

79,981
+8%since 1990
from 74,252 in 1990
1990 – 2025
26.5
+2%since 1990
from 25.9 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
573 sq mi
Population, 19902024
72K79K87K95K103K19902000201020202024Story County
2024100K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.2%(4,136)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.1%(4,089)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.4%(4,302)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1911.4%(9,090)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2420.4%(16,288)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.4%(10,739)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4412%(9,623)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5410.9%(8,743)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 646.4%(5,101)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 744.7%(3,766)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 843.6%(2,845)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.6%(1,259)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$40,442
+15%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $26,668 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$19,949
+67%since 1990
from $11,958 in 1990
US average: $21,522
14.1%
−2.5 ptssince 1990
from 16.5% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$110,600
+32%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $63,700 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$575
+11%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $392 in 1990
US average: $602
58.3%
+2.3 ptssince 1990
from 56.0% in 1990
41.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

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

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

44.5%
+6.1 ptssince 1990
from 38.4% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
93.5%
+2.5 ptssince 1990
from 91.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
19.6%
+2.3 ptssince 1990
from 17.3% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

11.5 min
−32%since 1990
from 17.0 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 married47.9%(16,538)
Married45.6%(15,743)
Widowed1.2%(413)
Divorced5.2%(1,804)
Women 15+
Never married37.6%(12,406)
Married48.2%(15,890)
Widowed7.3%(2,414)
Divorced6.9%(2,262)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
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 79,981 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Story County, Iowa earns about $40,442 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 $110,600, and the typical rent is about $575 a month.

How educated are people in Story County, Iowa?

About 44.5% 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 14.1% of people in Story County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.

Has Story County, Iowa grown since 1990?

Yes, Story County, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,729 residents, a change of about 8 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →