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MICROPOLITAN AREA

Fort Dodge Micro

Fort Dodge, IA · 1 counties · 36,838 residents (2025 est.) · 716 sq mi
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The short version

Fort Dodge is home to 36,886 people. Few US metro areas rank higher on income. 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $153,800. 3% of people across the metro were born outside the United States. Renters pay $785 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 28%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
36,886
−8%since 2000
from 40,235 in 2000
36,838 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
52 / sq mi
−8%since 2000
from 56 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
39.7
+5%since 2000
from 37.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
716 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
36K37K38K40K41K19902000201020202024Fort Dodge
202437K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.7%(2,110)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.3%(1,943)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.4%(2,344)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198.2%(3,016)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.3%(2,692)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.9%(4,404)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.9%(4,392)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.5%(3,868)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413%(4,794)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.2%(4,119)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.9%(2,171)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.8%(1,033)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$68,975
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,334 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$35,947
+101%since 2000
from $17,857 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
44.4%
+23.6 ptssince 2009
from 20.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.9%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 10.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.443
+2%since 2010
from 0.434 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade16.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing5.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Finance & insurance5.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Construction5%
US avg: 1.2%
Other services4.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.4%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing0.5%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$153,800
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $65,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$785
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $408 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
70.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2000
from 71.3% in 2000
29.7% rent
Vacancy rate
10.0%
+2.8 ptssince 2009
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.21 people
−6%since 2009
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
16.7%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 18.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
36.8%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 35.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.2
+7%since 2009
from 2.1 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
61
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic92.4%(37,166)
Black3.3%(1,339)
Hispanic / Latino2.3%(944)
Asian0.7%(266)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic83.9%(30,940)
Black3.3%(1,201)
Hispanic / Latino6.6%(2,439)
Asian1.2%(437)
Other5.1%(1,869)
Diversity Score
36
+63%since 2009
from 22 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
25
−24%since 2020
from 33 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
Mexican3.5%(1,304)
Guatemalan0.4%(163)
Puerto Rican0.3%(123)
Dominican0.1%(44)
Salvadoran0.1%(40)
Spaniard0.1%(29)
Argentine0%(11)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Cuban0%(5)
Asian origin
Korean0.5%(180)
Chinese0.4%(134)
Filipino0.2%(66)
Thai0.1%(31)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(24)
Ancestry
German27.2%(10,016)
Irish11.5%(4,254)
English9.7%(3,591)
Norwegian7.4%(2,740)
Swedish4.6%(1,689)
American3.9%(1,439)
Italian2.6%(967)
Scottish1.5%(562)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(509)
Dutch1.3%(493)
French1.2%(440)
Czech1.2%(437)
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data
Polish1.1%(413)
Danish1.1%(400)
Welsh0.5%(189)
British0.3%(115)
Swiss0.2%(80)
Russian0.2%(73)
West Indian0.2%(62)
Haitian0.1%(41)
Kenyan0.1%(32)
Nigerian0.1%(29)
Belgian0.1%(28)
Ukrainian0.1%(28)
Lithuanian0.1%(20)
Canadian0.1%(19)
Slovene0%(15)
Jamaican0%(14)
Arab0%(12)
Greek0%(10)
Somali0%(7)
Finnish0%(2)
Slovak0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
22.0%
+5.2 ptssince 2000
from 16.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.0%
+8.8 ptssince 2000
from 84.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2000
from 5.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.2 min
+80%since 2000
from 11.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
82.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 82.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.5%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.6%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.4%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.5%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.7%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.8%
−4.6 ptssince 2011
from 9.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.3%
−3.8 ptssince 2011
from 66.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
78.5%
+4.5 ptssince 2020
from 74.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
12.3%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
30.9%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 29.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
52.4%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
Female
47.6%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
Foreign born
3.0%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.9%
−6.6 ptssince 2009
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2012
from 14.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.3%
−5.5 ptssince 2013
from 11.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
87.3%
+14.9 ptssince 2017
from 72.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
93.8%
+8.0 ptssince 2020
from 85.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
84.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 85.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
95.1%
−1.5 ptssince 2016
from 96.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
3.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2016
from 1.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married42.1%(6,704)
Married43.5%(6,930)
Widowed3.4%(543)
Divorced11%(1,760)
Women 15+
Never married30.1%(4,379)
Married45%(6,555)
Widowed12.7%(1,849)
Divorced12.2%(1,769)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
6.3%
−5.5 ptssince 2013
from 11.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
53.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 53.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 16.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
21.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 20.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
24.3%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 23.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 3.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
66.4%
−2.9 ptssince 2020
from 69.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
42.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 41.1% 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)17.9%(304)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.5%(348)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31.6%(535)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War9.3%(157)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.7%(29)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,695 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
In this metro

Largest cities

Fort DodgeCENTRAL24,837Gowrie943Dayton758Coalville649Badger540Otho420Lehigh396Duncombe369Callender360Harcourt257Barnum194Moorland173Clare134Vincent126
What's inside

1 component county

Webster CountyCENTRAL36,838
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Fort Dodge

Brookings
Pop 37,635
Huntington
Pop 37,224
Jacksonville
Pop 37,381
DeRidder
Pop 36,673
Places similar to Fort Dodge
Head to head

Compare Fort Dodge side by side

FORT DODGE VS
Brookings
Income$70,064+2%
Home value$264,600+72%
Population37,635+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT DODGE VS
Huntington
Income$66,301−4%
Home value$161,600+5%
Population37,224+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT DODGE VS
Jacksonville
Income$66,358−4%
Home value$126,326−18%
Population37,381+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT DODGE VS
DeRidder
Income$65,944−4%
Home value$161,700+5%
Population36,673same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Fort Dodge, IA?

Fort Dodge, IA has about 36,886 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Fort Dodge, IA?

The typical household in Fort Dodge, IA earns about $68,975 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Fort Dodge, IA expensive?

In Fort Dodge, IA, the median home is worth about $153,800, and the typical rent is about $785 a month.

How educated are people in Fort Dodge, IA?

About 22.0% of adults age 25 and over in Fort Dodge, IA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Fort Dodge, IA?

About 12.9% of people in Fort Dodge, IA live below the federal poverty line.

Has Fort Dodge, IA grown since 1990?

Yes, Fort Dodge, IA has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,456 residents, a change of about -9 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →