MICROPOLITAN AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Mason City Micro

Mason City, IA · 2 counties · 54,724 residents · 968 sq mi

Time machine

VIEWING

COMPARE TO

The short version

Mason City is home to 54,724 people. The typical home is worth $43,562. Renters pay $311 a month at the median. About 15% of adults have finished a four-year degree. 70% of homes are owner-occupied. The poverty rate is 9.1%, under the national 13.2%.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.7

US median: 33.0

Less educated

15% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 22%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

54,724

+1%vs 2000

vs 54,356 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Population density

57 / sq mi

+1%vs 2000

vs 56 / sq mi in 2000

Median age

35.7

−10%vs 2000

vs 39.5 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

968 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202450K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.7%(3,689)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.2%(3,961)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147%(3,829)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 196.8%(3,723)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.6%(3,063)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3415.5%(8,509)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.1%(7,710)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 549.6%(5,262)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 649.9%(5,436)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749.2%(5,011)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 846%(3,262)

US avg: 4%

85 and over2.3%(1,269)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$24,793

−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $35,951 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$12,178

−35%vs 2000

vs $18,859 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

9.1%

+0.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 8.5% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$43,562

−22%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $73,801 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$311

+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $397 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

69.9%

−2.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 72.6% in 2000

30.1% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic95.1%(51,670)

Black0.7%(379)

Hispanic / Latino2.6%(1,415)

Asian0.6%(328)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic98.3%(53,783)

Black0.7%(363)

Hispanic / Latino1.6%(855)

Asian0.5%(279)

Other0.5%(299)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican4.1%(2,055)

Puerto Rican0.4%(187)

South American0.2%(122)

Central American0.2%(104)

Bolivian0.2%(94)

Guatemalan0.2%(87)

Spaniard0.1%(67)

Paraguayan0%(20)

Cuban0.1%(11)

Salvadoran0%(9)

Panamanian0%(8)

Chilean0.1%(8)

Asian origin

Chinese0.3%(115)

Asian Indian0.2%(102)

Vietnamese0.2%(90)

Laotian0.2%(84)

Filipino0.1%(73)

Korean0.1%(30)

Japanese0.2%(16)

Okinawan0%(14)

Thai0%(4)

Pacific Islander origin

Samoan0%(5)

Ancestry

German34.5%(17,226)

Norwegian14.7%(7,345)

Irish10.3%(5,125)

English7.3%(3,654)

American4.6%(2,288)

Danish2.1%(1,052)

Dutch2%(1,008)

French1.8%(909)

Czech1.8%(904)

Swedish1.5%(764)

Italian1.4%(696)

Polish1.1%(554)

+ 30 more ancestry groups with data

Scottish0.7%(363)

Scotch-Irish0.6%(312)

Greek0.5%(220)

Welsh0.3%(173)

Arab0.3%(153)

British0.3%(152)

Swiss0.3%(148)

Russian0.2%(117)

Lithuanian0.2%(90)

Subsaharan African0.1%(69)

Finnish0.1%(64)

Austrian0.1%(63)

Slovak0.1%(54)

Syrian0.1%(49)

Moroccan0.1%(35)

Croatian0.1%(34)

Ukrainian0.1%(22)

Lebanese0%(21)

French Canadian0%(19)

Serbian0%(19)

Hungarian0%(16)

Belgian0%(15)

Portuguese0%(15)

Macedonian0%(14)

Canadian0%(12)

West Indian0%(9)

Kenyan0%(8)

Romanian0.1%(7)

Ghanaian0%(7)

Nigerian0%(5)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest American population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

14.8%

−4.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 19.2% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

80.8%

−6.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 87.1% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.3%

−1.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 5.7% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

16.9 min

+55%vs 2000

vs 10.9 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 married29.6%(6,072)

Married55.8%(11,444)

Widowed3.2%(649)

Divorced11.4%(2,331)

Women 15+

Never married24%(5,042)

Married54.8%(11,505)

Widowed10%(2,090)

Divorced11.2%(2,341)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

4.9%

−3.4 ptssince 2013

from 8.3% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

53.7%

−2.1 ptssince 2020

from 55.8% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

18.8%

−1.4 ptssince 2020

from 20.2% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

24.7%

+1.4 ptssince 2020

from 23.3% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

20.8%

+1.3 ptssince 2020

from 19.4% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

4.2%

+0.2 ptssince 2020

from 4.0% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

70.8%

−3.3 ptssince 2020

from 74.1% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

43.0%

+3.2 ptssince 2020

from 39.8% 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)21.4%(686)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)14.7%(472)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era34.6%(1,107)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War7.4%(236)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0.9%(30)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 3,201 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