RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Highest poverty rate, Iowa cities · 2000

Iowa cities with the highest share of residents below the federal poverty line (2023 ACS). This list covers the 87 cities in Iowa that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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IowaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

RELATEDHighest median household income Lowest median household income Highest per-capita income Lowest poverty rate Most income inequality (Gini)Most equal income distribution

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000

01Iowa City, IAIA76,22921.7%+0%

02Ames, IAIA68,22020.4%+0%

03Centerville, IAIA5,32718.2%+0%

04Cedar Falls, IAIA41,24016.7%+0%

05Clarinda, IAIA5,27316.3%+0%

06Ottumwa, IAIA25,31915.2%+0%

07Fairfield, IAIA9,22014.5%+0%

08Davenport, IAIA100,35814.1%+0%

09Oskaloosa, IAIA11,49313.7%+0%

10Waterloo, IAIA66,91913.7%+0%

11Oelwein, IAIA5,75713.7%+0%

12Grinnell, IAIA9,43013.3%+0%

13Burlington, IAIA23,33612.6%+0%

14Marshalltown, IAIA27,53612.5%+0%

15Clinton, IAIA24,04912.5%+0%

16Maquoketa, IAIA6,02712.3%+0%

17Perry, IAIA8,20812.2%+0%

18Fort Madison, IAIA9,93512.2%+0%

19Denison, IAIA8,21412.1%+0%

20Atlantic, IAIA6,67612.1%+0%

21Keokuk, IAIA9,51011.9%+0%

22Fort Dodge, IAIA24,83711.6%+0%

23Storm Lake, IAIA11,59011.6%+0%

24Creston, IAIA7,33511.5%+0%

25Des Moines, IAIA212,08611.4%+0%

26Charles City, IAIA7,01311.2%+0%

27Sioux City, IAIA86,35611.2%+0%

28Knoxville, IAIA7,46911.1%+0%

29Muscatine, IAIA23,16410.9%+0%

30Algona, IAIA5,30910.8%+0%

31Council Bluffs, IAIA62,68010.3%+0%

32Red Oak, IAIA5,38810.3%+0%

33Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,50010.2%+0%

34Coralville, IAIA23,96010.1%+0%

35Iowa Falls, IAIA5,01310.0%+0%

36Mason City, IAIA26,85310.0%+0%

37Manchester, IAIA5,3579.8%+0%

38Vinton, IAIA5,0049.8%+0%

39Spencer, IAIA11,2189.5%+0%

40Dubuque, IAIA59,1489.5%+0%

41Glenwood, IAIA5,2879.5%+0%

42Washington, IAIA7,2619.3%+0%

43Boone, IAIA12,4718.4%+0%

44Winterset, IAIA5,5208.4%+0%

45Estherville, IAIA5,8078.1%+0%

46Anamosa, IAIA5,9018.1%+0%

47Decorah, IAIA7,4178.0%+0%

48Pella, IAIA10,9927.7%+0%

49Osceola, IAIA5,6797.6%+0%

50Clear Lake, IAIA7,6017.6%+0%

51Sheldon, IAIA5,5757.6%+0%

52Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,9357.5%+0%

53Webster City, IAIA7,8157.3%+0%

54Indianola, IAIA16,8297.2%+0%

55Sioux Center, IAIA8,8647.1%+0%

56Independence, IAIA6,3127.0%+0%

57Cherokee, IAIA5,1227.0%+0%

58Newton, IAIA15,7416.8%+0%

59Spirit Lake, IAIA5,5256.6%+0%

60Waverly, IAIA10,5616.3%+0%

61Le Mars, IAIA10,7606.2%+0%

62DeWitt, IAIA5,7046.2%+0%

63Bondurant, IAIA9,6475.7%+0%

64Nevada, IAIA6,9745.6%+0%

65North Liberty, IAIA21,9765.5%+0%

66Altoona, IAIA22,7965.5%+0%

67Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,3245.5%+0%

68Marion, IAIA42,7325.2%+0%

69Carroll, IAIA10,0855.2%+0%

70Windsor Heights, IAIA5,0595.2%+0%

71Orange City, IAIA6,4684.8%+0%

72Bettendorf, IAIA40,7104.8%+0%

73West Des Moines, IAIA74,2244.5%+0%

74Hiawatha, IAIA7,4324.5%+0%

75Eldridge, IAIA6,9544.5%+0%

76Tiffin, IAIA7,1564.3%+0%

77Johnston, IAIA25,0654.1%+0%

78Adel, IAIA7,0984.0%+0%

79Ankeny, IAIA77,8334.0%+0%

80Asbury, IAIA6,0354.0%+0%

81Urbandale, IAIA48,5703.7%+0%

82Clive, IAIA19,8613.5%+0%

83Grimes, IAIA17,4053.3%+0%

84Waukee, IAIA34,8903.0%+0%

85Polk City, IAIA6,6302.4%+0%

86Norwalk, IAIA15,0042.4%+0%

87Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,2391.3%+0%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES