RANKING · 2024 ACS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most residents in poverty, Iowa cities

Iowa cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2024 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the poverty rate. This list covers the 87 cities in Iowa that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

IowaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS 2000

01Des Moines, IAIA212,08631,765+41%

02Iowa City, IAIA76,22919,942+48%

03Ames, IAIA68,22017,225+67%

04Davenport, IAIA100,35815,363+11%

05Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,93514,880+63%

06Sioux City, IAIA86,35613,149+38%

07Waterloo, IAIA66,91911,100+18%

08Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6809,441+57%

09Dubuque, IAIA59,1487,514+37%

10Cedar Falls, IAIA41,2406,429+7%

11West Des Moines, IAIA74,2245,969+183%

12Clinton, IAIA24,0494,503+30%

13Muscatine, IAIA23,1644,492+82%

14Ottumwa, IAIA25,3194,365+15%

15Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8373,949+35%

16Marshalltown, IAIA27,5363,939+21%

17Marion, IAIA42,7323,414+148%

18Mason City, IAIA26,8533,247+11%

19Urbandale, IAIA48,5703,166+192%

20Burlington, IAIA23,3363,124−7%

21Coralville, IAIA23,9603,030+99%

22Ankeny, IAIA77,8333,028+178%

23Bettendorf, IAIA40,7102,669+79%

24Johnston, IAIA25,0652,476+596%

25Waukee, IAIA34,8902,166+1325%

26Fairfield, IAIA9,2201,960+42%

27Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4931,910+27%

28Altoona, IAIA22,7961,787+215%

29Keokuk, IAIA9,5101,766+30%

30Newton, IAIA15,7411,735+63%

31Spencer, IAIA11,2181,598+49%

32Fort Madison, IAIA9,9351,518+16%

33Denison, IAIA8,2141,448+63%

34Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,5001,408+57%

35Clive, IAIA19,8611,395+206%

36North Liberty, IAIA21,9761,284+334%

37Red Oak, IAIA5,3881,206+89%

38Creston, IAIA7,3351,178+34%

39Atlantic, IAIA6,6761,174+34%

40Centerville, IAIA5,3271,147+6%

41Waverly, IAIA10,5611,139+103%

42Oelwein, IAIA5,7571,081+18%

43Grinnell, IAIA9,4301,058−13%

44Anamosa, IAIA5,9011,043+135%

45Indianola, IAIA16,8291,034+10%

46Boone, IAIA12,4711,027−4%

47Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,239992+1426%

48Hiawatha, IAIA7,432990+240%

49Le Mars, IAIA10,760976+69%

50Charles City, IAIA7,013964+10%

51Cherokee, IAIA5,122953+153%

52Washington, IAIA7,261932+42%

53Knoxville, IAIA7,469931+8%

54Carroll, IAIA10,085904+72%

55Maquoketa, IAIA6,027866+15%

56Sheldon, IAIA5,575839+125%

57Storm Lake, IAIA11,590798−32%

58Estherville, IAIA5,807738+37%

59Grimes, IAIA17,405723+333%

60Orange City, IAIA6,468720+169%

61Perry, IAIA8,208707−24%

62Nevada, IAIA6,974694+87%

63Webster City, IAIA7,815670+12%

64Clarinda, IAIA5,273648−30%

65Pella, IAIA10,992638−16%

66Clear Lake, IAIA7,601630+2%

67Vinton, IAIA5,004622+25%

68Decorah, IAIA7,417613−6%

69Glenwood, IAIA5,287605+19%

70Manchester, IAIA5,357592+15%

71Norwalk, IAIA15,004590+260%

72Winterset, IAIA5,520556+39%

73Iowa Falls, IAIA5,013539+3%

74Bondurant, IAIA9,647530+400%

75Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,324492+170%

76Independence, IAIA6,312468+11%

77Adel, IAIA7,098460+233%

78Tiffin, IAIA7,156437+940%

79Polk City, IAIA6,630407+614%

80Algona, IAIA5,309370−41%

81Osceola, IAIA5,679352−1%

82Spirit Lake, IAIA5,525350+24%

83Windsor Heights, IAIA5,059320+29%

84Asbury, IAIA6,035190+96%

85Sioux Center, IAIA8,864184−57%

86DeWitt, IAIA5,704157−50%

87Eldridge, IAIA6,95492−51%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES