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. The median across all 87 is 1,043. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Waukee, IA, up 31 places to #25.

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%

08▲1Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6809,441+57%

09▼1Dubuque, IAIA59,1487,514+37%

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

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

12▲2Clinton, IAIA24,0494,503+30%

13▲4Muscatine, IAIA23,1644,492+82%

14▼2Ottumwa, IAIA25,3194,365+15%

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

16Marshalltown, IAIA27,5363,939+21%

17▲2Marion, IAIA42,7323,414+148%

18▲2Mason City, IAIA26,8533,247+11%

19▲4Urbandale, IAIA48,5703,166+192%

20▼7Burlington, IAIA23,3363,124−7%

21Coralville, IAIA23,9603,030+99%

22▼4Ankeny, IAIA77,8333,028+178%

23▼1Bettendorf, IAIA40,7102,669+79%

24▲15Johnston, IAIA25,0652,476+596%

25▲31Waukee, IAIA34,8902,166+1325%

26▲5Fairfield, IAIA9,2201,960+42%

27▼3Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4931,910+27%

28▲7Altoona, IAIA22,7961,787+215%

29▼2Keokuk, IAIA9,5101,766+30%

30▼5Newton, IAIA15,7411,735+63%

31▲2Spencer, IAIA11,2181,598+49%

32▼2Fort Madison, IAIA9,9351,518+16%

33▼7Denison, IAIA8,2141,448+63%

34▲3Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,5001,408+57%

35▲17Clive, IAIA19,8611,395+206%

36▲14North Liberty, IAIA21,9761,284+334%

37▲17Red Oak, IAIA5,3881,206+89%

38▲9Creston, IAIA7,3351,178+34%

39▲7Atlantic, IAIA6,6761,174+34%

40▼8Centerville, IAIA5,3271,147+6%

41Waverly, IAIA10,5611,139+103%

42▲9Oelwein, IAIA5,7571,081+18%

43▼1Grinnell, IAIA9,4301,058−13%

44▲15Anamosa, IAIA5,9011,043+135%

45▼17Indianola, IAIA16,8291,034+10%

46▲2Boone, IAIA12,4711,027−4%

47▲17Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,239992+1426%

48▲9Hiawatha, IAIA7,432990+240%

49▲4Le Mars, IAIA10,760976+69%

50▼21Charles City, IAIA7,013964+10%

51▼8Cherokee, IAIA5,122953+153%

52▼8Washington, IAIA7,261932+42%

53▼4Knoxville, IAIA7,469931+8%

54▲1Carroll, IAIA10,085904+72%

55▼19Maquoketa, IAIA6,027866+15%

56▲13Sheldon, IAIA5,575839+125%

57▼23Storm Lake, IAIA11,590798−32%

58▲8Estherville, IAIA5,807738+37%

59▼14Grimes, IAIA17,405723+333%

60▲21Orange City, IAIA6,468720+169%

61▼21Perry, IAIA8,208707−24%

62▼1Nevada, IAIA6,974694+87%

63▼5Webster City, IAIA7,815670+12%

64▲7Clarinda, IAIA5,273648−30%

65▲18Pella, IAIA10,992638−16%

66▲12Clear Lake, IAIA7,601630+2%

67▼4Vinton, IAIA5,004622+25%

68▼6Decorah, IAIA7,417613−6%

69▲3Glenwood, IAIA5,287605+19%

70▼3Manchester, IAIA5,357592+15%

71▼1Norwalk, IAIA15,004590+260%

72▲4Winterset, IAIA5,520556+39%

73▲1Iowa Falls, IAIA5,013539+3%

74▼6Bondurant, IAIA9,647530+400%

75▲9Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,324492+170%

76▼1Independence, IAIA6,312468+11%

77▼4Adel, IAIA7,098460+233%

78▲2Tiffin, IAIA7,156437+940%

79▲8Polk City, IAIA6,630407+614%

80▼15Algona, IAIA5,309370−41%

81▼43Osceola, IAIA5,679352−1%

82▼5Spirit Lake, IAIA5,525350+24%

83▼1Windsor Heights, IAIA5,059320+29%

84▲2Asbury, IAIA6,035190+96%

85▼6Sioux Center, IAIA8,864184−57%

86▼26DeWitt, IAIA5,704157−50%

87▼2Eldridge, IAIA6,95492−51%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES