RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most residents in poverty, Iowa cities · 2000

Iowa cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2000 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 1990

01Des Moines, IAIA212,08622,555−9%

02Davenport, IAIA100,35813,835−7%

03Iowa City, IAIA76,22913,520−3%

04Ames, IAIA68,22010,331−9%

05Sioux City, IAIA86,3569,507−14%

06Waterloo, IAIA66,9199,425−16%

07Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,9359,108−16%

08Cedar Falls, IAIA41,2406,024+5%

09Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6806,019−9%

10Dubuque, IAIA59,1485,476−13%

11Ottumwa, IAIA25,3193,804−5%

12Clinton, IAIA24,0493,475−6%

13Burlington, IAIA23,3363,377−10%

14Marshalltown, IAIA27,5363,260+36%

15Mason City, IAIA26,8532,915+4%

16Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8372,915−12%

17Muscatine, IAIA23,1642,468−10%

18West Des Moines, IAIA74,2242,107+101%

19Coralville, IAIA23,9601,522+32%

20Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4931,502−14%

21Bettendorf, IAIA40,7101,490+12%

22Marion, IAIA42,7321,379+4%

23Fairfield, IAIA9,2201,377−17%

24Keokuk, IAIA9,5101,355−34%

25Fort Madison, IAIA9,9351,305−13%

26Grinnell, IAIA9,4301,215+27%

27Storm Lake, IAIA11,5901,168+33%

28Ankeny, IAIA77,8331,090+4%

29Urbandale, IAIA48,5701,084+70%

30Centerville, IAIA5,3271,077−27%

31Spencer, IAIA11,2181,076−1%

32Boone, IAIA12,4711,073−19%

33Newton, IAIA15,7411,063−4%

34Indianola, IAIA16,829940+14%

35Perry, IAIA8,208932+21%

36Clarinda, IAIA5,273927+23%

37Oelwein, IAIA5,757914−19%

38Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,500896+18%

39Denison, IAIA8,214887−22%

40Charles City, IAIA7,013878−21%

41Creston, IAIA7,335877−28%

42Atlantic, IAIA6,676876+29%

43Knoxville, IAIA7,469860−28%

44Pella, IAIA10,992757+7%

45Maquoketa, IAIA6,027750−28%

46Washington, IAIA7,261657−13%

47Decorah, IAIA7,417651−32%

48Red Oak, IAIA5,388638+15%

49Algona, IAIA5,309622−12%

50Clear Lake, IAIA7,601620+6%

51Webster City, IAIA7,815600−21%

52Le Mars, IAIA10,760577−23%

53Altoona, IAIA22,796567+41%

54Waverly, IAIA10,561561−30%

55Estherville, IAIA5,807539−45%

56Carroll, IAIA10,085527−43%

57Iowa Falls, IAIA5,013522+2%

58Manchester, IAIA5,357513−24%

59Glenwood, IAIA5,287508+16%

60Vinton, IAIA5,004498−47%

61Clive, IAIA19,861456+148%

62Anamosa, IAIA5,901444−8%

63Sioux Center, IAIA8,864426−7%

64Independence, IAIA6,312423−53%

65Winterset, IAIA5,520399−25%

66Cherokee, IAIA5,122377−37%

67Sheldon, IAIA5,575373−21%

68Nevada, IAIA6,974372−5%

69Johnston, IAIA25,065356+41%

70Osceola, IAIA5,679355−35%

71DeWitt, IAIA5,704311−0%

72North Liberty, IAIA21,976296+13%

73Hiawatha, IAIA7,432291−20%

74Spirit Lake, IAIA5,525283−36%

75Orange City, IAIA6,468268−4%

76Windsor Heights, IAIA5,059248+63%

77Eldridge, IAIA6,954186+16%

78Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,324182−49%

79Grimes, IAIA17,405167+209%

80Norwalk, IAIA15,004164−12%

81Waukee, IAIA34,890152+83%

82Adel, IAIA7,098138−47%

83Bondurant, IAIA9,647106+112%

84Asbury, IAIA6,03597−11%

85Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,23965−18%

86Polk City, IAIA6,63057−42%

87Tiffin, IAIA7,15642−22%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS