RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most residents in poverty, Iowa cities · 2010

Iowa cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2010 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, IAIA212,08633,135+47%

02Iowa City, IAIA76,22918,724+38%

03Davenport, IAIA100,35817,671+28%

04Ames, IAIA68,22015,402+49%

05Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,93515,163+66%

06Sioux City, IAIA86,35612,765+34%

07Waterloo, IAIA66,91912,276+30%

08Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6809,463+57%

09Cedar Falls, IAIA41,2408,234+37%

10Dubuque, IAIA59,1486,758+23%

11Ottumwa, IAIA25,3194,832+27%

12Burlington, IAIA23,3364,254+26%

13Mason City, IAIA26,8534,226+45%

14Clinton, IAIA24,0494,095+18%

15Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8374,083+40%

16Muscatine, IAIA23,1644,022+63%

17Marshalltown, IAIA27,5363,981+22%

18West Des Moines, IAIA74,2243,466+64%

19Coralville, IAIA23,9602,677+76%

20Newton, IAIA15,7412,532+138%

21Keokuk, IAIA9,5102,338+73%

22Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4932,304+53%

23Marion, IAIA42,7322,188+59%

24Fairfield, IAIA9,2202,057+49%

25Bettendorf, IAIA40,7101,939+30%

26Ankeny, IAIA77,8331,935+78%

27Boone, IAIA12,4711,896+77%

28Creston, IAIA7,3351,833+109%

29Storm Lake, IAIA11,5901,599+37%

30Grinnell, IAIA9,4301,554+28%

31Spencer, IAIA11,2181,536+43%

32Waverly, IAIA10,5611,496+167%

33Indianola, IAIA16,8291,453+55%

34Urbandale, IAIA48,5701,428+32%

35Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,5001,414+58%

36Charles City, IAIA7,0131,404+60%

37Oelwein, IAIA5,7571,292+41%

38Carroll, IAIA10,0851,257+139%

39Fort Madison, IAIA9,9351,255−4%

40Perry, IAIA8,2081,218+31%

41Washington, IAIA7,2611,193+82%

42Centerville, IAIA5,3271,120+4%

43Atlantic, IAIA6,6761,089+24%

44Decorah, IAIA7,4171,071+65%

45Red Oak, IAIA5,3881,068+67%

46Estherville, IAIA5,8071,023+90%

47Maquoketa, IAIA6,0271,013+35%

48North Liberty, IAIA21,976970+228%

49Knoxville, IAIA7,469967+12%

50Clive, IAIA19,861949+108%

51Independence, IAIA6,312935+121%

52Webster City, IAIA7,815881+47%

53Hiawatha, IAIA7,432847+191%

54Glenwood, IAIA5,287839+65%

55Denison, IAIA8,214834−6%

56Altoona, IAIA22,796752+33%

57Johnston, IAIA25,065742+108%

58Vinton, IAIA5,004734+47%

59Pella, IAIA10,992720−5%

60Clarinda, IAIA5,273646−30%

61Iowa Falls, IAIA5,013643+23%

62Winterset, IAIA5,520639+60%

63Sioux Center, IAIA8,864585+37%

64Clear Lake, IAIA7,601571−8%

65Algona, IAIA5,309562−10%

66Manchester, IAIA5,357551+7%

67Osceola, IAIA5,679529+49%

68Nevada, IAIA6,974514+38%

69Norwalk, IAIA15,004508+210%

70Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,239500+669%

71Spirit Lake, IAIA5,525459+62%

72Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,324440+142%

73Le Mars, IAIA10,760389−33%

74Waukee, IAIA34,890382+151%

75Sheldon, IAIA5,575345−8%

76Adel, IAIA7,098341+147%

77Grimes, IAIA17,405337+102%

78Eldridge, IAIA6,954333+79%

79Anamosa, IAIA5,901257−42%

80Asbury, IAIA6,035254+162%

81DeWitt, IAIA5,704247−21%

82Orange City, IAIA6,468241−10%

83Cherokee, IAIA5,122205−46%

84Windsor Heights, IAIA5,059203−18%

85Bondurant, IAIA9,64795−10%

86Polk City, IAIA6,63068+19%

87Tiffin, IAIA7,15612−71%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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