RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most residents in poverty, Iowa cities · 2020

Iowa cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2020 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, IAIA212,08634,307+52%

02Iowa City, IAIA76,22920,433+51%

03Ames, IAIA68,22017,673+71%

04Davenport, IAIA100,35816,149+17%

05Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,93515,456+70%

06Sioux City, IAIA86,35611,931+25%

07Waterloo, IAIA66,91911,809+25%

08Dubuque, IAIA59,1487,887+44%

09Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6807,675+28%

10Cedar Falls, IAIA41,2406,989+16%

11West Des Moines, IAIA74,2244,654+121%

12Ottumwa, IAIA25,3194,633+22%

13Burlington, IAIA23,3364,590+36%

14Clinton, IAIA24,0494,493+29%

15Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8374,236+45%

16Marshalltown, IAIA27,5363,994+23%

17Muscatine, IAIA23,1643,391+37%

18Ankeny, IAIA77,8333,101+184%

19Marion, IAIA42,7323,014+119%

20Mason City, IAIA26,8532,942+1%

21Coralville, IAIA23,9602,576+69%

22Bettendorf, IAIA40,7102,543+71%

23Urbandale, IAIA48,5702,480+129%

24Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4932,255+50%

25Newton, IAIA15,7412,211+108%

26Denison, IAIA8,2141,938+118%

27Keokuk, IAIA9,5101,860+37%

28Indianola, IAIA16,8291,585+69%

29Charles City, IAIA7,0131,519+73%

30Fort Madison, IAIA9,9351,518+16%

31Fairfield, IAIA9,2201,478+7%

32Centerville, IAIA5,3271,435+33%

33Spencer, IAIA11,2181,397+30%

34Storm Lake, IAIA11,5901,386+19%

35Altoona, IAIA22,7961,382+144%

36Maquoketa, IAIA6,0271,323+76%

37Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,5001,279+43%

38Osceola, IAIA5,6791,231+247%

39Johnston, IAIA25,0651,218+242%

40Perry, IAIA8,2081,098+18%

41Waverly, IAIA10,5611,090+94%

42Grinnell, IAIA9,4301,054−13%

43Cherokee, IAIA5,1221,028+173%

44Washington, IAIA7,2611,025+56%

45Grimes, IAIA17,4051,016+508%

46Atlantic, IAIA6,6761,012+16%

47Creston, IAIA7,3351,001+14%

48Boone, IAIA12,471933−13%

49Knoxville, IAIA7,469898+4%

50North Liberty, IAIA21,976891+201%

51Oelwein, IAIA5,757888−3%

52Clive, IAIA19,861838+84%

53Le Mars, IAIA10,760819+42%

54Red Oak, IAIA5,388801+26%

55Carroll, IAIA10,085792+50%

56Waukee, IAIA34,890786+417%

57Hiawatha, IAIA7,432779+168%

58Webster City, IAIA7,815769+28%

59Anamosa, IAIA5,901769+73%

60DeWitt, IAIA5,704764+146%

61Nevada, IAIA6,974760+104%

62Decorah, IAIA7,417755+16%

63Vinton, IAIA5,004726+46%

64Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,239701+978%

65Algona, IAIA5,309687+10%

66Estherville, IAIA5,807677+26%

67Manchester, IAIA5,357649+27%

68Bondurant, IAIA9,647636+500%

69Sheldon, IAIA5,575618+66%

70Norwalk, IAIA15,004606+270%

71Clarinda, IAIA5,273592−36%

72Glenwood, IAIA5,287589+16%

73Adel, IAIA7,098524+280%

74Iowa Falls, IAIA5,013516−1%

75Independence, IAIA6,312496+17%

76Winterset, IAIA5,520451+13%

77Spirit Lake, IAIA5,525444+57%

78Clear Lake, IAIA7,601424−32%

79Sioux Center, IAIA8,864418−2%

80Tiffin, IAIA7,156408+871%

81Orange City, IAIA6,468363+35%

82Windsor Heights, IAIA5,059360+45%

83Pella, IAIA10,992282−63%

84Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,324267+47%

85Eldridge, IAIA6,954262+41%

86Asbury, IAIA6,035250+158%

87Polk City, IAIA6,630207+263%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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