RANKING · 2024 ACS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most population lost, Iowa cities

Iowa cities that lost the most residents from the 2020 census to 2024, by raw count of people rather than percentage. This list covers the 87 cities in Iowa that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 87 is +35. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Des Moines, IA, up 83 places to #1.

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IowaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION CHANGEVS 2000

01▲83Des Moines, IAIA212,086-1,712−131%

02▲63Davenport, IAIA100,358-811−127%

03▲61Dubuque, IAIA59,148-493−452%

04▲81Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,935-446−104%

05▲48Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,500-323−145%

06▲51Muscatine, IAIA23,164-308+67%

07▼4Waterloo, IAIA66,919-306−113%

08▼2Mason City, IAIA26,853-288−318%

09▼7Burlington, IAIA23,336-254−31%

10▼6Keokuk, IAIA9,510-238−77%

11▲40Council Bluffs, IAIA62,680-213−105%

12▲2Charles City, IAIA7,013-164+148%

13▼12Clinton, IAIA24,049-147−90%

14▼9Fort Madison, IAIA9,935-137−85%

15▲28Knoxville, IAIA7,469-122−76%

16▲25Carroll, IAIA10,085-113−121%

17▲13Denison, IAIA8,214-113−115%

18▲7Algona, IAIA5,309-110−60%

19▲27Windsor Heights, IAIA5,059-109−72%

20▼7Creston, IAIA7,335-101−68%

21▲27Ottumwa, IAIA25,319-99−119%

22▼14Oelwein, IAIA5,757-86−143%

23▼4Red Oak, IAIA5,388-86+28%

24▼1Clear Lake, IAIA7,601-80+264%

25▼5Iowa Falls, IAIA5,013-68−71%

26▼17Estherville, IAIA5,807-65+2%

27▲4Washington, IAIA7,261-62+130%

28▲21Newton, IAIA15,741-60−108%

29▲16Grinnell, IAIA9,430-59−129%

30▼15Webster City, IAIA7,815-56−120%

31▲2Oskaloosa, IAIA11,493-54−118%

32▼4Maquoketa, IAIA6,027-53−5400%

33▼26Decorah, IAIA7,417-52−148%

34▼8Cherokee, IAIA5,122-45−93%

35▼25Fort Dodge, IAIA24,837-44−94%

36▼15Centerville, IAIA5,327-40+233%

37▲7Sheldon, IAIA5,575-38+31%

38▼21Boone, IAIA12,471-36−109%

39▼28Atlantic, IAIA6,676-29−83%

40▼24Clarinda, IAIA5,273-16−103%

41▼29Vinton, IAIA5,004+10−1100%

42▼4Hiawatha, IAIA7,432+23−98%

43▼3DeWitt, IAIA5,704+32−94%

44▼15Marshalltown, IAIA27,536+35−96%

45▼18Fairfield, IAIA9,220+40−115%

46▲17Asbury, IAIA6,035+46−89%

47▼11Nevada, IAIA6,974+58−91%

48▼9Winterset, IAIA5,520+63−89%

49▲6Le Mars, IAIA10,760+69−91%

50▼32Glenwood, IAIA5,287+71−91%

51▼19Spencer, IAIA11,218+75−70%

52Spirit Lake, IAIA5,525+79−80%

53▲6Eldridge, IAIA6,954+92−88%

54▼20Independence, IAIA6,312+100+138%

55▼5Waverly, IAIA10,561+100−77%

56▼9Osceola, IAIA5,679+108−78%

57▼35Manchester, IAIA5,357+126+5%

58▼21Perry, IAIA8,208+149−85%

59▼3Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,324+156−72%

60▼18Orange City, IAIA6,468+159−75%

61▼7Storm Lake, IAIA11,590+159−88%

62Cedar Falls, IAIA41,240+175−91%

63▼39Anamosa, IAIA5,901+179−55%

64▼6Indianola, IAIA16,829+211−87%

65▼5Sioux Center, IAIA8,864+225−76%

66▼31Pella, IAIA10,992+256−54%

67Adel, IAIA7,098+277+111%

68▲1Sioux City, IAIA86,356+304−93%

69▲9Johnston, IAIA25,065+320−92%

70▲7Marion, IAIA42,732+361−94%

71▼1Clive, IAIA19,861+411−92%

72▼6Polk City, IAIA6,630+494+13%

73▲2Bettendorf, IAIA40,710+545−83%

74▲6North Liberty, IAIA21,976+646−74%

75▼4Coralville, IAIA23,960+916−81%

76▲3Iowa City, IAIA76,229+924−63%

77▲4Grimes, IAIA17,405+974−60%

78▼17Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,239+989−29%

79▼3Urbandale, IAIA48,570+1,015−82%

80▼8Bondurant, IAIA9,647+1,195+356%

81▼13Tiffin, IAIA7,156+1,225+136%

82Ames, IAIA68,220+1,242−65%

83▼10Norwalk, IAIA15,004+1,384+19%

84▼10Altoona, IAIA22,796+1,930−39%

85▲1West Des Moines, IAIA74,224+2,360−84%

86▲1Ankeny, IAIA77,833+4,728−45%

87▼4Waukee, IAIA34,890+5,296+103%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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