RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most sparsely populated, Iowa cities

Iowa cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 87 cities in Iowa that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 87 is 1,372. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Mount Pleasant, IA, up 11 places to #12.

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IowaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Clinton, IAIA24,049676−13%

02▲1Clear Lake, IAIA7,601705−7%

03▼1Eldridge, IAIA6,954713+67%

04▲1Cherokee, IAIA5,122750−5%

05▼1Osceola, IAIA5,679782+22%

06▲1Atlantic, IAIA6,676805−8%

07▲1Webster City, IAIA7,815849−4%

08▲1DeWitt, IAIA5,704917+13%

09▲3Iowa Falls, IAIA5,013931−3%

10Waverly, IAIA10,561938+18%

11▲2Mason City, IAIA26,853964−8%

12▲11Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,500985−3%

13▼7Bondurant, IAIA9,6471,018+423%

14▲5Decorah, IAIA7,4171,024−9%

15▲1Vinton, IAIA5,0041,024−2%

16▲1Spencer, IAIA11,2181,025−1%

17▲5Fort Madison, IAIA9,9351,029−7%

18▲2Clarinda, IAIA5,2731,034−7%

19▼8Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,2391,039+122%

20▲4Keokuk, IAIA9,5101,045−17%

21▼6Independence, IAIA6,3121,047+5%

22▲4Estherville, IAIA5,8071,078−13%

23▲2Waterloo, IAIA66,9191,086−3%

24▲5Centerville, IAIA5,3271,101−10%

25▼7Manchester, IAIA5,3571,106+2%

26▲11Charles City, IAIA7,0131,145−10%

27▲8Algona, IAIA5,3091,146−8%

28▲5Sheldon, IAIA5,5751,161+13%

29▲5Nevada, IAIA6,9741,172+5%

30▲1Winterset, IAIA5,5201,173+16%

31▼17Polk City, IAIA6,6301,176+183%

32▼2Pella, IAIA10,9921,176+12%

33▲5Oelwein, IAIA5,7571,196−14%

34▲2Spirit Lake, IAIA5,5251,222+30%

35▲6Denison, IAIA8,2141,255+12%

36▲4Le Mars, IAIA10,7601,260+16%

37▲7Muscatine, IAIA23,1641,273+2%

38▲1Johnston, IAIA25,0651,286+190%

39▼12Norwalk, IAIA15,0041,288+118%

40▼8Adel, IAIA7,0981,316+107%

41▲5Maquoketa, IAIA6,0271,334−1%

42▲6Washington, IAIA7,2611,343+3%

43▲6Boone, IAIA12,4711,364−3%

44▲10Red Oak, IAIA5,3881,372−13%

45▲8Fairfield, IAIA9,2201,394−3%

46▲6Newton, IAIA15,7411,399+1%

47▲3Cedar Falls, IAIA41,2401,401+14%

48▼1Orange City, IAIA6,4681,403+16%

49▼6Sioux Center, IAIA8,8641,405+48%

50▲7Creston, IAIA7,3351,414−3%

51▼6Perry, IAIA8,2081,417+8%

52▲3Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4931,428+5%

53▲3Marshalltown, IAIA27,5361,434+6%

54▼12Grimes, IAIA17,4051,450+241%

55▲5Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6801,459+8%

56▲3Sioux City, IAIA86,3561,467+2%

57▼6Indianola, IAIA16,8291,472+29%

58▲4Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8371,552−1%

59▲2Hiawatha, IAIA7,4321,560+15%

60▼2West Des Moines, IAIA74,2241,569+60%

61▲3Davenport, IAIA100,3581,570+2%

62▲1Ottumwa, IAIA25,3191,576+1%

63▼35Waukee, IAIA34,8901,601+581%

64▲1Knoxville, IAIA7,4691,617−3%

65▲2Burlington, IAIA23,3361,620−13%

66▲2Grinnell, IAIA9,4301,658+4%

67▼46Tiffin, IAIA7,1561,675+634%

68▲2Carroll, IAIA10,0851,6910%

69Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,3241,791+60%

70▲1Glenwood, IAIA5,2871,809−1%

71▲3Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,9351,860+14%

72Coralville, IAIA23,9601,891+58%

73▲3Dubuque, IAIA59,1481,894+3%

74▲1Asbury, IAIA6,0351,899+146%

75▼2Bettendorf, IAIA40,7101,911+30%

76▼10Altoona, IAIA22,7961,921+120%

77▲1Storm Lake, IAIA11,5902,136+15%

78▼1Urbandale, IAIA48,5702,154+67%

79▲1North Liberty, IAIA21,9762,306+309%

80▲1Anamosa, IAIA5,9012,338+7%

81▲1Marion, IAIA42,7322,392+63%

82▲2Des Moines, IAIA212,0862,406+7%

83Ames, IAIA68,2202,419+34%

84▼5Ankeny, IAIA77,8332,456+187%

85Clive, IAIA19,8612,595+55%

86Iowa City, IAIA76,2292,959+23%

87Windsor Heights, IAIA5,0593,528+5%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES