RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most sparsely populated, Iowa cities · 1990

Iowa cities with the fewest residents per square mile (1990). This list covers the 87 cities in Iowa that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 87 is 1,046.

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SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most population gained Most population lost Most densely populated

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS –

01Tiffin, IAIA7,156107–

02Waukee, IAIA34,890115–

03Bondurant, IAIA9,647167–

04Grimes, IAIA17,405221–

05Johnston, IAIA25,065241–

06North Liberty, IAIA21,976304–

07Polk City, IAIA6,630339–

08Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,239340–

09Eldridge, IAIA6,954346–

10Norwalk, IAIA15,004491–

11Osceola, IAIA5,679573–

12Ankeny, IAIA77,833586–

13Altoona, IAIA22,796606–

14Adel, IAIA7,098613–

15Asbury, IAIA6,035633–

16West Des Moines, IAIA74,224670–

17DeWitt, IAIA5,704725–

18Waverly, IAIA10,561758–

19Clear Lake, IAIA7,601759–

20Sioux Center, IAIA8,864804–

21Coralville, IAIA23,960817–

22Clinton, IAIA24,049820–

23Spirit Lake, IAIA5,525856–

24Webster City, IAIA7,815858–

25Cherokee, IAIA5,122882–

26Winterset, IAIA5,520892–

27Atlantic, IAIA6,676897–

28Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,500930–

29Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,324933–

30Clive, IAIA19,861975–

31Le Mars, IAIA10,760990–

32Independence, IAIA6,312991–

33Indianola, IAIA16,829992–

34Pella, IAIA10,992992–

35Clarinda, IAIA5,2731,001–

36Iowa Falls, IAIA5,0131,007–

37Denison, IAIA8,2141,009–

38Nevada, IAIA6,9741,010–

39Spencer, IAIA11,2181,011–

40Sheldon, IAIA5,5751,029–

41Urbandale, IAIA48,5701,042–

42Mason City, IAIA26,8531,043–

43Vinton, IAIA5,0041,045–

44Hiawatha, IAIA7,4321,046–

45Manchester, IAIA5,3571,061–

46Orange City, IAIA6,4681,072–

47Waterloo, IAIA66,9191,079–

48Decorah, IAIA7,4171,113–

49Marion, IAIA42,7321,142–

50Perry, IAIA8,2081,148–

51Cedar Falls, IAIA41,2401,165–

52Fort Madison, IAIA9,9351,204–

53Centerville, IAIA5,3271,227–

54Estherville, IAIA5,8071,247–

55Muscatine, IAIA23,1641,257–

56Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6801,264–

57Charles City, IAIA7,0131,286–

58Algona, IAIA5,3091,299–

59Washington, IAIA7,2611,309–

60Marshalltown, IAIA27,5361,311–

61Newton, IAIA15,7411,313–

62Bettendorf, IAIA40,7101,318–

63Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4931,321–

64Oelwein, IAIA5,7571,349–

65Maquoketa, IAIA6,0271,353–

66Boone, IAIA12,4711,356–

67Sioux City, IAIA86,3561,367–

68Keokuk, IAIA9,5101,368–

69Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,9351,466–

70Fairfield, IAIA9,2201,477–

71Davenport, IAIA100,3581,491–

72Ottumwa, IAIA25,3191,524–

73Creston, IAIA7,3351,525–

74Glenwood, IAIA5,2871,564–

75Grinnell, IAIA9,4301,565–

76Red Oak, IAIA5,3881,596–

77Carroll, IAIA10,0851,606–

78Storm Lake, IAIA11,5901,616–

79Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8371,618–

80Ames, IAIA68,2201,673–

81Knoxville, IAIA7,4691,783–

82Dubuque, IAIA59,1481,842–

83Burlington, IAIA23,3361,888–

84Anamosa, IAIA5,9012,021–

85Des Moines, IAIA212,0862,191–

86Iowa City, IAIA76,2292,319–

87Windsor Heights, IAIA5,0593,619–

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS