RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most sparsely populated, Iowa cities · 2000

Iowa cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2000). This list covers the 87 cities in Iowa that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 87 is 1,137.

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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 1990

01Bondurant, IAIA9,647195+17%

02Tiffin, IAIA7,156228+114%

03Waukee, IAIA34,890235+104%

04Polk City, IAIA6,630416+23%

05Grimes, IAIA17,405425+92%

06Eldridge, IAIA6,954426+23%

07Johnston, IAIA25,065444+84%

08Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,239469+38%

09North Liberty, IAIA21,976563+85%

10Norwalk, IAIA15,004591+20%

11Adel, IAIA7,098637+4%

12Osceola, IAIA5,679641+12%

13Clear Lake, IAIA7,6017570%

14Asbury, IAIA6,035771+22%

15Clinton, IAIA24,049780−5%

16Cherokee, IAIA5,122786−11%

17Waverly, IAIA10,561796+5%

18DeWitt, IAIA5,704811+12%

19Ankeny, IAIA77,833856+46%

20Altoona, IAIA22,796872+44%

21Atlantic, IAIA6,676875−2%

22Webster City, IAIA7,815888+4%

23Spirit Lake, IAIA5,525942+10%

24Sioux Center, IAIA8,864951+18%

25Iowa Falls, IAIA5,013964−4%

26West Des Moines, IAIA74,224981+46%

27Independence, IAIA6,312998+1%

28Winterset, IAIA5,5201,013+14%

29Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,5001,014+9%

30Sheldon, IAIA5,5751,023−1%

31Spencer, IAIA11,2181,034+2%

32Vinton, IAIA5,0041,0440%

33Mason City, IAIA26,8531,0470%

34Pella, IAIA10,9921,052+6%

35Le Mars, IAIA10,7601,082+9%

36Manchester, IAIA5,3571,086+2%

37Fort Madison, IAIA9,9351,110−8%

38Clarinda, IAIA5,2731,116+11%

39Waterloo, IAIA66,9191,116+3%

40Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,3241,117+20%

41Nevada, IAIA6,9741,119+11%

42Denison, IAIA8,2141,121+11%

43Decorah, IAIA7,4171,128+1%

44Indianola, IAIA16,8291,137+15%

45Coralville, IAIA23,9601,194+46%

46Orange City, IAIA6,4681,211+13%

47Centerville, IAIA5,3271,2250%

48Cedar Falls, IAIA41,2401,228+5%

49Estherville, IAIA5,8071,236−1%

50Algona, IAIA5,3091,239−5%

51Muscatine, IAIA23,1641,247−1%

52Keokuk, IAIA9,5101,256−8%

53Charles City, IAIA7,0131,276−1%

54Urbandale, IAIA48,5701,289+24%

55Washington, IAIA7,2611,3040%

56Perry, IAIA8,2081,317+15%

57Maquoketa, IAIA6,0271,3530%

58Marshalltown, IAIA27,5361,355+3%

59Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6801,356+7%

60Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4931,359+3%

61Hiawatha, IAIA7,4321,360+30%

62Newton, IAIA15,7411,384+5%

63Oelwein, IAIA5,7571,390+3%

64Boone, IAIA12,4711,401+3%

65Fairfield, IAIA9,2201,438−3%

66Sioux City, IAIA86,3561,444+6%

67Creston, IAIA7,3351,464−4%

68Bettendorf, IAIA40,7101,468+11%

69Marion, IAIA42,7321,472+29%

70Davenport, IAIA100,3581,539+3%

71Ottumwa, IAIA25,3191,556+2%

72Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8371,570−3%

73Red Oak, IAIA5,3881,578−1%

74Grinnell, IAIA9,4301,600+2%

75Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,9351,628+11%

76Knoxville, IAIA7,4691,674−6%

77Clive, IAIA19,8611,680+72%

78Carroll, IAIA10,0851,694+6%

79Ames, IAIA68,2201,799+7%

80Glenwood, IAIA5,2871,833+17%

81Dubuque, IAIA59,1481,8470%

82Storm Lake, IAIA11,5901,857+15%

83Burlington, IAIA23,3361,863−1%

84Anamosa, IAIA5,9012,177+8%

85Des Moines, IAIA212,0862,254+3%

86Iowa City, IAIA76,2292,415+4%

87Windsor Heights, IAIA5,0593,351−7%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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