Data / Rankings / Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) / Counties in Iowa

Counties in Iowa by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)

Wayne County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 99 counties in 2019, at 28.9%. Dallas County had the lowest, at 4.4%. The median was 13.6% and the figure for Iowa was 12.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest28.9Wayne County
Lowest4.4Dallas County
Median13.699 counties
Iowa12.8History

Map of counties, 2019

Adair County: 12.9 %Adams County: 19.6 %Allamakee County: 15.6 %Appanoose County: 24.1 %Audubon County: 16.9 %Benton County: 8.2 %Black Hawk County: 15.2 %Boone County: 10.5 %Bremer County: 6.3 %Buchanan County: 14.4 %Buena Vista County: 13.5 %Butler County: 12.8 %Calhoun County: 14.2 %Carroll County: 9 %Cass County: 19 %Cedar County: 8.8 %Cerro Gordo County: 12.7 %Cherokee County: 12.2 %Chickasaw County: 12.2 %Clarke County: 17.5 %Clay County: 13.9 %Clayton County: 14 %Clinton County: 18.3 %Crawford County: 17.2 %Dallas County: 4.4 %Davis County: 16.5 %Decatur County: 24.3 %Delaware County: 10.9 %Des Moines County: 21.2 %Dickinson County: 8.3 %Dubuque County: 11.4 %Emmet County: 15.3 %Fayette County: 16.8 %Floyd County: 15.2 %Franklin County: 17.1 %Fremont County: 14.7 %Greene County: 14.1 %Grundy County: 7.1 %Guthrie County: 11.6 %Hamilton County: 12.4 %Hancock County: 10.9 %Hardin County: 15.2 %Harrison County: 9.9 %Henry County: 15.3 %Howard County: 13.4 %Humboldt County: 12.7 %Ida County: 11.5 %Iowa County: 8.2 %Jackson County: 17.3 %Jasper County: 10.3 %Jefferson County: 17.6 %Johnson County: 10.5 %Jones County: 11.9 %Keokuk County: 15.9 %Kossuth County: 13.6 %Lee County: 22.1 %Linn County: 13 %Louisa County: 12.2 %Lucas County: 22.5 %Lyon County: 9.2 %Madison County: 7.6 %Mahaska County: 12.9 %Marion County: 9.6 %Marshall County: 15.2 %Mills County: 10.6 %Mitchell County: 13.1 %Monona County: 15.4 %Monroe County: 16 %Montgomery County: 18.3 %Muscatine County: 13.6 %O'Brien County: 12.4 %Osceola County: 13.2 %Page County: 20.4 %Palo Alto County: 13.6 %Plymouth County: 8.7 %Pocahontas County: 15.9 %Polk County: 11.9 %Pottawattamie County: 13.4 %Poweshiek County: 12.4 %Ringgold County: 25.1 %Sac County: 13.1 %Scott County: 14.5 %Shelby County: 10.3 %Sioux County: 7.4 %Story County: 8 %Tama County: 17.6 %Taylor County: 17.1 %Union County: 16.1 %Van Buren County: 18.8 %Wapello County: 18.5 %Warren County: 7.9 %Washington County: 12.1 %Wayne County: 28.9 %Webster County: 15.5 %Winnebago County: 13.6 %Winneshiek County: 8.5 %Woodbury County: 16.1 %Worth County: 14.5 %Wright County: 14.9 %
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 12
  • 12 to 14
  • 14 to 15
  • 15 to 17
  • 17 and over
%, 2019. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2019

Wayne County: 28.9 %Wayne County28.9Ringgold County: 25.1 %Ringgold County25.1Decatur County: 24.3 %Decatur County24.3Appanoose County: 24.1 %Appanoose County24.1Lucas County: 22.5 %Lucas County22.5Lee County: 22.1 %Lee County22.1Des Moines County: 21.2 %Des Moines County21.2Page County: 20.4 %Page County20.4Adams County: 19.6 %Adams County19.6Cass County: 19 %Cass County19Van Buren County: 18.8 %Van Buren County18.8Wapello County: 18.5 %Wapello County18.5Clinton County: 18.3 %Clinton County18.3Montgomery County: 18.3 %Montgomery County18.3Jefferson County: 17.6 %Jefferson County17.6Tama County: 17.6 %Tama County17.6Clarke County: 17.5 %Clarke County17.5Jackson County: 17.3 %Jackson County17.3Crawford County: 17.2 %Crawford County17.2Franklin County: 17.1 %Franklin County17.1Taylor County: 17.1 %Taylor County17.1Audubon County: 16.9 %Audubon County16.9Fayette County: 16.8 %Fayette County16.8Davis County: 16.5 %Davis County16.5Union County: 16.1 %Union County16.1Woodbury County: 16.1 %Woodbury County16.1Monroe County: 16 %Monroe County16Keokuk County: 15.9 %Keokuk County15.9Pocahontas County: 15.9 %Pocahontas County15.9Allamakee County: 15.6 %Allamakee County15.6Webster County: 15.5 %Webster County15.5Monona County: 15.4 %Monona County15.4Emmet County: 15.3 %Emmet County15.3Henry County: 15.3 %Henry County15.3Black Hawk County: 15.2 %Black Hawk County15.2Floyd County: 15.2 %Floyd County15.2Hardin County: 15.2 %Hardin County15.2Marshall County: 15.2 %Marshall County15.2Wright County: 14.9 %Wright County14.9Fremont County: 14.7 %Fremont County14.7Wayne County: 28.9 %Wayne County28.9Ringgold County: 25.1 %Ringgold County25.1Decatur County: 24.3 %Decatur County24.3Appanoose County: 24.1 %Appanoose County24.1Lucas County: 22.5 %Lucas County22.5Lee County: 22.1 %Lee County22.1Des Moines County: 21.2 %Des Moines County21.2Page County: 20.4 %Page County20.4Adams County: 19.6 %Adams County19.6Cass County: 19 %Cass County19Van Buren County: 18.8 %Van Buren County18.8Wapello County: 18.5 %Wapello County18.5Clinton County: 18.3 %Clinton County18.3Montgomery County: 18.3 %Montgomery County18.3Jefferson County: 17.6 %Jefferson County17.6Tama County: 17.6 %Tama County17.6Clarke County: 17.5 %Clarke County17.5Jackson County: 17.3 %Jackson County17.3Crawford County: 17.2 %Crawford County17.2Franklin County: 17.1 %Franklin County17.1Taylor County: 17.1 %Taylor County17.1Audubon County: 16.9 %Audubon County16.9Fayette County: 16.8 %Fayette County16.8Davis County: 16.5 %Davis County16.5Union County: 16.1 %Union County16.1Woodbury County: 16.1 %Woodbury County16.1Monroe County: 16 %Monroe County16Keokuk County: 15.9 %Keokuk County15.9Pocahontas County: 15.9 %Pocahontas County15.9Allamakee County: 15.6 %Allamakee County15.6Webster County: 15.5 %Webster County15.5Monona County: 15.4 %Monona County15.4Emmet County: 15.3 %Emmet County15.3Henry County: 15.3 %Henry County15.3Black Hawk County: 15.2 %Black Hawk County15.2Floyd County: 15.2 %Floyd County15.2Hardin County: 15.2 %Hardin County15.2Marshall County: 15.2 %Marshall County15.2Wright County: 14.9 %Wright County14.9Fremont County: 14.7 %Fremont County14.7
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2019 (%)Change on 2018
1Wayne County28.9+6.7 pts
2Ringgold County25.1+2 pts
3Decatur County24.3-1.3 pts
4Appanoose County24.1+1.6 pts
5Lucas County22.5-1.6 pts
6Lee County22.1+0.6 pts
7Des Moines County21.2+1.4 pts
8Page County20.4+0.9 pts
9Adams County19.6-0.7 pts
10Cass County19+1.4 pts
11Van Buren County18.8-2.1 pts
12Wapello County18.5-1.3 pts
13Clinton County18.3+1.5 pts
13Montgomery County18.3-3.6 pts
15Jefferson County17.6-2.3 pts
15Tama County17.6+2.4 pts
17Clarke County17.5+1.4 pts
18Jackson County17.3+2.2 pts
19Crawford County17.2+0.8 pts
20Franklin County17.1+1.1 pts
20Taylor County17.1+1.5 pts
22Audubon County16.9-1.2 pts
23Fayette County16.8+0.4 pts
24Davis County16.5-2.4 pts
25Union County16.1-1.6 pts
25Woodbury County16.1-3.7 pts
27Monroe County16-0.6 pts
28Keokuk County15.9-2.2 pts
28Pocahontas County15.9-1.6 pts
30Allamakee County15.6-2.5 pts
31Webster County15.5-3 pts
32Monona County15.4-3.1 pts
33Emmet County15.3-1.3 pts
33Henry County15.3+1.4 pts
35Black Hawk County15.2-3.6 pts
35Floyd County15.2-1.8 pts
35Hardin County15.2+0.3 pts
35Marshall County15.2+0.6 pts
39Wright County14.9-2.1 pts
40Fremont County14.7-1.7 pts
41Scott County14.5-3.3 pts
41Worth County14.5-0.9 pts
43Buchanan County14.4-0.6 pts
44Calhoun County14.2-0.5 pts
45Greene County14.1-3.1 pts
46Clayton County14+0.8 pts
47Clay County13.9+1.3 pts
48Kossuth County13.6+1.5 pts
48Muscatine County13.6-2.4 pts
48Palo Alto County13.6-0.5 pts
48Winnebago County13.6+0.1 pts
52Buena Vista County13.5-0.1 pts
53Howard County13.4-0.4 pts
53Pottawattamie County13.4-1.7 pts
55Osceola County13.2-0.1 pts
56Mitchell County13.1+0.8 pts
56Sac County13.1-1.5 pts
58Linn County13+1.6 pts
59Adair County12.9-0.1 pts
59Mahaska County12.9-2.6 pts
61Butler County12.8+1.4 pts
62Cerro Gordo County12.7-0.6 pts
62Humboldt County12.70 pts
64Hamilton County12.4+0.6 pts
64O'Brien County12.4+1.9 pts
64Poweshiek County12.4+0.1 pts
67Cherokee County12.2+0.8 pts
67Chickasaw County12.2+0.3 pts
67Louisa County12.2-1.6 pts
70Washington County12.1+0.5 pts
71Jones County11.9-1.4 pts
71Polk County11.9+0.2 pts
73Guthrie County11.6-2.4 pts
74Ida County11.5-1.1 pts
75Dubuque County11.4-0.7 pts
76Delaware County10.9-1 pts
76Hancock County10.9-0.3 pts
78Mills County10.6+0.1 pts
79Boone County10.5+0.7 pts
79Johnson County10.5-3.2 pts
81Jasper County10.3-0.9 pts
81Shelby County10.3+0.4 pts
83Harrison County9.9-2.9 pts
84Marion County9.6-0.2 pts
85Lyon County9.2-0.3 pts
86Carroll County9-0.4 pts
87Cedar County8.8-0.7 pts
88Plymouth County8.7-0.7 pts
89Winneshiek County8.5-1.4 pts
90Dickinson County8.3-1 pts
91Benton County8.2-0.8 pts
91Iowa County8.2+0.1 pts
93Story County8-0.3 pts
94Warren County7.9+0.7 pts
95Madison County7.6-0.2 pts
96Sioux County7.4+0.2 pts
97Grundy County7.1-1.8 pts
98Bremer County6.3-0.1 pts
99Dallas County4.4-1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (Counties in Iowa by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Iowa by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2019. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/iowa-counties?period=2019. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Counties in Iowa by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/iowa-counties?period=2019.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Iowa by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/iowa-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2019,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Iowa by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/iowa-counties?period=2019. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Iowa by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/iowa-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/iowa-counties?period=2019.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Wayne County, with 28.9% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Dallas County, with 4.4% in 2019.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings