Data / Rankings / Housing units / Counties in Iowa

Counties in Iowa by housing units

Polk County had the highest housing units of 99 counties in 2021, at 207,688. Adams County had the lowest, at 1,894. The median was 7,034 and the figure for Iowa was 1.41 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest207,688Polk County
Lowest1,894Adams County
Median7,03499 counties
Iowa1,407,100History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 3,591 countAdams County: 1,894 countAllamakee County: 7,662 countAppanoose County: 6,337 countAudubon County: 2,820 countBenton County: 11,071 countBlack Hawk County: 58,378 countBoone County: 11,911 countBremer County: 10,432 countBuchanan County: 8,890 countBuena Vista County: 8,173 countButler County: 6,546 countCalhoun County: 4,817 countCarroll County: 9,494 countCass County: 6,408 countCedar County: 8,171 countCerro Gordo County: 22,589 countCherokee County: 5,583 countChickasaw County: 5,568 countClarke County: 4,234 countClay County: 8,101 countClayton County: 8,793 countClinton County: 21,519 countCrawford County: 6,880 countDallas County: 40,306 countDavis County: 3,583 countDecatur County: 3,692 countDelaware County: 8,079 countDes Moines County: 18,772 countDickinson County: 13,651 countDubuque County: 42,406 countEmmet County: 4,521 countFayette County: 9,348 countFloyd County: 7,346 countFranklin County: 4,680 countFremont County: 3,160 countGreene County: 4,333 countGrundy County: 5,472 countGuthrie County: 5,778 countHamilton County: 7,034 countHancock County: 5,138 countHardin County: 8,076 countHarrison County: 6,677 countHenry County: 8,395 countHoward County: 4,326 countHumboldt County: 4,594 countIda County: 3,362 countIowa County: 7,346 countJackson County: 9,266 countJasper County: 16,106 countJefferson County: 7,649 countJohnson County: 65,124 countJones County: 8,886 countKeokuk County: 4,680 countKossuth County: 7,262 countLee County: 15,913 countLinn County: 100,404 countLouisa County: 4,748 countLucas County: 4,079 countLyon County: 4,846 countMadison County: 6,885 countMahaska County: 9,701 countMarion County: 14,068 countMarshall County: 16,740 countMills County: 6,125 countMitchell County: 4,847 countMonona County: 4,424 countMonroe County: 3,674 countMontgomery County: 5,036 countMuscatine County: 18,321 countO'Brien County: 6,536 countOsceola County: 2,899 countPage County: 7,015 countPalo Alto County: 4,512 countPlymouth County: 10,777 countPocahontas County: 3,678 countPolk County: 207,688 countPottawattamie County: 39,846 countPoweshiek County: 8,918 countRinggold County: 2,669 countSac County: 5,162 countScott County: 77,086 countShelby County: 5,424 countSioux County: 12,956 countStory County: 40,869 countTama County: 7,609 countTaylor County: 2,916 countUnion County: 5,811 countVan Buren County: 3,510 countWapello County: 15,785 countWarren County: 20,672 countWashington County: 9,603 countWayne County: 3,044 countWebster County: 16,950 countWinnebago County: 5,096 countWinneshiek County: 8,918 countWoodbury County: 42,651 countWorth County: 3,482 countWright County: 6,297 count
  • Under 4,000
  • 4,000 to 5,000
  • 5,000 to 7,000
  • 7,000 to 9,000
  • 9,000 to 17K
  • 17K and over
count, 2021. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Polk County: 207,688 countPolk County207,688Linn County: 100,404 countLinn County100,404Scott County: 77,086 countScott County77,086Johnson County: 65,124 countJohnson County65,124Black Hawk County: 58,378 countBlack Hawk County58,378Woodbury County: 42,651 countWoodbury County42,651Dubuque County: 42,406 countDubuque County42,406Story County: 40,869 countStory County40,869Dallas County: 40,306 countDallas County40,306Pottawattamie County: 39,846 countPottawattamie County39,846Cerro Gordo County: 22,589 countCerro Gordo County22,589Clinton County: 21,519 countClinton County21,519Warren County: 20,672 countWarren County20,672Des Moines County: 18,772 countDes Moines County18,772Muscatine County: 18,321 countMuscatine County18,321Webster County: 16,950 countWebster County16,950Marshall County: 16,740 countMarshall County16,740Jasper County: 16,106 countJasper County16,106Lee County: 15,913 countLee County15,913Wapello County: 15,785 countWapello County15,785Marion County: 14,068 countMarion County14,068Dickinson County: 13,651 countDickinson County13,651Sioux County: 12,956 countSioux County12,956Boone County: 11,911 countBoone County11,911Benton County: 11,071 countBenton County11,071Plymouth County: 10,777 countPlymouth County10,777Bremer County: 10,432 countBremer County10,432Mahaska County: 9,701 countMahaska County9,701Washington County: 9,603 countWashington County9,603Carroll County: 9,494 countCarroll County9,494Fayette County: 9,348 countFayette County9,348Jackson County: 9,266 countJackson County9,266Poweshiek County: 8,918 countPoweshiek County8,918Winneshiek County: 8,918 countWinneshiek County8,918Buchanan County: 8,890 countBuchanan County8,890Jones County: 8,886 countJones County8,886Clayton County: 8,793 countClayton County8,793Henry County: 8,395 countHenry County8,395Buena Vista County: 8,173 countBuena Vista County8,173Cedar County: 8,171 countCedar County8,171Polk County: 207,688 countPolk County207,688Linn County: 100,404 countLinn County100,404Scott County: 77,086 countScott County77,086Johnson County: 65,124 countJohnson County65,124Black Hawk County: 58,378 countBlack Hawk County58,378Woodbury County: 42,651 countWoodbury County42,651Dubuque County: 42,406 countDubuque County42,406Story County: 40,869 countStory County40,869Dallas County: 40,306 countDallas County40,306Pottawattamie County: 39,846 countPottawattamie County39,846Cerro Gordo County: 22,589 countCerro Gordo County22,589Clinton County: 21,519 countClinton County21,519Warren County: 20,672 countWarren County20,672Des Moines County: 18,772 countDes Moines County18,772Muscatine County: 18,321 countMuscatine County18,321Webster County: 16,950 countWebster County16,950Marshall County: 16,740 countMarshall County16,740Jasper County: 16,106 countJasper County16,106Lee County: 15,913 countLee County15,913Wapello County: 15,785 countWapello County15,785Marion County: 14,068 countMarion County14,068Dickinson County: 13,651 countDickinson County13,651Sioux County: 12,956 countSioux County12,956Boone County: 11,911 countBoone County11,911Benton County: 11,071 countBenton County11,071Plymouth County: 10,777 countPlymouth County10,777Bremer County: 10,432 countBremer County10,432Mahaska County: 9,701 countMahaska County9,701Washington County: 9,603 countWashington County9,603Carroll County: 9,494 countCarroll County9,494Fayette County: 9,348 countFayette County9,348Jackson County: 9,266 countJackson County9,266Poweshiek County: 8,918 countPoweshiek County8,918Winneshiek County: 8,918 countWinneshiek County8,918Buchanan County: 8,890 countBuchanan County8,890Jones County: 8,886 countJones County8,886Clayton County: 8,793 countClayton County8,793Henry County: 8,395 countHenry County8,395Buena Vista County: 8,173 countBuena Vista County8,173Cedar County: 8,171 countCedar County8,171
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
count
1Polk County207,688
2Linn County100,404
3Scott County77,086
4Johnson County65,124
5Black Hawk County58,378
6Woodbury County42,651
7Dubuque County42,406
8Story County40,869
9Dallas County40,306
10Pottawattamie County39,846
11Cerro Gordo County22,589
12Clinton County21,519
13Warren County20,672
14Des Moines County18,772
15Muscatine County18,321
16Webster County16,950
17Marshall County16,740
18Jasper County16,106
19Lee County15,913
20Wapello County15,785
21Marion County14,068
22Dickinson County13,651
23Sioux County12,956
24Boone County11,911
25Benton County11,071
26Plymouth County10,777
27Bremer County10,432
28Mahaska County9,701
29Washington County9,603
30Carroll County9,494
31Fayette County9,348
32Jackson County9,266
33Poweshiek County8,918
33Winneshiek County8,918
35Buchanan County8,890
36Jones County8,886
37Clayton County8,793
38Henry County8,395
39Buena Vista County8,173
40Cedar County8,171
41Clay County8,101
42Delaware County8,079
43Hardin County8,076
44Allamakee County7,662
45Jefferson County7,649
46Tama County7,609
47Floyd County7,346
47Iowa County7,346
49Kossuth County7,262
50Hamilton County7,034
51Page County7,015
52Madison County6,885
53Crawford County6,880
54Harrison County6,677
55Butler County6,546
56O'Brien County6,536
57Cass County6,408
58Appanoose County6,337
59Wright County6,297
60Mills County6,125
61Union County5,811
62Guthrie County5,778
63Cherokee County5,583
64Chickasaw County5,568
65Grundy County5,472
66Shelby County5,424
67Sac County5,162
68Hancock County5,138
69Winnebago County5,096
70Montgomery County5,036
71Mitchell County4,847
72Lyon County4,846
73Calhoun County4,817
74Louisa County4,748
75Franklin County4,680
75Keokuk County4,680
77Humboldt County4,594
78Emmet County4,521
79Palo Alto County4,512
80Monona County4,424
81Greene County4,333
82Howard County4,326
83Clarke County4,234
84Lucas County4,079
85Decatur County3,692
86Pocahontas County3,678
87Monroe County3,674
88Adair County3,591
89Davis County3,583
90Van Buren County3,510
91Worth County3,482
92Ida County3,362
93Fremont County3,160
94Wayne County3,044
95Taylor County2,916
96Osceola County2,899
97Audubon County2,820
98Ringgold County2,669
99Adams County1,894

Other periods

About this ranking

All housing units, occupied and vacant: houses, apartments, mobile homes and rooms intended as separate living quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

A survey estimate averaged over five years, not a count on one date.

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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat. 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). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units (Counties in Iowa by housing units, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units, Counties in Iowa by housing units, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/iowa-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. Counties in Iowa by housing units, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/iowa-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units, Counties in Iowa by housing units, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/iowa-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units: Counties in Iowa by housing units, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/iowa-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units: Counties in Iowa by housing units, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/iowa-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/iowa-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest housing units?

Polk County, with 207,688 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest housing units?

Adams County, with 1,894 in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Housing units: other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings