Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in Iowa

Cities in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

Iowa City, IA had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 41 cities in 2024, at 26.3%. Norwalk, IA had the lowest, at 4.2%. The median was 10.9% and the figure for Iowa was 11.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest26.3Iowa City, IA
Lowest4.2Norwalk, IA
Median10.941 cities
Iowa11.1History

All cities, 2024

Iowa City, IA: 26.3 %Iowa City, IA26.3Ames, IA: 25.5 %Ames, IA25.5Muscatine, IA: 19.1 %Muscatine, IA19.1Clinton, IA: 18.5 %Clinton, IA18.5Ottumwa, IA: 17.2 %Ottumwa, IA17.2Oskaloosa, IA: 16.6 %Oskaloosa, IA16.6Waterloo, IA: 16.6 %Waterloo, IA16.6Fort Dodge, IA: 15.9 %Fort Dodge, IA15.9Cedar Falls, IA: 15.7 %Cedar Falls, IA15.7Sioux City, IA: 15.3 %Sioux City, IA15.3Davenport, IA: 15.2 %Davenport, IA15.2Council Bluffs, IA: 15.1 %Council Bluffs, IA15.1Des Moines, IA: 15 %Des Moines, IA15Marshalltown, IA: 14.3 %Marshalltown, IA14.3Spencer, IA: 14 %Spencer, IA14Burlington, IA: 13.2 %Burlington, IA13.2Coralville, IA: 13 %Coralville, IA13Dubuque, IA: 12.7 %Dubuque, IA12.7Mason City, IA: 12 %Mason City, IA12Newton, IA: 11.1 %Newton, IA11.1Waverly, IA: 10.9 %Waverly, IA10.9Cedar Rapids, IA: 10.8 %Cedar Rapids, IA10.8Johnston, IA: 10.2 %Johnston, IA10.2Le Mars, IA: 9.2 %Le Mars, IA9.2Pleasant Hill, IA: 8.9 %Pleasant Hill, IA8.9Carroll, IA: 8.9 %Carroll, IA8.9West Des Moines, IA: 8.4 %West Des Moines, IA8.4Altoona, IA: 8.3 %Altoona, IA8.3Boone, IA: 8.3 %Boone, IA8.3Marion, IA: 8.2 %Marion, IA8.2Waukee, IA: 7.4 %Waukee, IA7.4Clive, IA: 7.3 %Clive, IA7.3Storm Lake, IA: 7 %Storm Lake, IA7Urbandale, IA: 6.8 %Urbandale, IA6.8Bettendorf, IA: 6.7 %Bettendorf, IA6.7Indianola, IA: 6.4 %Indianola, IA6.4North Liberty, IA: 6.1 %North Liberty, IA6.1Pella, IA: 6 %Pella, IA6Grimes, IA: 4.4 %Grimes, IA4.4Ankeny, IA: 4.2 %Ankeny, IA4.2Norwalk, IA: 4.2 %Norwalk, IA4.2Iowa City, IA: 26.3 %Iowa City, IA26.3Ames, IA: 25.5 %Ames, IA25.5Muscatine, IA: 19.1 %Muscatine, IA19.1Clinton, IA: 18.5 %Clinton, IA18.5Ottumwa, IA: 17.2 %Ottumwa, IA17.2Oskaloosa, IA: 16.6 %Oskaloosa, IA16.6Waterloo, IA: 16.6 %Waterloo, IA16.6Fort Dodge, IA: 15.9 %Fort Dodge, IA15.9Cedar Falls, IA: 15.7 %Cedar Falls, IA15.7Sioux City, IA: 15.3 %Sioux City, IA15.3Davenport, IA: 15.2 %Davenport, IA15.2Council Bluffs, IA: 15.1 %Council Bluffs, IA15.1Des Moines, IA: 15 %Des Moines, IA15Marshalltown, IA: 14.3 %Marshalltown, IA14.3Spencer, IA: 14 %Spencer, IA14Burlington, IA: 13.2 %Burlington, IA13.2Coralville, IA: 13 %Coralville, IA13Dubuque, IA: 12.7 %Dubuque, IA12.7Mason City, IA: 12 %Mason City, IA12Newton, IA: 11.1 %Newton, IA11.1Waverly, IA: 10.9 %Waverly, IA10.9Cedar Rapids, IA: 10.8 %Cedar Rapids, IA10.8Johnston, IA: 10.2 %Johnston, IA10.2Le Mars, IA: 9.2 %Le Mars, IA9.2Pleasant Hill, IA: 8.9 %Pleasant Hill, IA8.9Carroll, IA: 8.9 %Carroll, IA8.9West Des Moines, IA: 8.4 %West Des Moines, IA8.4Altoona, IA: 8.3 %Altoona, IA8.3Boone, IA: 8.3 %Boone, IA8.3Marion, IA: 8.2 %Marion, IA8.2Waukee, IA: 7.4 %Waukee, IA7.4Clive, IA: 7.3 %Clive, IA7.3Storm Lake, IA: 7 %Storm Lake, IA7Urbandale, IA: 6.8 %Urbandale, IA6.8Bettendorf, IA: 6.7 %Bettendorf, IA6.7Indianola, IA: 6.4 %Indianola, IA6.4North Liberty, IA: 6.1 %North Liberty, IA6.1Pella, IA: 6 %Pella, IA6Grimes, IA: 4.4 %Grimes, IA4.4Ankeny, IA: 4.2 %Ankeny, IA4.2Norwalk, IA: 4.2 %Norwalk, IA4.2
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Iowa City, IA26.3+0.1 pts
2Ames, IA25.5-0.5 pts
3Muscatine, IA19.1+2.6 pts
4Clinton, IA18.5+0.3 pts
5Ottumwa, IA17.2-1.7 pts
6Oskaloosa, IA16.6+0.5 pts
7Waterloo, IA16.6+0.2 pts
8Fort Dodge, IA15.9+1.5 pts
9Cedar Falls, IA15.7+0.2 pts
10Sioux City, IA15.3+0.6 pts
11Davenport, IA15.2-0.4 pts
12Council Bluffs, IA15.1+1.9 pts
13Des Moines, IA15+0.1 pts
14Marshalltown, IA14.3+0.2 pts
15Spencer, IA14-0.1 pts
16Burlington, IA13.2-2.7 pts
17Coralville, IA13+0.8 pts
18Dubuque, IA12.7+0.5 pts
19Mason City, IA12+1.4 pts
20Newton, IA11.1-0.2 pts
21Waverly, IA10.9-0.2 pts
22Cedar Rapids, IA10.8-0.9 pts
23Johnston, IA10.2+2.6 pts
24Le Mars, IA9.2+0.3 pts
25Pleasant Hill, IA8.9-1 pts
26Carroll, IA8.9-1.6 pts
27West Des Moines, IA8.4+1.1 pts
28Altoona, IA8.3+1.1 pts
29Boone, IA8.3+0.6 pts
30Marion, IA8.2+1.1 pts
31Waukee, IA7.4+0.1 pts
32Clive, IA7.3+2.6 pts
33Storm Lake, IA7-0.8 pts
34Urbandale, IA6.8+0.5 pts
35Bettendorf, IA6.7+0.4 pts
36Indianola, IA6.4-1.2 pts
37North Liberty, IA6.1+1.6 pts
38Pella, IA6+1.5 pts
39Grimes, IA4.4-2.4 pts
40Ankeny, IA4.20 pts
41Norwalk, IA4.2+1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

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

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.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 B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-cities.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_iowa_by_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-cities. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-cities.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Iowa City, IA, with 26.3% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Norwalk, IA, with 4.2% in 2024.

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 B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in Iowa: more rankings