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

Counties in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Story County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 99 counties in 2022, at 19.6%. Lyon County had the lowest, at 3.9%. The median was 10.7% and the figure for Iowa was 11.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest19.6Story County
Lowest3.9Lyon County
Median10.799 counties
Iowa11.1History

Map of counties, 2022

Adair County: 10.1 %Adams County: 9.5 %Allamakee County: 11.6 %Appanoose County: 17.4 %Audubon County: 11.8 %Benton County: 8.3 %Black Hawk County: 15.7 %Boone County: 7.5 %Bremer County: 6.6 %Buchanan County: 8.6 %Buena Vista County: 7.1 %Butler County: 11.8 %Calhoun County: 9 %Carroll County: 7.8 %Cass County: 15.3 %Cedar County: 7.8 %Cerro Gordo County: 9.3 %Cherokee County: 13.3 %Chickasaw County: 6.3 %Clarke County: 16.9 %Clay County: 11.5 %Clayton County: 13 %Clinton County: 12.4 %Crawford County: 17 %Dallas County: 5.7 %Davis County: 9.4 %Decatur County: 14.5 %Delaware County: 6.6 %Des Moines County: 14.6 %Dickinson County: 6.2 %Dubuque County: 10 %Emmet County: 12.7 %Fayette County: 11.8 %Floyd County: 10.9 %Franklin County: 13.8 %Fremont County: 7.5 %Greene County: 11.5 %Grundy County: 5.9 %Guthrie County: 10.1 %Hamilton County: 7.8 %Hancock County: 9.9 %Hardin County: 8.4 %Harrison County: 7.6 %Henry County: 11.3 %Howard County: 8.7 %Humboldt County: 13.3 %Ida County: 11.5 %Iowa County: 9.1 %Jackson County: 10.2 %Jasper County: 8.8 %Jefferson County: 14 %Johnson County: 16.9 %Jones County: 11.4 %Keokuk County: 12.2 %Kossuth County: 10.5 %Lee County: 12.8 %Linn County: 9.5 %Louisa County: 10.1 %Lucas County: 16.6 %Lyon County: 3.9 %Madison County: 6.1 %Mahaska County: 12 %Marion County: 7.7 %Marshall County: 11.2 %Mills County: 6.9 %Mitchell County: 6.7 %Monona County: 12.3 %Monroe County: 10.8 %Montgomery County: 14.5 %Muscatine County: 11.7 %O'Brien County: 12.1 %Osceola County: 12.6 %Page County: 13.4 %Palo Alto County: 10.7 %Plymouth County: 5.7 %Pocahontas County: 9.1 %Polk County: 10.3 %Pottawattamie County: 11.3 %Poweshiek County: 10.8 %Ringgold County: 8.3 %Sac County: 8.7 %Scott County: 11.9 %Shelby County: 8.8 %Sioux County: 6.1 %Story County: 19.6 %Tama County: 15.2 %Taylor County: 8.5 %Union County: 11.9 %Van Buren County: 11.1 %Wapello County: 17.4 %Warren County: 6.2 %Washington County: 7.5 %Wayne County: 13.3 %Webster County: 12.2 %Winnebago County: 7.8 %Winneshiek County: 8.9 %Woodbury County: 13.5 %Worth County: 7.4 %Wright County: 14.3 %
  • Under 7.5
  • 7.5 to 8.9
  • 8.9 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 13
  • 13 and over
%, 2022. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2022

Story County: 19.6 %Story County19.6Wapello County: 17.4 %Wapello County17.4Appanoose County: 17.4 %Appanoose County17.4Crawford County: 17 %Crawford County17Clarke County: 16.9 %Clarke County16.9Johnson County: 16.9 %Johnson County16.9Lucas County: 16.6 %Lucas County16.6Black Hawk County: 15.7 %Black Hawk County15.7Cass County: 15.3 %Cass County15.3Tama County: 15.2 %Tama County15.2Des Moines County: 14.6 %Des Moines County14.6Decatur County: 14.5 %Decatur County14.5Montgomery County: 14.5 %Montgomery County14.5Wright County: 14.3 %Wright County14.3Jefferson County: 14 %Jefferson County14Franklin County: 13.8 %Franklin County13.8Woodbury County: 13.5 %Woodbury County13.5Page County: 13.4 %Page County13.4Cherokee County: 13.3 %Cherokee County13.3Humboldt County: 13.3 %Humboldt County13.3Wayne County: 13.3 %Wayne County13.3Clayton County: 13 %Clayton County13Lee County: 12.8 %Lee County12.8Emmet County: 12.7 %Emmet County12.7Osceola County: 12.6 %Osceola County12.6Clinton County: 12.4 %Clinton County12.4Monona County: 12.3 %Monona County12.3Keokuk County: 12.2 %Keokuk County12.2Webster County: 12.2 %Webster County12.2O'Brien County: 12.1 %O'Brien County12.1Mahaska County: 12 %Mahaska County12Scott County: 11.9 %Scott County11.9Union County: 11.9 %Union County11.9Audubon County: 11.8 %Audubon County11.8Butler County: 11.8 %Butler County11.8Fayette County: 11.8 %Fayette County11.8Muscatine County: 11.7 %Muscatine County11.7Allamakee County: 11.6 %Allamakee County11.6Greene County: 11.5 %Greene County11.5Ida County: 11.5 %Ida County11.5Story County: 19.6 %Story County19.6Wapello County: 17.4 %Wapello County17.4Appanoose County: 17.4 %Appanoose County17.4Crawford County: 17 %Crawford County17Clarke County: 16.9 %Clarke County16.9Johnson County: 16.9 %Johnson County16.9Lucas County: 16.6 %Lucas County16.6Black Hawk County: 15.7 %Black Hawk County15.7Cass County: 15.3 %Cass County15.3Tama County: 15.2 %Tama County15.2Des Moines County: 14.6 %Des Moines County14.6Decatur County: 14.5 %Decatur County14.5Montgomery County: 14.5 %Montgomery County14.5Wright County: 14.3 %Wright County14.3Jefferson County: 14 %Jefferson County14Franklin County: 13.8 %Franklin County13.8Woodbury County: 13.5 %Woodbury County13.5Page County: 13.4 %Page County13.4Cherokee County: 13.3 %Cherokee County13.3Humboldt County: 13.3 %Humboldt County13.3Wayne County: 13.3 %Wayne County13.3Clayton County: 13 %Clayton County13Lee County: 12.8 %Lee County12.8Emmet County: 12.7 %Emmet County12.7Osceola County: 12.6 %Osceola County12.6Clinton County: 12.4 %Clinton County12.4Monona County: 12.3 %Monona County12.3Keokuk County: 12.2 %Keokuk County12.2Webster County: 12.2 %Webster County12.2O'Brien County: 12.1 %O'Brien County12.1Mahaska County: 12 %Mahaska County12Scott County: 11.9 %Scott County11.9Union County: 11.9 %Union County11.9Audubon County: 11.8 %Audubon County11.8Butler County: 11.8 %Butler County11.8Fayette County: 11.8 %Fayette County11.8Muscatine County: 11.7 %Muscatine County11.7Allamakee County: 11.6 %Allamakee County11.6Greene County: 11.5 %Greene County11.5Ida County: 11.5 %Ida County11.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Story County19.6+0.2 pts
2Wapello County17.4+2.2 pts
3Appanoose County17.4-2 pts
4Crawford County17-1.1 pts
5Clarke County16.9+1.1 pts
6Johnson County16.9+0.2 pts
7Lucas County16.6+2.7 pts
8Black Hawk County15.7+0.7 pts
9Cass County15.3+1.5 pts
10Tama County15.2+2.3 pts
11Des Moines County14.6+0.7 pts
12Decatur County14.5-0.8 pts
12Montgomery County14.5+1 pts
14Wright County14.3+1.1 pts
15Jefferson County14-0.2 pts
16Franklin County13.8+1.2 pts
17Woodbury County13.5+0.1 pts
18Page County13.4-0.5 pts
19Cherokee County13.3+1.3 pts
19Humboldt County13.3-0.9 pts
21Wayne County13.3-0.2 pts
22Clayton County13+0.8 pts
23Lee County12.8-0.2 pts
24Emmet County12.7+0.1 pts
25Osceola County12.6+1.1 pts
26Clinton County12.4-0.3 pts
27Monona County12.3-0.8 pts
28Keokuk County12.2-0.3 pts
29Webster County12.2-2.1 pts
30O'Brien County12.1-0.4 pts
31Mahaska County12-1.1 pts
32Scott County11.9+0.1 pts
33Union County11.9-0.5 pts
34Audubon County11.8+0.5 pts
35Butler County11.8+0.7 pts
35Fayette County11.8-0.4 pts
37Muscatine County11.7+1.3 pts
38Allamakee County11.6+1.1 pts
39Greene County11.5+0.3 pts
40Ida County11.5-0.3 pts
41Clay County11.5-0.8 pts
42Jones County11.4+1.5 pts
43Pottawattamie County11.3+0.5 pts
44Henry County11.3+1.1 pts
45Marshall County11.2-0.7 pts
46Van Buren County11.1-1.6 pts
47Floyd County10.9-1 pts
48Monroe County10.8+0.3 pts
49Poweshiek County10.8-1.2 pts
50Palo Alto County10.7+1.6 pts
51Kossuth County10.5-1 pts
52Polk County10.3+0.2 pts
53Jackson County10.2-0.9 pts
54Guthrie County10.1+0.3 pts
55Adair County10.1-1.4 pts
56Louisa County10.10 pts
57Dubuque County10+0.6 pts
58Hancock County9.9-0.8 pts
59Linn County9.5-0.1 pts
60Adams County9.5-2.2 pts
61Davis County9.4-0.2 pts
62Cerro Gordo County9.3-0.3 pts
63Iowa County9.1-0.1 pts
64Pocahontas County9.1-1.2 pts
65Calhoun County9-1.6 pts
66Winneshiek County8.9+0.7 pts
67Jasper County8.80 pts
68Shelby County8.8+0.7 pts
69Howard County8.7+0.4 pts
69Sac County8.7+0.4 pts
71Buchanan County8.6+0.6 pts
72Taylor County8.5+0.9 pts
73Hardin County8.4-0.6 pts
74Benton County8.3-0.2 pts
75Ringgold County8.3-1.2 pts
76Cedar County7.8+0.2 pts
77Carroll County7.8-0.5 pts
78Hamilton County7.8-0.1 pts
79Winnebago County7.8+0.6 pts
80Marion County7.7+0.2 pts
81Harrison County7.6-0.9 pts
82Fremont County7.5-0.5 pts
83Washington County7.5+0.4 pts
84Boone County7.5+0.9 pts
85Worth County7.4+0.4 pts
86Buena Vista County7.1-2.8 pts
87Mills County6.9-0.2 pts
88Mitchell County6.7+1.8 pts
89Delaware County6.6-1.9 pts
90Bremer County6.6-0.9 pts
91Chickasaw County6.3+0.1 pts
92Dickinson County6.2-1 pts
93Warren County6.2+0.2 pts
94Madison County6.1-0.5 pts
95Sioux County6.1+0.6 pts
96Grundy County5.9+0.8 pts
97Dallas County5.7-0 pts
97Plymouth County5.7-0.6 pts
99Lyon County3.9-0.7 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 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 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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 (Counties in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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, Counties in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2022. 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. Counties in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2022.

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, Counties in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2022,
  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: Counties in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2022. 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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: Counties in Iowa by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/iowa-counties?period=2022.
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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Story County, with 19.6% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Lyon County, with 3.9% in 2022.

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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in Iowa: more rankings