Data / Rankings / Rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) / Counties in Iowa

Counties in Iowa by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)

Monroe County had the highest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) of 99 counties in 2021, at 60.1%. Taylor County had the lowest, at 16%. The median was 39% and the figure for Iowa was 43%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest60.1Monroe County
Lowest16Taylor County
Median3999 counties
Iowa43History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 29.6 %Adams County: 30.7 %Allamakee County: 32.1 %Appanoose County: 45.7 %Audubon County: 33 %Benton County: 28.3 %Black Hawk County: 47.2 %Boone County: 31.7 %Bremer County: 35.5 %Buchanan County: 38.8 %Buena Vista County: 31.3 %Butler County: 39.6 %Calhoun County: 36.8 %Carroll County: 46.4 %Cass County: 45.1 %Cedar County: 41.4 %Cerro Gordo County: 33.8 %Cherokee County: 34.6 %Chickasaw County: 30.2 %Clarke County: 46.9 %Clay County: 37.5 %Clayton County: 37.3 %Clinton County: 44 %Crawford County: 42.7 %Dallas County: 34.5 %Davis County: 35.1 %Decatur County: 38.4 %Delaware County: 39.8 %Des Moines County: 57.9 %Dickinson County: 49.9 %Dubuque County: 45.9 %Emmet County: 37.9 %Fayette County: 47.4 %Floyd County: 35.9 %Franklin County: 29.8 %Fremont County: 29.5 %Greene County: 36.8 %Grundy County: 31.8 %Guthrie County: 35.9 %Hamilton County: 30.6 %Hancock County: 41.4 %Hardin County: 40.3 %Harrison County: 36.4 %Henry County: 37.3 %Howard County: 32.7 %Humboldt County: 23.5 %Ida County: 28.9 %Iowa County: 25.2 %Jackson County: 41.1 %Jasper County: 45.4 %Jefferson County: 53.8 %Johnson County: 57.2 %Jones County: 37.4 %Keokuk County: 44.7 %Kossuth County: 45.3 %Lee County: 45.2 %Linn County: 42.3 %Louisa County: 31 %Lucas County: 35.1 %Lyon County: 23 %Madison County: 39 %Mahaska County: 30.9 %Marion County: 33.1 %Marshall County: 38 %Mills County: 41.1 %Mitchell County: 31.5 %Monona County: 44.8 %Monroe County: 60.1 %Montgomery County: 35.2 %Muscatine County: 39.8 %O'Brien County: 40.7 %Osceola County: 39.2 %Page County: 40.4 %Palo Alto County: 34.2 %Plymouth County: 27.3 %Pocahontas County: 42.1 %Polk County: 42.9 %Pottawattamie County: 45.6 %Poweshiek County: 43.6 %Ringgold County: 48.6 %Sac County: 31.5 %Scott County: 44.3 %Shelby County: 49.6 %Sioux County: 40.1 %Story County: 52.2 %Tama County: 40.9 %Taylor County: 16 %Union County: 34.4 %Van Buren County: 40.6 %Wapello County: 46.7 %Warren County: 41.6 %Washington County: 31.9 %Wayne County: 31.5 %Webster County: 39.1 %Winnebago County: 39.1 %Winneshiek County: 41.5 %Woodbury County: 40.3 %Worth County: 25.1 %Wright County: 41.6 %
  • Under 31
  • 31 to 35
  • 35 to 39
  • 39 to 41
  • 41 to 45
  • 45 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Monroe County: 60.1 %Monroe County60.1Des Moines County: 57.9 %Des Moines County57.9Johnson County: 57.2 %Johnson County57.2Jefferson County: 53.8 %Jefferson County53.8Story County: 52.2 %Story County52.2Dickinson County: 49.9 %Dickinson County49.9Shelby County: 49.6 %Shelby County49.6Ringgold County: 48.6 %Ringgold County48.6Fayette County: 47.4 %Fayette County47.4Black Hawk County: 47.2 %Black Hawk County47.2Clarke County: 46.9 %Clarke County46.9Wapello County: 46.7 %Wapello County46.7Carroll County: 46.4 %Carroll County46.4Dubuque County: 45.9 %Dubuque County45.9Appanoose County: 45.7 %Appanoose County45.7Pottawattamie County: 45.6 %Pottawattamie County45.6Jasper County: 45.4 %Jasper County45.4Kossuth County: 45.3 %Kossuth County45.3Lee County: 45.2 %Lee County45.2Cass County: 45.1 %Cass County45.1Monona County: 44.8 %Monona County44.8Keokuk County: 44.7 %Keokuk County44.7Scott County: 44.3 %Scott County44.3Clinton County: 44 %Clinton County44Poweshiek County: 43.6 %Poweshiek County43.6Polk County: 42.9 %Polk County42.9Crawford County: 42.7 %Crawford County42.7Linn County: 42.3 %Linn County42.3Pocahontas County: 42.1 %Pocahontas County42.1Warren County: 41.6 %Warren County41.6Wright County: 41.6 %Wright County41.6Winneshiek County: 41.5 %Winneshiek County41.5Cedar County: 41.4 %Cedar County41.4Hancock County: 41.4 %Hancock County41.4Jackson County: 41.1 %Jackson County41.1Mills County: 41.1 %Mills County41.1Tama County: 40.9 %Tama County40.9O'Brien County: 40.7 %O'Brien County40.7Van Buren County: 40.6 %Van Buren County40.6Page County: 40.4 %Page County40.4Monroe County: 60.1 %Monroe County60.1Des Moines County: 57.9 %Des Moines County57.9Johnson County: 57.2 %Johnson County57.2Jefferson County: 53.8 %Jefferson County53.8Story County: 52.2 %Story County52.2Dickinson County: 49.9 %Dickinson County49.9Shelby County: 49.6 %Shelby County49.6Ringgold County: 48.6 %Ringgold County48.6Fayette County: 47.4 %Fayette County47.4Black Hawk County: 47.2 %Black Hawk County47.2Clarke County: 46.9 %Clarke County46.9Wapello County: 46.7 %Wapello County46.7Carroll County: 46.4 %Carroll County46.4Dubuque County: 45.9 %Dubuque County45.9Appanoose County: 45.7 %Appanoose County45.7Pottawattamie County: 45.6 %Pottawattamie County45.6Jasper County: 45.4 %Jasper County45.4Kossuth County: 45.3 %Kossuth County45.3Lee County: 45.2 %Lee County45.2Cass County: 45.1 %Cass County45.1Monona County: 44.8 %Monona County44.8Keokuk County: 44.7 %Keokuk County44.7Scott County: 44.3 %Scott County44.3Clinton County: 44 %Clinton County44Poweshiek County: 43.6 %Poweshiek County43.6Polk County: 42.9 %Polk County42.9Crawford County: 42.7 %Crawford County42.7Linn County: 42.3 %Linn County42.3Pocahontas County: 42.1 %Pocahontas County42.1Warren County: 41.6 %Warren County41.6Wright County: 41.6 %Wright County41.6Winneshiek County: 41.5 %Winneshiek County41.5Cedar County: 41.4 %Cedar County41.4Hancock County: 41.4 %Hancock County41.4Jackson County: 41.1 %Jackson County41.1Mills County: 41.1 %Mills County41.1Tama County: 40.9 %Tama County40.9O'Brien County: 40.7 %O'Brien County40.7Van Buren County: 40.6 %Van Buren County40.6Page County: 40.4 %Page County40.4
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Monroe County60.1
2Des Moines County57.9
3Johnson County57.2
4Jefferson County53.8
5Story County52.2
6Dickinson County49.9
7Shelby County49.6
8Ringgold County48.6
9Fayette County47.4
10Black Hawk County47.2
11Clarke County46.9
12Wapello County46.7
13Carroll County46.4
14Dubuque County45.9
15Appanoose County45.7
16Pottawattamie County45.6
17Jasper County45.4
18Kossuth County45.3
19Lee County45.2
20Cass County45.1
21Monona County44.8
22Keokuk County44.7
23Scott County44.3
24Clinton County44
25Poweshiek County43.6
26Polk County42.9
27Crawford County42.7
28Linn County42.3
29Pocahontas County42.1
30Warren County41.6
31Wright County41.6
32Winneshiek County41.5
33Cedar County41.4
34Hancock County41.4
35Jackson County41.1
35Mills County41.1
37Tama County40.9
38O'Brien County40.7
39Van Buren County40.6
40Page County40.4
41Hardin County40.3
42Woodbury County40.3
43Sioux County40.1
44Muscatine County39.8
45Delaware County39.8
46Butler County39.6
47Osceola County39.2
48Winnebago County39.1
49Webster County39.1
50Madison County39
51Buchanan County38.8
52Decatur County38.4
53Marshall County38
54Emmet County37.9
55Clay County37.5
56Jones County37.4
57Clayton County37.3
58Henry County37.3
59Calhoun County36.8
60Greene County36.8
61Harrison County36.4
62Guthrie County35.9
63Floyd County35.9
64Bremer County35.5
65Montgomery County35.2
66Lucas County35.1
67Davis County35.1
68Cherokee County34.6
69Dallas County34.5
70Union County34.4
71Palo Alto County34.2
72Cerro Gordo County33.8
73Marion County33.1
74Audubon County33
75Howard County32.7
76Allamakee County32.1
77Washington County31.9
78Grundy County31.8
79Boone County31.7
80Mitchell County31.5
81Sac County31.5
82Wayne County31.5
83Buena Vista County31.3
84Louisa County31
85Mahaska County30.9
86Adams County30.7
87Hamilton County30.6
88Chickasaw County30.2
89Franklin County29.8
90Adair County29.6
91Fremont County29.5
92Ida County28.9
93Benton County28.3
94Plymouth County27.3
95Iowa County25.2
96Worth County25.1
97Humboldt County23.5
98Lyon County23
99Taylor County16

Other periods

About this ranking

Renter households whose gross rent (contract rent plus utilities and fuels the renter pays) was 30 percent or more of household income in the past 12 months, as a percentage of renter households for which that ratio can be computed. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

Renters who pay no cash rent and households with no or negative income are left out of both the count and the base. 30 percent is the usual US threshold for rent burden. The EU housing cost overburden rate (housing_cost_overburden_rate) uses 40 percent of disposable income, all housing costs and people instead of households, so the two cannot be compared.

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 B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.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 B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Iowa by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Iowa by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/iowa-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Iowa by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/iowa-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Iowa by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/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 B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Iowa by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/iowa-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Iowa by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 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-b25070.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/iowa-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/iowa-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Iowa by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"rent_burden_30_plus_share","level":"province","within":"Iowa","limit":10}
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Questions

Which county has the highest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)?

Monroe County, with 60.1% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)?

Taylor County, with 16% 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 B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income): other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings