City · Iowa
Afton, Iowa
Afton, city, in Union County, Iowa. Afton had 859 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 874 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 817 (±137). GEOID 1900595.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
859
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 874 · ACS 2020-2024: 817 ±137
Median household income
$54,545
±$9,440 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$95,300
±$13,957 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$590
±$142 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Afton and what county is it in?
Afton is a city in Union County, Iowa. It covers 1.0 square miles of land, 869 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Afton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 859 people lived in Afton on July 1, 2025, down 0.9% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 874 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 817 (±137).
| Measure | Afton | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 817 ±137 | 11,993 | no clear change |
| Households | 320 ±54 | 5,116 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.50 ±0.40 | 2.28 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 386 ±58 | 5,785 | no clear change |
Afton's population since 2000
From 917 in 2000 to 859 in 2025: down 6.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Afton as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Afton?
The median resident of Afton is 39.0 years old; 22.6% are under 18 and 21.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 10.8%. 10.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Afton | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.0 ±8.4 | 40.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.6% ±5.9 pts | 22.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.8% ±7.0 pts | 20.8% | – |
| Male | 54.8% ±6.6 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 10.8% ±8.0 pts | 3.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 84.0% ±8.5 pts | 91.9% | −11.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.1% ±4.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±1.7 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.3% ±6.4 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.5% ±4.0 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.5% ±2.7 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 23.0% ±6.9 pts | 15.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.5% ±3.7 pts | 8.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.2% ±4.3 pts | 91.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 21.0% ±8.8 pts | 23.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.2% ±2.3 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.3% ±4.6 pts | 88.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.4% ±2.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Afton earn?
Half of Afton's 320 households earn less than $54,545 a year (±$9,440), against $57,772 in Union County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $60,535 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 13.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Afton | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,545 ±$9,440 | $57,772 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $71,190 ±$11,889 | $71,876 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,922 ±$4,141 | $31,697 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.9% ±6.2 pts | 12.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 14.8% ±15.0 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 17.8% ±6.6 pts | 17.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.2% ±4.4 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 77.2% ±8.7 pts | 84.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Afton?
Owners occupy 67.5% of Afton's occupied homes and renters 32.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $95,300 by its owner (±$13,957). The median renter pays $590 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Afton | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $95,300 ±$13,957 | $122,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $590 ±$142 | $721 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 17.7% ±15.1 pts | 29.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $926 ±$93 | $1,250 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 67.5% ±8.6 pts | 72.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.5% ±8.6 pts | 27.9% | – |
| Housing units | 386 ±58 | 5,785 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.9% ±1.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.9% ±13.5 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 66.3% ±8.0 pts | 75.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.7% ±5.0 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.0% ±1.5 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 21.8% ±6.6 pts | 35.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 15.0% ±7.3 pts | 5.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Afton building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Afton in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 4.7 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Afton work and get to work?
75.3% of Afton's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 21.6 minutes.
| Measure | Afton | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.4% ±8.5 pts | 58.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% ±3.8 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.3% ±9.7 pts | 80.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 19.2% ±9.1 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.7% ±2.1 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.8% ±2.9 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.6 min ±4.7 | 15.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Afton?
No census tract lies mostly in Afton; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1901Union County | 2,450 | $60,039 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Afton) · Census block assignment files
How does Afton compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Afton is the 10,931st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 314th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Afton is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 314th | 939 |
Afton's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Afton with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Afton?
22 of the 57 figures for Afton on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Afton are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Afton.