City · Iowa

Arnolds Park, Iowa

Arnolds Park, city, in Dickinson County, Iowa. Arnolds Park had 1,198 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 7.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,110 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 922 (±182). GEOID 1903025.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

1,198

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,110 · ACS 2020-2024: 922 ±182

Median household income

$86,833

±$19,656 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059

Median home value

$438,900

±$116,729 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000

Median gross rent

$485

±$136 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972

Where is Arnolds Park and what county is it in?

Arnolds Park is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa. It covers 1.6 square miles of land, 696 residents per square mile in 2020.

Arnolds Park is in the Spirit Lake, IA micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Arnolds Park (marked with a dot) in Dickinson County, Iowa. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Arnolds Park, and is it growing?

The Census Bureau estimates that 1,198 people lived in Arnolds Park on July 1, 2025, up 7.4% since 2020, faster than Iowa (+1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 1,110 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 922 (±182).

  • July 2020→2021 +36 (1,159)
  • 2021→2022 −2 (1,157)
  • 2022→2023 +38 (1,195)
  • 2023→2024 +19 (1,214)
  • 2024→2025 −16 (1,198)
ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure Arnolds ParkDickinson CountyIowa Change since 2015-2019
Total population 922 ±182 17,990 3,210,507 no clear change
Households 522 ±100 8,845 1,315,707 no clear change
Average household size 1.76 ±0.14 2.00 2.36 no clear change
Housing units 1,616 ±169 14,206 1,437,699 no clear change

Arnolds Park's population since 2000

From 1,162 in 2000 to 1,198 in 2025: up 3.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Arnolds Park 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.

  • 2000 Census 1,162
  • 2005 (estimate) 1,167
  • 2010 Census 1,126
  • 2015 (estimate) 1,225
  • 2020 Census 1,110
  • 2025 (estimate) 1,198

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 Arnolds Park?

The median resident of Arnolds Park is 65.4 years old. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 99.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 0.8%.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure Arnolds ParkDickinson CountyIowa Change since 2015-2019
Median age 65.4 ±2.3 48.7 38.6 +6.6
Under 18 years 4.1% ±2.9 pts 19.1% 22.9% –
65 years and over 51.5% ±8.3 pts 28.2% 18.1% –
Male 46.9% ±5.4 pts 50.3% 50.2% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.8% ±1.1 pts 2.9% 7.3% –
White alone, not Hispanic 99.1% ±1.1 pts 93.4% 82.3% no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±2.7 pts 0.0% 3.8% –
Asian alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±2.7 pts 0.5% 2.5% –
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±2.7 pts 0.1% 0.2% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±2.7 pts 0.0% 0.2% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 0.1% ±0.3 pts 3.2% 3.5% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±2.7 pts 0.0% 0.3% –
Born outside the United States 0.5% ±0.7 pts 1.2% 5.9% –
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 1.0% ±1.6 pts 1.7% 9.1% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 7.0% ±3.0 pts 8.0% 6.5% –
With a disability 21.7% ±6.3 pts 14.7% 12.6% –
No health insurance coverage 0.7% ±1.0 pts 2.6% 5.0% –
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 97.6% ±1.9 pts 96.9% 93.3% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 39.1% ±9.5 pts 31.2% 31.4% +12.7 pts
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 10.1% ±4.1 pts 8.6% 10.5% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 95.8% ±3.8 pts 89.4% 87.1% –
Moved from another state in the past year 1.6% ±1.7 pts 1.2% 2.2% –

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 Arnolds Park earn?

Half of Arnolds Park's 522 households earn less than $86,833 a year (±$19,656), against $75,432 in Dickinson County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 the median was $59,305 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $27,528 after inflation.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure Arnolds ParkDickinson CountyIowa Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $86,833 ±$19,656 $75,432 $75,059 +$27,528
Mean household income $126,966 ±$21,786 $102,164 $98,187 –
Per capita income $69,667 ±$11,274 $48,636 $40,877 +$21,690
People below the poverty line 6.0% ±4.4 pts 7.6% 11.1% –
Children under 18 below the poverty line 0.0% ±42.2 pts 7.9% 12.9% –
Households receiving SNAP 3.4% ±5.2 pts 4.5% 8.8% –
Households with a computer 98.9% ±1.3 pts 96.2% 94.7% –
Households with a broadband subscription 95.4% ±3.3 pts 90.8% 88.9% –

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 Arnolds Park?

Owners occupy 91.4% of Arnolds Park's occupied homes and renters 8.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $438,900 by its owner (±$116,729). The median renter pays $485 a month including utilities.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure Arnolds ParkDickinson CountyIowa Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $438,900 ±$116,729 $270,700 $208,000 +$161,994
Median gross rent $485 ±$136 $922 $972 −$554
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 28.1% ±42.2 pts 34.5% 35.2% –
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $1,633 ±$420 $1,529 $1,533 –
Owner-occupied homes 91.4% ±6.1 pts 77.5% 71.7% +10.4 pts
Renter-occupied homes 8.6% ±6.1 pts 22.5% 28.3% –
Housing units 1,616 ±169 14,206 1,437,699 no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate 2.9% ±4.7 pts 0.3% 0.8% –
Rental vacancy rate 0.0% ±38.8 pts 0.4% 5.7% –
Single-family detached homes 53.8% ±6.0 pts 71.0% 72.2% –
Mobile homes 16.7% ±4.4 pts 8.9% 3.2% –
Built 2020 or later 1.1% ±1.1 pts 1.6% 1.7% –
Built 2010 to 2019 23.7% ±5.3 pts 11.4% 9.2% –
Built 1939 or earlier 13.1% ±4.3 pts 16.7% 23.5% –
Households with no vehicle 0.6% ±0.9 pts 4.4% 5.4% –

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 Arnolds Park building?

Builders took permits for 9 new housing units in Arnolds Park in 2025 (9 in single-family houses), 7.5 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.

  • 2019 49 units
  • 2020 67 units
  • 2021 28 units
  • 2022 117 units
  • 2023 79 units
  • 2024 10 units
  • 2025 9 units

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 Arnolds Park work and get to work?

75.6% of Arnolds Park's workers drive alone and 11.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 16.8 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure Arnolds ParkDickinson CountyIowa Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 44.9% ±8.1 pts 64.5% 66.4% –
Unemployment rate 0.5% ±1.2 pts 3.0% 3.6% –
Drove alone to work 75.6% ±9.0 pts 77.7% 76.0% –
Carpooled 10.6% ±8.5 pts 8.0% 7.8% –
Public transportation 0.0% ±6.1 pts 0.0% 0.7% –
Walked 1.3% ±2.5 pts 2.4% 2.9% –
Worked from home 11.8% ±5.0 pts 10.5% 11.3% –
Mean travel time to work 16.8 min ±3.3 16.7 min 19.8 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 Arnolds Park?

No census tract lies mostly in Arnolds Park; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in Arnolds Park, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Arnolds Park
Tract 4511Dickinson County3,992 $75,875 $451,70021%
Tract 4510Dickinson County2,381 $91,974 $422,4005%
Tract 4508Dickinson County3,724 $65,417 $217,9000%

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 Arnolds Park) · Census block assignment files

How does Arnolds Park compare with other places in Iowa?

By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Arnolds Park is the 9,597th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 240th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.

Arnolds Park ranks 65th of 279 places in Iowa with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Arnolds Park's rank in Iowa (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population, July 2025 estimate240th939
Growth 2020-2025 (PEP)26th275
Residents per square mile227th279
Median household income65th279
Per capita income2nd279
Median home value1st279
Median gross rent265th266
Bachelor's degree or higher46th279
Median age1st279
Owner-occupied share11th279
Work from home64th221
Travel time to work212th279

Arnolds Park's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)

Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Arnolds Park 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 Arnolds Park?

25 of the 57 figures for Arnolds Park 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 Arnolds Park 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 Arnolds Park.