City · Iowa
Ashton, Iowa
Ashton, city, in Osceola County, Iowa. Ashton had 428 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 436 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 461 (±109). GEOID 1903295.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
428
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 436 · ACS 2020-2024: 461 ±109
Median household income
$57,375
±$8,956 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$98,800
±$12,456 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$900
±$324 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Ashton and what county is it in?
Ashton is a city in Osceola County, Iowa. It covers 1.1 square miles of land, 390 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 Ashton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 428 people lived in Ashton on July 1, 2025, down 4.5% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 436 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 461 (±109).
| Measure | Ashton | Osceola County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 461 ±109 | 6,100 | no clear change |
| Households | 212 ±47 | 2,634 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.17 ±0.30 | 2.27 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 224 ±48 | 2,868 | no clear change |
Ashton's population since 2000
From 461 in 2000 to 428 in 2025: down 7.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ashton 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 Ashton?
The median resident of Ashton is 43.1 years old; 24.9% are under 18 and 22.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 96.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 2.6%.
| Measure | Ashton | Osceola County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 ±14.6 | 43.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.9% ±7.9 pts | 22.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.1% ±7.0 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Male | 44.5% ±4.3 pts | 53.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.1% ±2.0 pts | 10.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 96.3% ±2.7 pts | 84.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±2.0 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.9% ±0.9 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.1% ±1.5 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.1% ±2.8 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 19.3% ±8.3 pts | 12.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.8% ±2.6 pts | 8.0% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.7% ±5.9 pts | 87.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.3% ±6.1 pts | 16.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.1% ±2.6 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.9% ±8.0 pts | 93.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.4% ±0.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
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 Ashton earn?
Half of Ashton's 212 households earn less than $57,375 a year (±$8,956), against $69,239 in Osceola County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $63,458 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Ashton | Osceola County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,375 ±$8,956 | $69,239 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $72,505 ±$13,358 | $86,400 | – |
| Per capita income | $32,021 ±$4,776 | $37,595 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.2% ±5.1 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±19.6 pts | 30.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.5% ±6.0 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 87.7% ±8.1 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 80.7% ±9.5 pts | 85.5% | – |
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 Ashton?
Owners occupy 88.2% of Ashton's occupied homes and renters 11.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $98,800 by its owner (±$12,456). The median renter pays $900 a month including utilities, and 71.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Ashton | Osceola County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $98,800 ±$12,456 | $122,600 | +$19,051 |
| Median gross rent | $900 ±$324 | $797 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 71.4% ±36.6 pts | 50.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,051 ±$178 | $1,237 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 88.2% ±7.0 pts | 77.9% | +14.1 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 11.8% ±7.0 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Housing units | 224 ±48 | 2,868 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±12.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±52.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 95.5% ±3.9 pts | 87.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.7% ±3.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.3% ±2.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.9% ±1.2 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 45.5% ±10.2 pts | 36.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.2% ±5.4 pts | 1.4% | – |
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 Ashton building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Ashton in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 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 Ashton work and get to work?
76.3% of Ashton's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 20.2 minutes.
| Measure | Ashton | Osceola County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.5% ±7.6 pts | 65.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±9.7 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.3% ±8.8 pts | 79.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.8% ±6.7 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 3.7% ±2.7 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.2% ±3.2 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.2 min ±2.6 | 18.2 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 Ashton?
No census tract lies mostly in Ashton; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4602Osceola County | 2,582 | $75,556 |
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 Ashton) · Census block assignment files
How does Ashton compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ashton is the 13,836th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 469th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Ashton 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 | 469th | 939 |
Ashton's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Ashton 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 Ashton?
25 of the 57 figures for Ashton 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 Ashton 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 Ashton.