City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Atlantic, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Atlantic - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

6,773
Residents
$57,486
Median income
$134,900
Median home
$919
Median rent (state)

Atlantic - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Atlantic places in the 31st percentile for household income and the 25th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

31st
percentile, household income
22nd
percentile, home value
6th
percentile, median rent
25th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Atlantic, IA

Atlantic is a small town in Iowa, home to 6,773 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Atlantic brings in $57,486 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 20.1%. Home values in Atlantic run a median of $134,900, and the median resident age is 43.0 years. 24.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 64.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 3 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 40% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2360.5 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Atlantic's yearly average temperature at 49.3°F with 37.1 inches of precipitation per year and 27.3 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Iowa scores 87.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $919 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Iowa run around $212, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 60.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

6,773 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$57,486 /yr

Poverty 20.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Atlantic compare to other US cities?

Where Atlantic sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 31% higher than other cities
Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 6% pricier than other cities
Safety 25% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Iowa and the picture shifts: Atlantic ranks #127 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Atlantic's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

31stIncome percentile
25thSafety percentile

31st percentile nationally for median household income · 25th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Atlantic's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Atlantic's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 47 Avg. percentile National median
Atlantic's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Atlantic's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$134,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Atlantic $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Atlantic, IA Atlantic, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Atlantic, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Atlantic, IA median $57,486/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Atlantic, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Atlantic, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
6,773
Median Income
$57,486
Median Home Value
$134,900
Median Age
43.0
Poverty Rate
20.1%
Labor force participation
64.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2360.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
368.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1991.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
49.3°F
Annual Precipitation
37.1"
Annual Snowfall
27.3"

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
6,650 residents6,700 residents6,750 residents6,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 6,781 residents 6,676 residents ▼ -1.5%
Atlantic's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 3
2021 0
2022 4
2023 4
2024 3

Permit volume decreased 40% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.5%
Carpool
5.5%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
3.5%
Work from Home
8.3%
Other
2.1%

Based on 3,513 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Atlantic sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$919/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
60.1 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Eldridge
6,743 people
Nevada
6,952 people
Hiawatha
7,178 people
Orange City
6,312 people
Adel
6,259 people
Washington
7,314 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Atlantic's 6,773 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bonne Terre, MO
6,773 people
Belle Mead, NJ
6,772 people
Chestnut Hill, PA
6,774 people
South Monroe, MI
6,771 people
Lawrence, NY
6,771 people
Sterling, AK
6,776 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Atlantic's $57,486 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Round Lake Park, IL
$57,486 median income
Chicago Heights, IL
$57,479 median income
Citrus Springs, FL
$57,477 median income
Watervliet, MI
$57,477 median income
Fredericksburg, TX
$57,474 median income
Pitkas Point, AK
$57,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Atlantic, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Atlantic, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 96.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.6% White 96.2% Black or African American 1.7% Asian 0.6% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.4% Two or more races 1.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Atlantic compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Atlantic (this city) 6,773 $57,486
Eldridge 6,743 $101,089
Nevada 6,952 $75,221
Hiawatha 7,178 $67,628
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Atlantic, IA?

What is the population of Atlantic, IA? +

6,773 people live in Atlantic, IA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Atlantic, IA? +

The median household income in Atlantic is $57,486 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Atlantic? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Atlantic; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

Is Atlantic, IA safe? +

Atlantic has a total crime rate of 2360.5 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Atlantic, IA? +

Atlantic's median home value sits at $134,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Atlantic? +

The average annual temperature in Atlantic runs 49.3°F, 37.1 inches of precipitation, and 27.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.