City · Iowa
Bancroft, Iowa
Bancroft, city, in Kossuth County, Iowa. Bancroft had 673 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 699 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 626 (±118). GEOID 1904420.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
673
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 699 · ACS 2020-2024: 626 ±118
Median household income
$60,000
±$16,548 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$120,700
±$25,477 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$725
±$282 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Bancroft and what county is it in?
Bancroft is a city in Kossuth County, Iowa. It covers 0.6 square miles of land, 1,239 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 Bancroft, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 673 people lived in Bancroft on July 1, 2025, down 3.4% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 699 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 626 (±118).
| Measure | Bancroft | Kossuth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 626 ±118 | 14,516 | no clear change |
| Households | 282 ±47 | 6,543 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.13 ±0.25 | 2.17 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 320 ±55 | 7,205 | no clear change |
Bancroft's population since 2000
From 808 in 2000 to 673 in 2025: down 16.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Bancroft 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 Bancroft?
The median resident of Bancroft is 35.6 years old; 25.1% are under 18 and 24.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.9%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.7%.
| Measure | Bancroft | Kossuth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 ±4.5 | 44.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.1% ±5.5 pts | 22.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.0% ±6.2 pts | 25.4% | – |
| Male | 47.1% ±4.8 pts | 50.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.9% ±2.5 pts | 4.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.9% ±4.5 pts | 91.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±1.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.7% ±3.1 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.6% ±2.7 pts | 6.9% | – |
| With a disability | 11.3% ±5.3 pts | 13.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.8% ±3.0 pts | 3.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.4% ±2.5 pts | 95.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.3% ±4.5 pts | 22.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.9% ±1.7 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.8% ±4.4 pts | 88.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.1% ±1.5 pts | 2.1% | – |
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 Bancroft earn?
Half of Bancroft's 282 households earn less than $60,000 a year (±$16,548), against $67,697 in Kossuth County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $51,791 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bancroft | Kossuth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,000 ±$16,548 | $67,697 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $95,444 ±$26,877 | $86,441 | – |
| Per capita income | $40,823 ±$8,075 | $38,458 | +$12,779 |
| People below the poverty line | 10.1% ±4.6 pts | 8.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.4% ±10.2 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.3% ±3.0 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.4% ±3.2 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.8% ±4.6 pts | 87.6% | – |
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 Bancroft?
Owners occupy 75.5% of Bancroft's occupied homes and renters 24.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $120,700 by its owner (±$25,477). The median renter pays $725 a month including utilities, and 27.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Bancroft | Kossuth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $120,700 ±$25,477 | $148,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $725 ±$282 | $859 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 27.8% ±18.0 pts | 27.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,106 ±$137 | $1,248 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 75.5% ±7.5 pts | 78.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 24.5% ±7.5 pts | 21.4% | – |
| Housing units | 320 ±55 | 7,205 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 25.8% ±14.6 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.2% ±6.8 pts | 85.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±7.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.3% ±1.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.4% ±4.7 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 28.4% ±7.3 pts | 30.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.4% ±1.5 pts | 6.1% | – |
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 Bancroft building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Bancroft 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 Bancroft work and get to work?
83.9% of Bancroft's workers drive alone and 6.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 16.2 minutes.
| Measure | Bancroft | Kossuth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.5% ±7.6 pts | 62.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.6% ±1.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.9% ±5.4 pts | 79.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.5% ±2.7 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±7.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 6.1% ±4.7 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.1% ±3.8 pts | 7.2% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 16.2 min ±2.8 | 16.3 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 Bancroft?
No census tract lies mostly in Bancroft; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9503Kossuth County | 2,125 | $65,195 |
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 Bancroft) · Census block assignment files
How does Bancroft compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bancroft is the 12,004th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 384th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Bancroft 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 | 384th | 939 |
Bancroft's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Bancroft 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 Bancroft?
22 of the 57 figures for Bancroft 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 Bancroft 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 Bancroft.