City · Iowa
Bonaparte, Iowa
Bonaparte, city, in Van Buren County, Iowa. Bonaparte had 354 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 359 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 302 (±83). GEOID 1907345.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
354
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 359 · ACS 2020-2024: 302 ±83
Median household income
$40,909
±$12,588 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$69,600
±$21,102 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$492
±$239 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Bonaparte and what county is it in?
Bonaparte is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa. It covers 0.4 square miles of land, 960 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 Bonaparte, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 354 people lived in Bonaparte on July 1, 2025, down 1.4% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 359 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 302 (±83).
| Measure | Bonaparte | Van Buren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 302 ±83 | 7,241 | −157 |
| Households | 134 ±39 | 2,896 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.25 ±0.50 | 2.47 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 155 ±43 | 3,490 | −69 |
Bonaparte's population since 2000
From 458 in 2000 to 354 in 2025: down 22.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Bonaparte 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 Bonaparte?
The median resident of Bonaparte is 38.0 years old; 26.8% are under 18 and 23.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 91.4%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.6%.
| Measure | Bonaparte | Van Buren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 ±12.4 | 44.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.8% ±8.8 pts | 23.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.5% ±8.2 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Male | 49.3% ±6.4 pts | 51.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.6% ±3.5 pts | 1.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 91.4% ±6.1 pts | 94.4% | −6.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6% ±4.5 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.7% ±1.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.8% ±2.0 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.3% ±7.8 pts | 9.5% | – |
| With a disability | 22.8% ±8.6 pts | 17.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.6% ±7.4 pts | 17.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.8% ±4.6 pts | 85.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 8.4% ±5.6 pts | 18.8% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.1% ±3.1 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.9% ±9.0 pts | 89.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.7% ±6.9 pts | 1.8% | – |
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 Bonaparte earn?
Half of Bonaparte's 134 households earn less than $40,909 a year (±$12,588), against $61,161 in Van Buren County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $46,920 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bonaparte | Van Buren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $40,909 ±$12,588 | $61,161 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $56,110 ±$12,855 | $82,878 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,699 ±$6,741 | $33,900 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 16.6% ±7.5 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.9% ±8.1 pts | 16.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 25.4% ±11.7 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 82.1% ±9.4 pts | 83.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 74.6% ±11.0 pts | 72.8% | – |
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 Bonaparte?
Owners occupy 64.9% of Bonaparte's occupied homes and renters 35.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $69,600 by its owner (±$21,102). The median renter pays $492 a month including utilities, and 46.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Bonaparte | Van Buren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $69,600 ±$21,102 | $114,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $492 ±$239 | $622 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 46.8% ±26.0 pts | 37.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,144 ±$144 | $1,367 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 64.9% ±11.5 pts | 81.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 35.1% ±11.5 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Housing units | 155 ±43 | 3,490 | −69 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±24.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±37.9 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 74.8% ±10.5 pts | 85.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.5% ±6.3 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±14.9 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.6% ±2.0 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 56.1% ±11.0 pts | 33.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 12.7% ±9.3 pts | 10.2% | – |
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 Bonaparte building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Bonaparte 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 Bonaparte work and get to work?
60.3% of Bonaparte's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 19.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 18.0%.
| Measure | Bonaparte | Van Buren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.3% ±9.7 pts | 58.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 18.0% ±11.0 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 60.3% ±17.4 pts | 67.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 25.0% ±19.1 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±19.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 14.7% ±12.7 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.0% ±19.3 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.4 min ±6.0 | 22.5 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 Bonaparte?
No census tract lies mostly in Bonaparte; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9501Van Buren County | 3,957 | $57,933 |
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 Bonaparte) · Census block assignment files
How does Bonaparte compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bonaparte is the 14,572nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 521st-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Bonaparte 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 | 521st | 939 |
Bonaparte's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Bonaparte 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 Bonaparte?
25 of the 57 figures for Bonaparte 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 Bonaparte 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 Bonaparte.