City · Iowa
Brandon, Iowa
Brandon, city, in Buchanan County, Iowa. Brandon had 325 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 341 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 307 (±93). GEOID 1908155.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
325
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 341 · ACS 2020-2024: 307 ±93
Median household income
$61,250
±$10,285 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$113,800
±$26,784 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$1,046
±$139 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Brandon and what county is it in?
Brandon is a city in Buchanan County, Iowa. It covers 0.3 square miles of land, 1,052 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 Brandon, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 325 people lived in Brandon on July 1, 2025, down 0.6% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 341 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 307 (±93).
| Measure | Brandon | Buchanan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 307 ±93 | 20,694 | no clear change |
| Households | 142 ±36 | 8,252 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.16 ±0.50 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 147 ±36 | 8,945 | no clear change |
Brandon's population since 2000
From 311 in 2000 to 325 in 2025: up 4.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Brandon 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 Brandon?
The median resident of Brandon is 40.1 years old; 15.6% are under 18 and 17.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 82.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 17.3%.
| Measure | Brandon | Buchanan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 ±9.8 | 40.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 15.6% ±6.4 pts | 25.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.9% ±7.5 pts | 18.6% | – |
| Male | 58.6% ±5.8 pts | 50.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 17.3% ±14.8 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 82.4% ±14.7 pts | 95.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.9 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.6% ±5.5 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.6% ±5.6 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.6% ±4.9 pts | 6.9% | – |
| With a disability | 23.8% ±7.7 pts | 12.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.8% ±11.5 pts | 6.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.8% ±6.1 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.0% ±10.7 pts | 22.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.6% ±4.3 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.1% ±10.2 pts | 89.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.6% ±3.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
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 Brandon earn?
Half of Brandon's 142 households earn less than $61,250 a year (±$10,285), against $78,236 in Buchanan County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $50,510 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 13.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Brandon | Buchanan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,250 ±$10,285 | $78,236 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $64,435 ±$9,558 | $89,957 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,908 ±$5,032 | $36,527 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.0% ±6.7 pts | 8.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 10.4% ±14.0 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.3% ±9.2 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.8% ±3.5 pts | 91.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.7% ±10.1 pts | 87.1% | – |
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 Brandon?
Owners occupy 59.9% of Brandon's occupied homes and renters 40.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $113,800 by its owner (±$26,784). The median renter pays $1,046 a month including utilities, and 37.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Brandon | Buchanan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $113,800 ±$26,784 | $176,000 | +$29,990 |
| Median gross rent | $1,046 ±$139 | $848 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 37.0% ±23.1 pts | 30.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,278 ±$250 | $1,376 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 59.9% ±13.4 pts | 82.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 40.1% ±13.4 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Housing units | 147 ±36 | 8,945 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±25.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±33.8 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.5% ±10.8 pts | 83.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.7% ±3.2 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±15.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.4% ±8.0 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 36.7% ±10.1 pts | 24.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±16.1 pts | 6.6% | – |
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 Brandon building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Brandon 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 Brandon work and get to work?
79.5% of Brandon's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 23.7 minutes.
| Measure | Brandon | Buchanan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 71.4% ±9.2 pts | 67.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% ±4.5 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 79.5% ±11.8 pts | 77.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.5% ±11.3 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±13.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.6% ±1.3 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.1% ±4.5 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.7 min ±5.5 | 23.5 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 Brandon?
No census tract lies mostly in Brandon; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9506Buchanan County | 4,609 | $85,054 |
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 Brandon) · Census block assignment files
How does Brandon compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Brandon is the 14,861st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 544th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Brandon 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 | 544th | 939 |
Brandon's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Brandon 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 Brandon?
26 of the 57 figures for Brandon 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 Brandon 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 Brandon.