City · Iowa
Carlisle, Iowa
Carlisle, city, mostly in Warren County (98.3% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Polk County, Iowa. Carlisle had 4,532 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 8.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,160 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,255 (±46). GEOID 1910765.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,532
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,160 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,255 ±46
Median household income
$109,191
±$25,012 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$234,300
±$11,615 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$1,000
±$555 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Carlisle and what county is it in?
Carlisle is a city mostly in Warren County (98.3% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Polk County, Iowa. It covers 5.7 square miles of land, 736 residents per square mile in 2020.
Carlisle is in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Warren County | 4,087 | 98.3% |
| Polk County | 73 | 1.8% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Carlisle, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,532 people lived in Carlisle on July 1, 2025, up 8.6% since 2020, faster than Iowa (+1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 4,160 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,255 (±46).
| Measure | Carlisle | Warren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,255 ±46 | 54,409 | +93 |
| Households | 1,553 ±150 | 20,679 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.70 ±0.26 | 2.55 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,651 ±143 | 21,921 | no clear change |
Carlisle's population since 2000
From 3,497 in 2000 to 4,532 in 2025: up 29.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Carlisle 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 Carlisle?
The median resident of Carlisle is 36.3 years old; 28.6% are under 18 and 12.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.1%.
| Measure | Carlisle | Warren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 ±3.9 | 38.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 28.6% ±4.2 pts | 24.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.3% ±3.5 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Male | 50.4% ±4.7 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.1% ±3.1 pts | 3.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.3% ±3.3 pts | 91.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.1% ±0.9 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.0% ±3.1 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.6% ±3.4 pts | 6.7% | – |
| With a disability | 12.8% ±3.5 pts | 11.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.7% ±1.7 pts | 2.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.7% ±2.9 pts | 96.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 28.6% ±6.8 pts | 33.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.9% ±4.2 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.0% ±3.9 pts | 89.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.1% ±0.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
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 Carlisle earn?
Half of Carlisle's 1,553 households earn less than $109,191 a year (±$25,012), against $94,588 in Warren County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $90,308 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 3.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Carlisle | Warren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $109,191 ±$25,012 | $94,588 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $115,578 ±$12,747 | $111,331 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,599 ±$5,798 | $43,596 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 3.1% ±1.7 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.7% ±1.4 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.3% ±4.0 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.7% ±2.1 pts | 96.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.1% ±4.4 pts | 91.8% | – |
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 Carlisle?
Owners occupy 84.0% of Carlisle's occupied homes and renters 16.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $234,300 by its owner (±$11,615). The median renter pays $1,000 a month including utilities, and 42.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Carlisle | Warren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $234,300 ±$11,615 | $269,600 | +$51,050 |
| Median gross rent | $1,000 ±$555 | $973 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.2% ±20.5 pts | 31.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,761 ±$103 | $1,816 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 84.0% ±5.5 pts | 82.3% | +9.9 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 16.0% ±5.5 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Housing units | 1,651 ±143 | 21,921 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 11.4% ±16.5 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 79.0% ±6.5 pts | 76.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.8% ±3.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.2% ±2.2 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 16.6% ±5.3 pts | 15.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 5.9% ±3.2 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.3% ±3.2 pts | 3.3% | – |
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 Carlisle building?
Builders took permits for 9 new housing units in Carlisle in 2025 (9 in single-family houses), 2.0 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 Carlisle work and get to work?
77.6% of Carlisle's workers drive alone and 10.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.1%.
| Measure | Carlisle | Warren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 75.6% ±4.8 pts | 68.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% ±3.7 pts | 3.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 77.6% ±5.4 pts | 76.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.4% ±3.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 2.7% ±1.7 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.1% ±4.5 pts | 15.3% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.2 min ±3.5 | 24.1 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 Carlisle?
1 census tract lies mostly in Carlisle, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 204Warren County | 4,829 | $104,201 |
| Tract 108.06Polk County | 4,789 | $62,086 |
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 Carlisle) · Census block assignment files
How does Carlisle compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Carlisle is the 5,178th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 95th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Carlisle ranks 28th of 279 places in Iowa with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 95th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 21st | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 219th | 279 |
| Median household income | 28th | 279 |
| Per capita income | 72nd | 279 |
| Median home value | 61st | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 50th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 228th | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 95th | 279 |
| Median age | 217th | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 36th | 279 |
| Work from home | 98th | 221 |
| Travel time to work | 29th | 279 |
Carlisle's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Carlisle 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 Carlisle?
15 of the 57 figures for Carlisle 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 Carlisle 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 Carlisle.