City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Colo, IA

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

751
Residents
$73,125
Median income
$147,400
Median home
$1,153
Median rent (state)

Colo - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Colo places in the 54th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

54th
percentile, household income
26th
percentile, home value
33rd
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Colo, IA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 751 residents in Colo, a small town within Iowa. Colo households earn a median of $73,125 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.5%. Typical homes in Colo are valued around $147,400, and the median resident age is 42.8 years. 19.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 63.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 47.8°F with 36.5 inches of precipitation per year and 30.6 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: the state registers 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,153 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Iowa's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 68.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

751 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$73,125 /yr

Poverty 1.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Colo compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 54% higher than other cities
Home value 26% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Colo against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Iowa only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Iowa-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Colo toward the top of Iowa's cities

Among the 858 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Colo ranks #101 - the 87th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Colo only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#274 of 845
67th percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#101 of 858
87th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#282 of 849
67th percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#716 of 858
16th percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#372 of 858
56th percentile in Iowa

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Iowa only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

54thIncome percentile

54th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Colo's home value compares nationally

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

$147,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 74% 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. Colo $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 - Colo, IA Colo, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Colo, 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 Colo, IA median $73,125/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%
Colo, 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 Colo, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.9%

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

Population
751
Median Income
$73,125
Median Home Value
$147,400
Median Age
42.8
Poverty Rate
1.5%
Labor force participation
63.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.3%

Climate

Avg Temperature
47.8°F
Annual Precipitation
36.5"
Annual Snowfall
30.6"

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
835 residents840 residents845 residents850 residents855 residents 202020212022202320242025 847 residents 838 residents ▼ -1.1%
Colo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 1
2022 0
2023 1
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
86.9%
Carpool
4.5%
Public Transit
1.9%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
6.7%

Based on 375 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 Colo sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,153/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
68.8 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Shellsburg
752 people
Quasqueton
749 people
Early
757 people
Hubbard
757 people
Manilla
761 people
Latimer
763 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Colo's 751 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

La Veta, CO
751 people
Appling, GA
751 people
North High Shoals, GA
751 people
Welcome, LA
751 people
Saugatuck, MI
751 people
Myrtle, MS
751 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Colo's $73,125 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Allgood, AL
$73,125 median income
Sand Point, AK
$73,125 median income
New Milford, IL
$73,125 median income
McLean, NY
$73,125 median income
Christiansburg, OH
$73,125 median income
Grand Rapids, OH
$73,125 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Colo, 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 Colo, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.5% White 94.8% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 1.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 2.7% 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 Colo 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
Colo (this city) 751 $73,125
Shellsburg 752 $69,750
Quasqueton 749 $64,531
Early 757 $76,083
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Colo, IA?

What is the population of Colo, IA? +

Colo, IA has a population of 751 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Colo, the typical household earns $73,125 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Colo? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Colo; 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.

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

A typical home in Colo is worth $147,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Colo? +

Colo has an average annual temperature of 47.8°F, 36.5 inches of precipitation, and 30.6 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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

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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.