City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Dow City, IA

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

384
Residents
$46,932
Median income
$130,200
Median home
$919
Median rent (state)

Dow City - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Dow City lands in the 15th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

15th
percentile, household income
21st
percentile, home value
6th
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: Dow City, IA

Dow City is a small town in Iowa, home to 384 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Dow City brings in $46,932 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.8%. Home values in Dow City run a median of $130,200, and the median resident age is 48.3 years. Educational attainment runs 3.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 71.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits).

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $919 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Iowa run around $212, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 60.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

384 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$46,932 /yr

Poverty 5.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Dow City compare to other US cities?

Here's how Dow City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 15% higher than other cities
Home value 21% pricier than other cities
Median rent 6% 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 Dow City 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 Dow City near the bottom of Iowa's cities

Among the 858 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Dow City ranks #450 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Dow City only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#791 of 845
6th percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#450 of 858
0th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#360 of 849
58th percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#426 of 858
50th percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#825 of 858
4th 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.

15thIncome percentile

15th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Dow City's home value compares nationally

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

$130,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 79% 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. Dow City $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 - Dow City, IA Dow City, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Dow City, 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 Dow City, IA median $46,932/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%
Dow City, 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 Dow City, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 3.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 71.8%

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

Population
384
Median Income
$46,932
Median Home Value
$130,200
Median Age
48.3
Poverty Rate
5.8%
Labor force participation
71.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
3.8%

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 →
465 residents470 residents475 residents480 residents485 residents490 residents 202020212022202320242025 484 residents 471 residents ▼ -2.7%
Dow City'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 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.8%
Carpool
3.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
23.5%
Work from Home
0.0%
Other
0.9%

Based on 213 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 Dow City sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$919/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
60.8 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

West Okoboji
384 people
Lockridge
383 people
Ryan
383 people
Bonaparte
382 people
Donahue
382 people
Duncombe
382 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Dow City's 384 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Wall Lane, AZ
384 people
Traver, CA
384 people
Yankee Hill, CA
384 people
Odum, GA
384 people
Tiger, GA
384 people
Kilbourne, LA
384 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Dow City's $46,932 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lake Secession, SC
$46,933 median income
Big Rock, VA
$46,929 median income
East Alton, IL
$46,926 median income
Oak Harbor, OH
$46,939 median income
Canton, MO
$46,941 median income
Wolverton, MN
$46,944 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Dow City, 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 Dow City, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.1% 12.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14.1% White 84.1% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 3.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 12.0% 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 Dow City 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
Dow City (this city) 384 $46,932
West Okoboji 384 $73,125
Lockridge 383 $93,929
Ryan 383 $77,500
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Dow City, IA?

What is the population of Dow City, IA? +

384 people live in Dow City, IA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Dow City, IA? +

Dow City households earn a median of $46,932 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Dow City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Dow City; 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 Dow City, IA? +

A typical home in Dow City is worth $130,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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