City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Dows, IA

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

544
Residents
$58,750
Median income
$56,200
Median home
$919
Median rent (state)

Dows - the verdict

Nationally, Dows sits in the 33rd percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

33rd
percentile, household income
1st
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: Dows, IA

Dows is a small town in Iowa, home to 544 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $58,750 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Dows's housing stock carries a median value of $56,200, and the median resident age is 37.0 years. About 19.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 66.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1 residential building permits were authorized in Dows (Low Activity), per Census BPS data.

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. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 21.9 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

544 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$58,750 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Dows compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 33% higher than other cities
Home value 1% 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 Dows 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 Dows near the bottom of Iowa's cities

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

Median Household Income
#566 of 845
32nd percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#450 of 858
0th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#799 of 849
6th percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#764 of 858
0th percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#378 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.

33rdIncome percentile

33rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Dows's home value compares nationally

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

$56,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 99% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Dows $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 - Dows, IA Dows, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Dows, 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 Dows, IA median $58,750/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%
Dows, 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 Dows, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.4%

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

Population
544
Median Income
$58,750
Median Home Value
$56,200
Median Age
37.0
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
66.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.2%

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
510 residents515 residents520 residents525 residents530 residents 202020212022202320242025 525 residents 513 residents ▼ -2.3%
Dows's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

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

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
87.6%
Carpool
2.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
6.6%
Other
2.5%

Based on 274 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 Dows 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
21.9 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Sabula
543 people
Emerson
547 people
Klemme
540 people
Russell
551 people
Twin Lakes
535 people
Garwin
554 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Dows's 544 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Mad River, CA
544 people
Argyle, GA
544 people
Patoka, IL
544 people
New Market, IN
544 people
Balaton, MN
544 people
Hamburg, MN
544 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Dows's $58,750 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dodge City, AL
$58,750 median income
Emmet, AR
$58,750 median income
Horseshoe Lake, AR
$58,750 median income
Mechanicsville, CT
$58,750 median income
Arcade, GA
$58,750 median income
Pulaski, GA
$58,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Dows, 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 Dows, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.2% White 94.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.9% Two or more races 1.8% 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 Dows 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
Dows (this city) 544 $58,750
Sabula 543 $60,417
Emerson 547 $47,426
Klemme 540 $57,031
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Dows, IA?

What is the population of Dows, IA? +

Dows, IA has a population of 544 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Dows, the typical household earns $58,750 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Dows? +

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

Dows's median home value sits at $56,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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