City · Iowa
Dows, Iowa
Dows, city, mostly in Wright County (91.6% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Franklin County, Iowa. Dows had 513 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 521 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 562 (±158). GEOID 1922305.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
513
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 521 · ACS 2020-2024: 562 ±158
Median household income
$78,000
±$13,517 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$59,800
±$19,714 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$695
±$425 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Dows and what county is it in?
Dows is a city mostly in Wright County (91.6% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Franklin County, Iowa. It covers 0.8 square miles of land, 678 residents per square mile in 2020.
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wright County | 477 | 91.6% |
| Franklin County | 44 | 8.5% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Dows, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 513 people lived in Dows on July 1, 2025, down 2.5% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 521 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 562 (±158).
| Measure | Dows | Wright County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 562 ±158 | 12,791 | no clear change |
| Households | 198 ±47 | 5,353 | −93 |
| Average household size | 2.84 ±0.45 | 2.35 | +0.85 |
| Housing units | 222 ±51 | 6,278 | −122 |
Dows's population since 2000
From 675 in 2000 to 513 in 2025: down 24.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Dows 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 Dows?
The median resident of Dows is 37.3 years old; 34.2% are under 18 and 14.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 6.0%.
| Measure | Dows | Wright County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 ±9.8 | 39.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 34.2% ±7.4 pts | 26.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.4% ±6.7 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Male | 49.8% ±5.9 pts | 50.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.0% ±5.2 pts | 19.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.1% ±5.8 pts | 75.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.6 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.8% ±1.8 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.2% ±3.4 pts | 14.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.3% ±4.7 pts | 8.2% | – |
| With a disability | 17.8% ±6.5 pts | 13.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.4% ±5.1 pts | 5.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.7% ±3.5 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.2% ±6.2 pts | 24.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.6% ±2.2 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.5% ±6.4 pts | 89.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±4.4 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 Dows earn?
Half of Dows's 198 households earn less than $78,000 a year (±$13,517), against $67,190 in Wright County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 the median was $51,054 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $26,946 after inflation. 7.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Dows | Wright County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,000 ±$13,517 | $67,190 | +$26,946 |
| Mean household income | $95,525 ±$14,453 | $94,511 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,707 ±$3,556 | $39,059 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.2% ±4.5 pts | 16.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.2% ±13.2 pts | 29.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.1% ±8.7 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.4% ±5.2 pts | 90.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 80.3% ±8.6 pts | 85.8% | – |
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 Dows?
Owners occupy 75.3% of Dows's occupied homes and renters 24.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $59,800 by its owner (±$19,714). The median renter pays $695 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Dows | Wright County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $59,800 ±$19,714 | $119,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $695 ±$425 | $790 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 21.3% ±20.2 pts | 29.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $964 ±$154 | $1,178 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 75.3% ±11.1 pts | 77.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 24.7% ±11.1 pts | 23.0% | – |
| Housing units | 222 ±51 | 6,278 | −122 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±15.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±37.1 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 93.2% ±6.1 pts | 85.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±10.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±10.6 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 55.9% ±12.1 pts | 30.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.0% ±3.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
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 Dows building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Dows 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 Dows work and get to work?
86.5% of Dows's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 26.5 minutes.
| Measure | Dows | Wright County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.9% ±8.5 pts | 60.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.1% ±1.7 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 86.5% ±8.5 pts | 79.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 1.9% ±3.4 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±9.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.8% ±1.3 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.1% ±3.0 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.5 min ±6.0 | 20.2 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 Dows?
No census tract lies mostly in Dows; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 6804Wright County | 1,134 | $73,018 |
| Tract 3603Franklin County | 2,522 | $78,924 |
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 Dows) · Census block assignment files
How does Dows compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Dows is the 13,091st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 430th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Dows 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 | 430th | 939 |
Dows's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Dows 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 Dows?
26 of the 57 figures for Dows 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 Dows 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 Dows.