City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Dubuque, IA

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

59,271
Residents
$64,985
Median income
$193,100
Median home
$1,077
Median rent (state)

Dubuque - the verdict

Nationally, Dubuque sits in the 43rd percentile for household income and the 36th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

43rd
percentile, household income
41st
percentile, home value
26th
percentile, median rent
36th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Dubuque, IA

Dubuque is a small city in Iowa, home to 59,271 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Dubuque brings in $64,985 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.9%. Dubuque's housing stock carries a median value of $193,100, and the median resident age is 38.3 years. 33.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 62.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 358 residential building permits were authorized in Dubuque (Building Boom), up 359% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1835.6 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,077 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 63.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

59,271 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$64,985 /yr

Poverty 6.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Dubuque compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 43% higher than other cities
Home value 41% pricier than other cities
Median rent 26% pricier than other cities
Safety 36% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Iowa, Dubuque ranks #110 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Iowa-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Dubuque toward the top of Iowa's cities

Among the 858 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Dubuque ranks #91 - the 89th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Dubuque only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#437 of 845
48th percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#162 of 858
79th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#140 of 849
84th percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#376 of 858
56th percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#91 of 858
89th 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.

43rdIncome percentile
36thSafety percentile

43rd percentile nationally for median household income · 36th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Dubuque's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Dubuque's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 49 Avg. percentile National median
Dubuque's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Dubuque's home value compares nationally

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

$193,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 59% 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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Dubuque $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 - Dubuque, IA Dubuque, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Dubuque, 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 Dubuque, IA median $64,985/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%
Dubuque, 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 Dubuque, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 33.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.0%

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

Population
59,271
Median Income
$64,985
Median Home Value
$193,100
Median Age
38.3
Poverty Rate
6.9%
Labor force participation
62.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
33.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1835.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
400.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1434.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
18
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
58,500 residents59,000 residents59,500 residents60,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 59,641 residents 59,148 residents ▼ -0.8%
Dubuque's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
358
housing units authorized
Single-Family
39
detached homes
Multifamily
319
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 78
2020 120
2021 200
2022 51
2023 83
2024 358

Permit volume increased 359% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.3%
Carpool
7.2%
Public Transit
1.6%
Walk
3.5%
Work from Home
10.9%
Other
1.5%

Based on 29,945 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 Dubuque sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,077/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
63.6 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Council Bluffs
62,564 people
Ames
66,112 people
Waterloo
66,947 people
West Des Moines
69,893 people
Ankeny
70,542 people
Urbandale
46,026 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Dubuque's 59,271 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Shoreline, WA
59,280 people
Petaluma, CA
59,321 people
Kokomo, IN
59,375 people
Hanford, CA
59,389 people
Des Plaines, IL
59,408 people
Blue Springs, MO
59,416 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Dubuque's $64,985 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Archdale, NC
$64,984 median income
Athens, AL
$65,000 median income
Sweet Water, AL
$65,000 median income
Graeagle, CA
$65,000 median income
Pensacola Station, FL
$65,000 median income
Carnesville, GA
$65,000 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Dubuque, 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 Dubuque, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.4% White 86.6% Black or African American 4.2% Asian 1.5% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 1.2% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 5.1% 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 Dubuque 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
Dubuque (this city) 59,271 $64,985
Council Bluffs 62,564 $64,092
Ames 66,112 $60,102
Waterloo 66,947 $56,344
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Dubuque, IA?

What is the population of Dubuque, IA? +

The population of Dubuque, IA stands at 59,271 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Dubuque households earn a median of $64,985 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Dubuque? +

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

Is Dubuque, IA safe? +

Dubuque has a total crime rate of 1835.6 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

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

A typical home in Dubuque is worth $193,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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