City · Iowa
Earlham, Iowa
Earlham, city, in Madison County, Iowa. Earlham had 1,396 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,410 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,528 (±233). GEOID 1923340.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,396
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,410 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,528 ±233
Median household income
$115,086
±$23,338 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$267,600
±$32,286 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$770
±$294 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Earlham and what county is it in?
Earlham is a city in Madison County, Iowa. It covers 0.9 square miles of land, 1,492 residents per square mile in 2020.
Earlham is in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Earlham, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,396 people lived in Earlham on July 1, 2025, down 1.1% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 1,410 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,528 (±233).
| Measure | Earlham | Madison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,528 ±233 | 16,926 | no clear change |
| Households | 624 ±83 | 6,696 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.45 ±0.21 | 2.50 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 657 ±83 | 7,100 | no clear change |
Earlham's population since 2000
From 1,298 in 2000 to 1,396 in 2025: up 7.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Earlham 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 Earlham?
The median resident of Earlham is 43.0 years old; 25.1% are under 18 and 10.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 91.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 4.9%.
| Measure | Earlham | Madison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 ±4.1 | 40.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.1% ±4.0 pts | 25.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 10.3% ±3.2 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Male | 49.0% ±4.5 pts | 50.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.9% ±3.7 pts | 2.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 91.8% ±4.3 pts | 94.3% | −6.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.1 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.2% ±2.0 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.9% ±2.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.3% ±2.4 pts | 6.8% | – |
| With a disability | 9.8% ±3.3 pts | 9.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.1% ±1.4 pts | 4.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.0% ±2.6 pts | 96.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 32.2% ±6.4 pts | 27.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.1% ±3.8 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.3% ±5.5 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
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 Earlham earn?
Half of Earlham's 624 households earn less than $115,086 a year (±$23,338), against $90,855 in Madison County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $91,940 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Earlham | Madison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $115,086 ±$23,338 | $90,855 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $106,668 ±$9,344 | $106,293 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,209 ±$3,883 | $43,167 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.7% ±2.5 pts | 7.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.8% ±2.7 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.3% ±5.5 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.4% ±3.8 pts | 94.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.3% ±5.1 pts | 89.7% | – |
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 Earlham?
Owners occupy 78.4% of Earlham's occupied homes and renters 21.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $267,600 by its owner (±$32,286). The median renter pays $770 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Earlham | Madison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $267,600 ±$32,286 | $245,100 | +$59,490 |
| Median gross rent | $770 ±$294 | $1,036 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 14.9% ±13.2 pts | 31.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,683 ±$114 | $1,742 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.4% ±7.3 pts | 80.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.6% ±7.3 pts | 19.9% | – |
| Housing units | 657 ±83 | 7,100 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.2% ±2.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±16.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.8% ±6.0 pts | 82.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.3% ±2.2 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.0% ±2.1 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.6% ±5.0 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 31.2% ±7.4 pts | 26.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.0% ±2.6 pts | 6.6% | – |
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 Earlham building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Earlham in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 1.4 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 Earlham work and get to work?
76.6% of Earlham's workers drive alone and 17.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 28.3 minutes.
| Measure | Earlham | Madison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 76.1% ±5.0 pts | 69.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% ±4.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.6% ±7.1 pts | 72.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.2% ±2.9 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.7% ±1.7 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 17.4% ±6.4 pts | 17.4% | +12.1 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.3 min ±4.6 | 28.7 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 Earlham?
No census tract lies mostly in Earlham; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 601.01Madison County | 3,886 | $116,875 |
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 Earlham) · Census block assignment files
How does Earlham compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Earlham is the 9,004th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 217th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Earlham ranks 18th of 279 places in Iowa with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 217th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 154th | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 52nd | 279 |
| Median household income | 18th | 279 |
| Per capita income | 61st | 279 |
| Median home value | 44th | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 190th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 212th | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 72nd | 279 |
| Median age | 68th | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 88th | 279 |
| Work from home | 24th | 221 |
| Travel time to work | 10th | 279 |
Earlham's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Earlham 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 Earlham?
22 of the 57 figures for Earlham 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 Earlham 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 Earlham.