City · Iowa
Early, Iowa
Early, city, in Sac County, Iowa. Early had 567 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 587 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 869 (±178). GEOID 1923475.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
567
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 587 · ACS 2020-2024: 869 ±178
Median household income
$91,370
±$5,426 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$90,300
±$12,099 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$620
±$64 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Early and what county is it in?
Early is a city in Sac County, Iowa. It covers 0.4 square miles of land, 1,509 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Early, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 567 people lived in Early on July 1, 2025, down 3.7% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 587 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 869 (±178).
| Measure | Early | Sac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 869 ±178 | 9,689 | no clear change |
| Households | 335 ±65 | 4,302 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.59 ±0.39 | 2.21 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 384 ±70 | 5,118 | no clear change |
Early's population since 2000
From 605 in 2000 to 567 in 2025: down 6.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Early 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 Early?
The median resident of Early is 35.3 years old; 24.3% are under 18 and 12.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 10.2%. 6.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Early | Sac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 ±6.2 | 46.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.3% ±6.8 pts | 21.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.0% ±5.4 pts | 24.3% | – |
| Male | 59.7% ±5.3 pts | 50.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 10.2% ±5.2 pts | 4.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 84.8% ±7.3 pts | 91.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.4% ±6.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.7% ±4.4 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 8.2% ±4.9 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.7% ±6.8 pts | 7.7% | – |
| With a disability | 12.0% ±4.6 pts | 13.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.0% ±1.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.4% ±6.9 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.5% ±5.5 pts | 22.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.3% ±2.8 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.5% ±8.1 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.8% | – |
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 Early earn?
Half of Early's 335 households earn less than $91,370 a year (±$5,426), against $73,838 in Sac County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 the median was $58,458 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $32,912 after inflation.
| Measure | Early | Sac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $91,370 ±$5,426 | $73,838 | +$32,912 |
| Mean household income | $93,333 ±$10,343 | $88,368 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,682 ±$7,251 | $40,084 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.8% ±6.9 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 21.8% ±19.9 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.6% ±5.7 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.3% ±4.2 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 77.3% ±10.5 pts | 84.6% | – |
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 Early?
Owners occupy 68.7% of Early's occupied homes and renters 31.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $90,300 by its owner (±$12,099). The median renter pays $620 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Early | Sac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $90,300 ±$12,099 | $141,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $620 ±$64 | $722 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 5.3% ±8.9 pts | 27.9% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,066 ±$123 | $1,157 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.7% ±10.0 pts | 78.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 31.3% ±10.0 pts | 22.0% | – |
| Housing units | 384 ±70 | 5,118 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 12.2% ±8.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±21.0 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 79.4% ±10.6 pts | 84.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 36.5% ±10.1 pts | 35.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 5.3% | – |
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 Early building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Early 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 Early work and get to work?
90.8% of Early's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 22.0 minutes.
| Measure | Early | Sac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 82.2% ±6.1 pts | 67.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 11.5% ±10.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 90.8% ±5.2 pts | 86.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.5% ±4.5 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.4% ±1.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.2% ±1.4 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.0 min ±3.0 | 21.7 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 Early?
No census tract lies mostly in Early; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 801Sac County | 2,736 | $77,963 |
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 Early) · Census block assignment files
How does Early compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Early is the 12,691st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 416th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Early 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 | 416th | 939 |
Early's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Early 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 Early?
23 of the 57 figures for Early 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 Early 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 Early.