City · Iowa
Elgin, Iowa
Elgin, city, in Fayette County, Iowa. Elgin had 670 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 685 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 735 (±137). GEOID 1924645.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
670
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 685 · ACS 2020-2024: 735 ±137
Median household income
$54,688
±$12,370 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$98,800
±$22,243 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$538
±$312 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Elgin and what county is it in?
Elgin is a city in Fayette County, Iowa. It covers 0.7 square miles of land, 1,010 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 Elgin, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 670 people lived in Elgin on July 1, 2025, down 2.6% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 685 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 735 (±137).
| Measure | Elgin | Fayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 735 ±137 | 19,288 | no clear change |
| Households | 349 ±66 | 8,342 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.11 ±0.27 | 2.22 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 396 ±73 | 9,320 | +92 |
Elgin's population since 2000
From 676 in 2000 to 670 in 2025: down 0.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Elgin 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 Elgin?
The median resident of Elgin is 51.9 years old; 18.2% are under 18 and 31.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 95.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.4%.
| Measure | Elgin | Fayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.9 ±10.7 | 43.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.2% ±5.8 pts | 21.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 31.6% ±7.9 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Male | 49.3% ±5.6 pts | 50.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 3.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 95.2% ±3.7 pts | 91.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.4% ±3.5 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.6% ±3.6 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.3% ±5.7 pts | 8.4% | – |
| With a disability | 20.4% ±7.6 pts | 15.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.1% ±5.5 pts | 5.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.2% ±2.3 pts | 93.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.6% ±5.2 pts | 20.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.7% ±2.4 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.2% ±3.8 pts | 89.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 2.3% | – |
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 Elgin earn?
Half of Elgin's 349 households earn less than $54,688 a year (±$12,370), against $60,165 in Fayette County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $62,374 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 3.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Elgin | Fayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,688 ±$12,370 | $60,165 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $69,010 ±$12,094 | $80,301 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,538 ±$4,568 | $35,469 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 3.7% ±2.0 pts | 12.0% | −6.2 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.7% ±5.7 pts | 15.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.4% ±3.3 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.7% ±2.0 pts | 90.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.8% ±13.4 pts | 85.3% | – |
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 Elgin?
Owners occupy 82.5% of Elgin's occupied homes and renters 17.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $98,800 by its owner (±$22,243). The median renter pays $538 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Elgin | Fayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $98,800 ±$22,243 | $136,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $538 ±$312 | $881 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 13.6% ±15.8 pts | 36.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,075 ±$175 | $1,239 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.5% ±7.9 pts | 76.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.5% ±7.9 pts | 23.5% | – |
| Housing units | 396 ±73 | 9,320 | +92 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±32.3 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 79.0% ±9.3 pts | 84.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 10.9% ±7.9 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.3% ±2.3 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 30.8% ±8.8 pts | 41.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.9% ±2.1 pts | 5.7% | – |
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 Elgin building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Elgin 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 Elgin work and get to work?
78.9% of Elgin's workers drive alone and 14.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 17.6 minutes.
| Measure | Elgin | Fayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.3% ±8.3 pts | 60.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% ±2.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 78.9% ±8.6 pts | 79.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.4% ±5.5 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.9% ±1.2 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 14.9% ±6.4 pts | 7.3% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.6 min ±2.1 | 22.5 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 Elgin?
No census tract lies mostly in Elgin; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 806Fayette County | 2,281 | $71,667 |
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 Elgin) · Census block assignment files
How does Elgin compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Elgin is the 12,017th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 386th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Elgin 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 | 386th | 939 |
Elgin's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Elgin 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 Elgin?
23 of the 57 figures for Elgin 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 Elgin 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 Elgin.