City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Fort Madison, IA

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

10,221
Residents
$49,359
Median income
$95,900
Median home
$962
Median rent (state)

Fort Madison - the verdict

Fort Madison ranks in the 19th percentile for household income and the 32nd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

19th
percentile, household income
8th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
32nd
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: Fort Madison, IA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 10,221 residents in Fort Madison, a small town within Iowa. The typical household in Fort Madison brings in $49,359 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 11.0%. Home values in Fort Madison run a median of $95,900, and the median resident age is 43.9 years. Educational attainment runs 19.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 52.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 1 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 50% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 1987.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Iowa scores 87.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $962 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 62.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

10,221 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$49,359 /yr

Poverty 11.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Fort Madison compare to other US cities?

Here's how Fort Madison stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 19% higher than other cities
Home value 8% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 32% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Iowa and the picture shifts: Fort Madison ranks #116 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Fort Madison's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

19thIncome percentile
32ndSafety percentile

19th percentile nationally for median household income · 32nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Fort Madison's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Fort Madison'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 47 Avg. percentile National median
Fort Madison'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 Fort Madison's home value compares nationally

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

$95,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 92% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Fort Madison $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 - Fort Madison, IA Fort Madison, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fort Madison, 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 Fort Madison, IA median $49,359/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%
Fort Madison, 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 Fort Madison, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.4%

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

Population
10,221
Median Income
$49,359
Median Home Value
$95,900
Median Age
43.9
Poverty Rate
11.0%
Labor force participation
52.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1987.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
281.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1706.1
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
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
9,800 residents10,000 residents10,200 residents10,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,310 residents 9,935 residents ▼ -3.6%
Fort Madison's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 3
2021 4
2022 2
2023 6
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.8%
Carpool
16.0%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
5.9%
Other
1.2%

Based on 4,460 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 Fort Madison sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$962/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
62.9 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Carroll
10,261 people
Waverly
10,446 people
Le Mars
10,597 people
Pella
10,624 people
Keokuk
9,748 people
Pleasant Hill
10,796 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fort Madison's 10,221 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Blackwells Mills, NJ
10,220 people
Robstown, TX
10,222 people
Marlton, MD
10,223 people
Heath, TX
10,218 people
Safford, AZ
10,217 people
Columbia, PA
10,217 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fort Madison's $49,359 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wallace, NC
$49,358 median income
Williamsport, PA
$49,363 median income
Zeeland, MI
$49,367 median income
Astoria, IL
$49,345 median income
Eek, AK
$49,375 median income
Hydaburg, AK
$49,375 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fort Madison, 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 Fort Madison, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.0% White 87.9% Black or African American 4.8% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 5.9% 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 Fort Madison 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
Fort Madison (this city) 10,221 $49,359
Carroll 10,261 $59,323
Waverly 10,446 $78,429
Le Mars 10,597 $72,381
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fort Madison, IA?

What is the population of Fort Madison, IA? +

The population of Fort Madison, IA stands at 10,221 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Fort Madison, IA? +

Fort Madison households earn a median of $49,359 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fort Madison? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Fort Madison; 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 Fort Madison, IA safe? +

Fort Madison has a total crime rate of 1987.1 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 Fort Madison, IA? +

Homes in Fort Madison carry a median value of $95,900, 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 Editorial

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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.