City · Iowa
Gladbrook, Iowa
Gladbrook, city, in Tama County, Iowa. Gladbrook had 779 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 799 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 992 (±180). GEOID 1931035.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
779
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 799 · ACS 2020-2024: 992 ±180
Median household income
$70,125
±$14,075 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$125,200
±$30,531 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$844
±$205 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Gladbrook and what county is it in?
Gladbrook is a city in Tama County, Iowa. It covers 0.7 square miles of land, 1,146 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 Gladbrook, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 779 people lived in Gladbrook on July 1, 2025, down 2.9% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 799 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 992 (±180).
| Measure | Gladbrook | Tama County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 992 ±180 | 16,868 | no clear change |
| Households | 422 ±71 | 6,720 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.23 ±0.21 | 2.46 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 472 ±77 | 7,595 | no clear change |
Gladbrook's population since 2000
From 1,015 in 2000 to 779 in 2025: down 23.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Gladbrook 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 Gladbrook?
The median resident of Gladbrook is 42.8 years old; 26.6% are under 18 and 24.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 95.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 3.4%.
| Measure | Gladbrook | Tama County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 ±4.0 | 41.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.6% ±4.9 pts | 23.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.7% ±6.1 pts | 21.0% | – |
| Male | 52.7% ±5.3 pts | 50.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.4% ±4.3 pts | 11.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 95.3% ±4.4 pts | 78.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.8 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.4% ±3.9 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.5% ±5.0 pts | 7.9% | – |
| With a disability | 11.2% ±3.6 pts | 11.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.1% ±3.4 pts | 6.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.4% ±1.9 pts | 91.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.0% ±8.7 pts | 20.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.8% ±5.1 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 96.8% ±2.0 pts | 90.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
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 Gladbrook earn?
Half of Gladbrook's 422 households earn less than $70,125 a year (±$14,075), against $70,781 in Tama County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $68,843 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Gladbrook | Tama County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,125 ±$14,075 | $70,781 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $72,502 ±$9,181 | $83,931 | – |
| Per capita income | $31,367 ±$3,405 | $34,186 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.9% ±5.4 pts | 14.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 12.9% ±11.6 pts | 23.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.8% ±6.2 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.1% ±6.3 pts | 94.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.0% ±7.0 pts | 87.5% | – |
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 Gladbrook?
Owners occupy 83.2% of Gladbrook's occupied homes and renters 16.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $125,200 by its owner (±$30,531). The median renter pays $844 a month including utilities, and 65.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Gladbrook | Tama County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $125,200 ±$30,531 | $148,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $844 ±$205 | $872 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 65.9% ±20.6 pts | 33.4% | +40.9 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,197 ±$499 | $1,324 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 83.2% ±6.9 pts | 76.0% | +10.7 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 16.8% ±6.9 pts | 24.0% | – |
| Housing units | 472 ±77 | 7,595 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.3% ±4.0 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 14.5% ±15.5 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 93.2% ±4.1 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.8% ±1.1 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 47.2% ±9.0 pts | 38.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.1% ±3.5 pts | 2.5% | – |
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 Gladbrook building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Gladbrook 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 Gladbrook work and get to work?
81.3% of Gladbrook's workers drive alone and 5.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.9 minutes.
| Measure | Gladbrook | Tama County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 55.4% ±8.2 pts | 61.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.0% ±1.1 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.3% ±7.7 pts | 78.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.4% ±6.0 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 3.4% ±2.6 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.4% ±3.5 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.9 min ±5.7 | 22.7 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 Gladbrook?
No census tract lies mostly in Gladbrook; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2903Tama County | 2,691 | $74,139 |
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 Gladbrook) · Census block assignment files
How does Gladbrook compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Gladbrook is the 11,337th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 332nd-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Gladbrook 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 | 332nd | 939 |
Gladbrook's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Gladbrook 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 Gladbrook?
23 of the 57 figures for Gladbrook 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 Gladbrook 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 Gladbrook.