City · Iowa
Graettinger, Iowa
Graettinger, city, in Palo Alto County, Iowa. Graettinger had 818 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 832 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,096 (±192). GEOID 1931800.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
818
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 832 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,096 ±192
Median household income
$82,417
±$11,867 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$88,500
±$8,525 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$518
±$135 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Graettinger and what county is it in?
Graettinger is a city in Palo Alto County, Iowa. It covers 0.8 square miles of land, 1,103 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 Graettinger, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 818 people lived in Graettinger on July 1, 2025, down 1.8% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 832 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,096 (±192).
| Measure | Graettinger | Palo Alto County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,096 ±192 | 8,863 | no clear change |
| Households | 469 ±94 | 3,782 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.34 ±0.43 | 2.26 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 499 ±92 | 4,535 | no clear change |
Graettinger's population since 2000
From 900 in 2000 to 818 in 2025: down 9.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Graettinger 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 Graettinger?
The median resident of Graettinger is 40.2 years old; 28.7% are under 18 and 10.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 80.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 8.9%.
| Measure | Graettinger | Palo Alto County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.2 ±4.8 | 41.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 28.7% ±6.4 pts | 23.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 10.3% ±2.6 pts | 22.2% | – |
| Male | 53.7% ±5.2 pts | 50.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.9% ±2.4 pts | 3.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 80.3% ±7.9 pts | 91.3% | −15.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.8% ±5.7 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 8.9% ±7.6 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.9% ±6.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.6% ±6.3 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.3% ±2.7 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 9.5% ±3.8 pts | 13.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.9% ±3.5 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.0% ±4.7 pts | 93.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.5% ±5.5 pts | 19.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.6% ±3.0 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.0% ±13.8 pts | 89.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.2% ±1.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
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 Graettinger earn?
Half of Graettinger's 469 households earn less than $82,417 a year (±$11,867), against $72,781 in Palo Alto County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 the median was $58,238 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $24,179 after inflation. 5.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Graettinger | Palo Alto County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $82,417 ±$11,867 | $72,781 | +$24,179 |
| Mean household income | $85,612 ±$9,773 | $89,684 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,010 ±$3,224 | $37,828 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.9% ±3.3 pts | 11.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.0% ±6.5 pts | 17.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.5% ±3.2 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.3% ±2.4 pts | 95.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.6% ±3.1 pts | 89.8% | – |
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 Graettinger?
Owners occupy 80.2% of Graettinger's occupied homes and renters 19.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $88,500 by its owner (±$8,525). The median renter pays $518 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Graettinger | Palo Alto County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $88,500 ±$8,525 | $123,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $518 ±$135 | $638 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 15.7% ±13.0 pts | 32.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,123 ±$57 | $1,171 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 80.2% ±6.8 pts | 77.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 19.8% ±6.8 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Housing units | 499 ±92 | 4,535 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±23.3 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 85.4% ±6.9 pts | 85.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.4% ±2.5 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.6% ±1.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 27.7% ±7.2 pts | 33.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.1% ±1.9 pts | 3.4% | – |
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 Graettinger building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Graettinger 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 Graettinger work and get to work?
76.8% of Graettinger's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 17.2 minutes.
| Measure | Graettinger | Palo Alto County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 80.8% ±4.5 pts | 67.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.8% ±9.5 pts | 77.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 17.6% ±9.6 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 2.2% ±1.4 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.9% ±0.9 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.2 min ±2.4 | 17.2 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 Graettinger?
No census tract lies mostly in Graettinger; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9602Palo Alto County | 1,864 | $79,167 |
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 Graettinger) · Census block assignment files
How does Graettinger compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Graettinger is the 11,152nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 325th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Graettinger 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 | 325th | 939 |
Graettinger's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Graettinger 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 Graettinger?
20 of the 57 figures for Graettinger 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 Graettinger 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 Graettinger.