City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Hiawatha, IA

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

7,178
Residents
$67,628
Median income
$210,200
Median home
$1,071
Median rent (state)

Hiawatha - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Hiawatha lands in the 47th percentile for household income and the 51st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

47th
percentile, household income
46th
percentile, home value
26th
percentile, median rent
51st
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: Hiawatha, IA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 7,178 residents in Hiawatha, a small town within Iowa. The typical household in Hiawatha brings in $67,628 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.1%. Home values in Hiawatha run a median of $210,200, and the median resident age is 33.4 years. About 32.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 63 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 200% from five years earlier. Hiawatha reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1341.6 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: the state registers 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,071 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Iowa's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 86.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

7,178 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$67,628 /yr

Poverty 12.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Hiawatha compare to other US cities?

Hiawatha measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 47% higher than other cities
Home value 46% pricier than other cities
Median rent 26% pricier than other cities
Safety 51% 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: Hiawatha ranks #98 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 Hiawatha'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.

47thIncome percentile
51stSafety percentile

47th percentile nationally for median household income · 51st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Hiawatha's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Hiawatha'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 54 Avg. percentile National median
Hiawatha'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 Hiawatha's home value compares nationally

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

$210,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 54% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Hiawatha $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 - Hiawatha, IA Hiawatha, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Hiawatha, 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 Hiawatha, IA median $67,628/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%
Hiawatha, 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 Hiawatha, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.4%

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

Population
7,178
Median Income
$67,628
Median Home Value
$210,200
Median Age
33.4
Poverty Rate
12.1%
Labor force participation
62.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1341.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
359.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
982.0
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
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
7,000 residents7,100 residents7,200 residents7,300 residents7,400 residents7,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,180 residents 7,432 residents ▲ +3.5%
Hiawatha's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
63
housing units authorized
Single-Family
51
detached homes
Multifamily
12
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 21
2020 18
2021 35
2022 58
2023 57
2024 63

Permit volume increased 200% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
84.0%
Carpool
5.9%
Public Transit
1.1%
Walk
0.4%
Work from Home
8.4%

Based on 3,496 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 Hiawatha sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,071/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
86.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Washington
7,314 people
Charles City
7,321 people
Nevada
6,952 people
Creston
7,466 people
Knoxville
7,493 people
Atlantic
6,773 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Hiawatha's 7,178 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

South Haven, IN
7,177 people
Gonzales, TX
7,180 people
Wetumpka, AL
7,182 people
Mead, WA
7,184 people
Sausalito, CA
7,171 people
Pike Creek, DE
7,185 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Hiawatha's $67,628 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Richland Hills, TX
$67,628 median income
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY
$67,631 median income
Cambridge, MN
$67,632 median income
New Egypt, NJ
$67,633 median income
Monroe, WI
$67,621 median income
Katherine, AZ
$67,639 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Hiawatha, 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 Hiawatha, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.9% 6.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.8% White 83.9% Black or African American 3.9% Asian 6.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 5.2% 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 Hiawatha 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
Hiawatha (this city) 7,178 $67,628
Washington 7,314 $56,536
Charles City 7,321 $56,734
Nevada 6,952 $75,221
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Hiawatha, IA?

What is the population of Hiawatha, IA? +

7,178 people live in Hiawatha, IA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Hiawatha, IA? +

The median household income in Hiawatha is $67,628 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Hiawatha? +

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

Hiawatha has a total crime rate of 1341.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Hiawatha, IA? +

Homes in Hiawatha carry a median value of $210,200, 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.