City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Indianola, IA

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

15,918
Residents
$78,125
Median income
$228,100
Median home
$1,318
Median rent (state)

Indianola - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Indianola places in the 60th percentile for household income and the 38th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

60th
percentile, household income
50th
percentile, home value
47th
percentile, median rent
38th
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: Indianola, IA

15,918 people live in Indianola, Iowa - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Indianola brings in $78,125 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.5%. Home values in Indianola run a median of $228,100, and the median resident age is 35.2 years. 33.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 38 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 34% from five years earlier. Indianola reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1744.9 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 49.9°F with 37.8 inches of precipitation per year and 30.8 inches of snowfall.

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 $1,318 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Iowa run around $212, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 36.1 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

15,918 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$78,125 /yr

Poverty 3.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Indianola compare to other US cities?

Where Indianola sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 60% higher than other cities
Home value 50% pricier than other cities
Median rent 47% pricier than other cities
Safety 38% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Iowa, Indianola ranks #107 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison 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 Indianola'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.

60thIncome percentile
38thSafety percentile

60th percentile nationally for median household income · 38th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Indianola's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Indianola'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 50 Avg. percentile National median
Indianola'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 Indianola's home value compares nationally

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

$228,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 50% 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%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Indianola $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 - Indianola, IA Indianola, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Indianola, 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 Indianola, IA median $78,125/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%
Indianola, 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 Indianola, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 33.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.6%

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

Population
15,918
Median Income
$78,125
Median Home Value
$228,100
Median Age
35.2
Poverty Rate
3.5%
Labor force participation
61.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
33.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1744.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
273.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1471.7
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
49.9°F
Annual Precipitation
37.8"
Annual Snowfall
30.8"

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
15,500 residents16,000 residents16,500 residents17,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,882 residents 16,829 residents ▲ +6.0%
Indianola's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
38
housing units authorized
Single-Family
38
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 58
2020 89
2021 115
2022 48
2023 59
2024 38

Permit volume decreased 34% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.7%
Carpool
7.0%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
6.4%
Work from Home
11.6%
Other
1.2%

Based on 7,619 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 Indianola sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,318/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
36.1 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Grimes
15,810 people
Newton
15,696 people
Norwalk
13,610 people
Clive
18,776 people
Boone
12,445 people
Oskaloosa
11,492 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Indianola's 15,918 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Seymour, TN
15,914 people
Americus, GA
15,910 people
Red Oak, TX
15,909 people
Warrington, FL
15,935 people
Chubbuck, ID
15,900 people
Rendon, TX
15,894 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Indianola's $78,125 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

King Cove, AK
$78,125 median income
Picacho, AZ
$78,125 median income
Cherry Valley, CA
$78,125 median income
Genesee, ID
$78,125 median income
Carlock, IL
$78,125 median income
Spillertown, IL
$78,125 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Indianola, 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 Indianola, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.8% White 93.1% Black or African American 1.1% Asian 1.6% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 3.9% 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 Indianola 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
Indianola (this city) 15,918 $78,125
Grimes 15,810 $104,497
Newton 15,696 $56,321
Norwalk 13,610 $94,583
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Indianola, IA?

What is the population of Indianola, IA? +

Indianola, IA has a population of 15,918 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Indianola is $78,125 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Indianola? +

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

Indianola has a total crime rate of 1744.9 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 Indianola, IA? +

The median home value in Indianola is $228,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Indianola? +

The average annual temperature in Indianola runs 49.9°F, 37.8 inches of precipitation, and 30.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.