City · Iowa
Irwin, Iowa
Irwin, city, in Shelby County, Iowa. Irwin had 315 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 319 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 352 (±94). GEOID 1939000.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
315
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 319 · ACS 2020-2024: 352 ±94
Median household income
$40,417
±$15,091 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$72,900
±$15,582 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$705
±$358 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Irwin and what county is it in?
Irwin is a city in Shelby County, Iowa. It covers 0.6 square miles of land, 544 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 Irwin, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 315 people lived in Irwin on July 1, 2025, down 1.6% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 319 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 352 (±94).
| Measure | Irwin | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 352 ±94 | 11,778 | no clear change |
| Households | 173 ±41 | 4,882 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.03 ±0.41 | 2.37 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 186 ±43 | 5,441 | no clear change |
Irwin's population since 2000
From 372 in 2000 to 315 in 2025: down 15.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Irwin 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 Irwin?
The median resident of Irwin is 48.5 years old; 18.2% are under 18 and 28.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 91.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.7%.
| Measure | Irwin | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.5 ±11.0 | 44.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.2% ±8.3 pts | 22.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 28.7% ±9.5 pts | 23.1% | – |
| Male | 55.4% ±7.8 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.7% ±6.8 pts | 4.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 91.5% ±8.8 pts | 91.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±2.9 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.0% ±2.6 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.4% ±4.9 pts | 8.6% | – |
| With a disability | 17.6% ±5.6 pts | 10.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.0% ±3.5 pts | 2.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.0% ±3.9 pts | 95.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.6% ±9.8 pts | 24.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.5% ±5.6 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.6% ±6.7 pts | 91.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.4% ±1.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
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 Irwin earn?
Half of Irwin's 173 households earn less than $40,417 a year (±$15,091), against $72,738 in Shelby County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 the median was $77,174 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $36,757 after inflation. 15.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Irwin | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $40,417 ±$15,091 | $72,738 | −$36,757 |
| Mean household income | $62,325 ±$13,550 | $97,055 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,494 ±$5,452 | $40,510 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.5% ±8.1 pts | 7.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 18.3% ±19.8 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.3% ±6.9 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.5% ±2.9 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.9% ±5.6 pts | 88.3% | – |
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 Irwin?
Owners occupy 83.2% of Irwin's occupied homes and renters 16.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $72,900 by its owner (±$15,582). The median renter pays $705 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Irwin | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $72,900 ±$15,582 | $164,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $705 ±$358 | $783 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.9% ±31.1 pts | 39.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,050 ±$602 | $1,326 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 83.2% ±9.6 pts | 77.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 16.8% ±9.6 pts | 22.2% | – |
| Housing units | 186 ±43 | 5,441 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±15.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±48.3 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 88.7% ±8.0 pts | 87.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.2% ±5.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±12.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.8% ±5.5 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 37.1% ±13.0 pts | 46.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.4% ±4.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
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 Irwin building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Irwin 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 Irwin work and get to work?
81.2% of Irwin's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 17.9 minutes.
| Measure | Irwin | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.0% ±11.5 pts | 62.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.6% ±1.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.2% ±12.1 pts | 75.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.1% ±6.9 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±13.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 2.4% ±2.8 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.8% ±9.9 pts | 12.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.9 min ±6.4 | 18.5 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 Irwin?
No census tract lies mostly in Irwin; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9601Shelby County | 3,157 | $77,723 |
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 Irwin) · Census block assignment files
How does Irwin compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Irwin is the 14,975th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 548th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Irwin 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 | 548th | 939 |
Irwin's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Irwin 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 Irwin?
25 of the 57 figures for Irwin 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 Irwin 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 Irwin.