City · Iowa
Kanawha, Iowa
Kanawha, city, in Hancock County, Iowa. Kanawha had 630 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 658 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 756 (±176). GEOID 1940260.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
630
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 658 · ACS 2020-2024: 756 ±176
Median household income
$68,250
±$28,343 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$77,600
±$12,948 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$575
±$145 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Kanawha and what county is it in?
Kanawha is a city in Hancock County, Iowa. It covers 2.0 square miles of land, 332 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 Kanawha, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 630 people lived in Kanawha on July 1, 2025, down 4.0% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 658 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 756 (±176).
| Measure | Kanawha | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 756 ±176 | 10,671 | no clear change |
| Households | 364 ±79 | 4,673 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.02 ±0.25 | 2.23 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 451 ±75 | 5,116 | no clear change |
Kanawha's population since 2000
From 739 in 2000 to 630 in 2025: down 14.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Kanawha 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 Kanawha?
The median resident of Kanawha is 36.4 years old; 17.3% are under 18 and 17.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 10.8%.
| Measure | Kanawha | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 ±4.2 | 44.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.3% ±5.8 pts | 21.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.9% ±5.9 pts | 23.9% | – |
| Male | 54.0% ±5.5 pts | 51.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 10.8% ±11.3 pts | 6.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 86.9% ±11.4 pts | 90.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±1.8 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.5% ±4.7 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.0% ±8.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.2% ±3.5 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 13.0% ±5.0 pts | 13.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.3% ±4.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.0% ±4.1 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 26.6% ±13.2 pts | 20.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.6% ±1.4 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.5% ±10.3 pts | 89.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 2.9% | – |
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 Kanawha earn?
Half of Kanawha's 364 households earn less than $68,250 a year (±$28,343), against $70,601 in Hancock County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $54,035 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Kanawha | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,250 ±$28,343 | $70,601 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $77,355 ±$12,272 | $86,692 | – |
| Per capita income | $37,373 ±$4,493 | $38,092 | +$8,825 |
| People below the poverty line | 8.7% ±6.2 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±17.3 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.8% ±9.3 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.2% ±5.4 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.0% ±8.4 pts | 88.4% | – |
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 Kanawha?
Owners occupy 78.3% of Kanawha's occupied homes and renters 21.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $77,600 by its owner (±$12,948). The median renter pays $575 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Kanawha | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $77,600 ±$12,948 | $141,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $575 ±$145 | $736 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.6% ±20.1 pts | 34.8% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $964 ±$172 | $1,182 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.3% ±9.0 pts | 82.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.7% ±9.0 pts | 17.5% | – |
| Housing units | 451 ±75 | 5,116 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.1% ±3.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±21.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 87.1% ±7.3 pts | 85.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±5.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±0.9 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±5.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 29.0% ±7.5 pts | 32.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.8% ±4.0 pts | 5.1% | – |
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 Kanawha building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Kanawha 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 Kanawha work and get to work?
77.1% of Kanawha's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 20.9 minutes.
| Measure | Kanawha | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.7% ±9.0 pts | 63.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.3% ±1.3 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.1% ±12.3 pts | 78.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.9% ±11.6 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 6.3% ±4.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.1% ±2.9 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.9 min ±4.9 | 19.1 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 Kanawha?
No census tract lies mostly in Kanawha; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2704Hancock County | 2,028 | $66,027 |
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 Kanawha) · Census block assignment files
How does Kanawha compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Kanawha is the 12,268th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 393rd-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Kanawha 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 | 393rd | 939 |
Kanawha's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Kanawha 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 Kanawha?
27 of the 57 figures for Kanawha 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 Kanawha 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 Kanawha.