Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lawler - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.
Lawler ranks in the 39th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.
39th
percentile, household income
14th
percentile, home value
6th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Lawler, IA
Lawler is a small town in Iowa, home to 397 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Lawler households earn a median of $62,500 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.3%. Home values in Lawler run a median of $112,500, and the median resident age is 43.9 years. 19.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 68.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier.
Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Iowa at 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $919 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Iowa run around $212, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 31.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).
Population
397 residents
Census ACS 2023 - Iowa
Median Household Income
$62,500/yr
Poverty 11.3%
Cost of Living Index (state)
87.8 (US=100)
Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average
How does Lawler compare to other US cities?
Where Lawler sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income39% higher than other cities
Home value14% pricier than other cities
Median rent6% pricier than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Lawler against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Iowa only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.
Iowa-relative analysis
Median Gross Rent places Lawler near the bottom of Iowa's cities
Among the 858 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Lawler ranks #450 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lawler only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#484 of 845
43rd percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#450 of 858
0th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#454 of 849
46th percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#181 of 858
79th percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#378 of 858
56th percentile in Iowa
Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Iowa only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.
39th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
How Lawler's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$112,500Among the most affordablemore affordable than 86% of 15,600 US cities
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
Lawler, 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 Lawler, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)19.2%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)11.3%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)68.6%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
397
Median Income
$62,500
Median Home Value
$112,500
Median Age
43.9
Poverty Rate
11.3%
Labor force participation
68.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.2%
Population Change
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Lawler's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.
Housing Supply
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
3
3
0
$0.2M
2020
0
0
0
-
2021
0
0
0
-
2022
0
0
0
-
2023
0
0
0
-
2024
0
0
0
-
Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Drive Alone
80.6%
Carpool
10.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
7.0%
Based on 227 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 Lawler sits in
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01
What do people ask about Lawler, IA?
What is the population of Lawler, IA?+
397 people live in Lawler, IA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in Lawler, IA?+
In Lawler, the typical household earns $62,500 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the cost of living in Lawler?+
BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lawler; 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.
What is the median home value in Lawler, IA?+
A typical home in Lawler is worth $112,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.