City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Le Mars, IA

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

10,597
Residents
$72,381
Median income
$202,200
Median home
$980
Median rent (state)

Le Mars - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Le Mars places in the 53rd percentile for household income and the 63rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

53rd
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
18th
percentile, median rent
63rd
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: Le Mars, IA

Le Mars is a small town in Iowa, home to 10,597 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Le Mars households earn a median of $72,381 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.0%. Le Mars's housing stock carries a median value of $202,200, and the median resident age is 39.1 years. Educational attainment runs 24.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 68.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 126 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 40% from five years earlier. Le Mars reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1016.5 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 46.9°F with 30.0 inches of precipitation per year and 30.9 inches of snowfall.

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 $980 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Le Mars workers runs 15.7 minutes, with 82.6% driving alone and 2.6% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 49.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

10,597 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$72,381 /yr

Poverty 6.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Le Mars compare to other US cities?

Here's how Le Mars stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 53% higher than other cities
Home value 43% pricier than other cities
Median rent 18% pricier than other cities
Safety 63% 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, Le Mars ranks #78 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 Le Mars'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.

53rdIncome percentile
63rdSafety percentile

53rd percentile nationally for median household income · 63rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Le Mars's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Le Mars'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 62 Avg. percentile National median
Le Mars'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 Le Mars's home value compares nationally

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

$202,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% 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. Le Mars $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 - Le Mars, IA Le Mars, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Le Mars, 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 Le Mars, IA median $72,381/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%
Le Mars, 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 Le Mars, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.0%

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
10,597
Median Income
$72,381
Median Home Value
$202,200
Median Age
39.1
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Labor force participation
68.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1016.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
94.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
922.4
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
46.9°F
Annual Precipitation
30.0"
Annual Snowfall
30.9"

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 →
10,550 residents10,600 residents10,650 residents10,700 residents10,750 residents10,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,603 residents 10,760 residents ▲ +1.5%
Le Mars's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
126
housing units authorized
Single-Family
8
detached homes
Multifamily
118
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
11.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 90
2020 21
2021 22
2022 14
2023 19
2024 126

Permit volume increased 40% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.7 minutes
Drive Alone
82.6%
Carpool
11.8%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
2.6%
Other
0.8%

Based on 5,586 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 Le Mars sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$980/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
49.2 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Pella
10,624 people
Waverly
10,446 people
Pleasant Hill
10,796 people
Carroll
10,261 people
Fort Madison
10,221 people
Storm Lake
11,275 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Le Mars's 10,597 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bonham, TX
10,594 people
Sleepy Hollow, NY
10,592 people
Lake Morton-Berrydale, WA
10,591 people
Ironton, OH
10,585 people
Nanticoke, PA
10,610 people
North Lakes, AK
10,583 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Le Mars's $72,381 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Portland, TN
$72,380 median income
Upper Sandusky, OH
$72,379 median income
Woods Hole, MA
$72,386 median income
Stuart, NE
$72,386 median income
Dennis, OK
$72,375 median income
Minneota, MN
$72,396 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Le Mars, 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 Le Mars, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.9% White 85.6% Black or African American 5.3% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 4.3% Two or more races 4.5% 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 Le Mars 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
Le Mars (this city) 10,597 $72,381
Pella 10,624 $81,201
Waverly 10,446 $78,429
Pleasant Hill 10,796 $86,890
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Le Mars, IA?

What is the population of Le Mars, IA? +

Le Mars, IA counts 10,597 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Le Mars, IA? +

In Le Mars, the typical household earns $72,381 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Le Mars? +

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

Le Mars has a total crime rate of 1016.5 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 Le Mars, IA? +

Homes in Le Mars carry a median value of $202,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Le Mars? +

Climate normals put Le Mars's yearly average temperature at 46.9°F, 30.0 inches of precipitation, and 30.9 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.