City · Iowa
Marcus, Iowa
Marcus, city, in Cherokee County, Iowa. Marcus had 1,038 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,079 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,180 (±213). GEOID 1949350.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,038
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,079 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,180 ±213
Median household income
$77,981
±$26,712 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$200,000
±$25,998 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$639
±$238 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Marcus and what county is it in?
Marcus is a city in Cherokee County, Iowa. It covers 1.5 square miles of land, 706 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 Marcus, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,038 people lived in Marcus on July 1, 2025, down 3.4% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 1,079 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,180 (±213).
| Measure | Marcus | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,180 ±213 | 11,600 | no clear change |
| Households | 499 ±84 | 5,045 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.30 ±0.28 | 2.22 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 545 ±75 | 5,557 | −142 |
Marcus's population since 2000
From 1,139 in 2000 to 1,038 in 2025: down 8.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Marcus 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 Marcus?
The median resident of Marcus is 43.9 years old; 19.2% are under 18 and 29.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.5%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 7.8%.
| Measure | Marcus | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.9 ±10.5 | 44.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.2% ±6.4 pts | 22.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 29.8% ±7.4 pts | 24.9% | – |
| Male | 54.9% ±4.8 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.1% ±3.0 pts | 5.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 84.5% ±8.0 pts | 88.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.8% ±6.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.7% ±3.4 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.7% ±1.4 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.6% ±2.7 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 14.7% ±8.2 pts | 8.1% | – |
| With a disability | 17.0% ±5.6 pts | 12.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.5% ±2.1 pts | 4.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.9% ±9.2 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.0% ±6.6 pts | 23.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.9% ±3.4 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.6% ±6.2 pts | 87.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.8% ±2.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
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 Marcus earn?
Half of Marcus's 499 households earn less than $77,981 a year (±$26,712), against $71,269 in Cherokee County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $68,713 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Marcus | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,981 ±$26,712 | $71,269 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $108,775 ±$26,918 | $93,726 | – |
| Per capita income | $51,031 ±$11,981 | $41,258 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.3% ±3.0 pts | 12.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.6% ±4.8 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.4% ±3.8 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 86.6% ±9.3 pts | 90.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 79.6% ±9.9 pts | 87.1% | – |
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 Marcus?
Owners occupy 82.6% of Marcus's occupied homes and renters 17.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $200,000 by its owner (±$25,998). The median renter pays $639 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Marcus | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $200,000 ±$25,998 | $158,700 | +$75,085 |
| Median gross rent | $639 ±$238 | $758 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 17.9% ±24.0 pts | 39.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,250 ±$225 | $1,307 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.6% ±9.7 pts | 75.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.4% ±9.7 pts | 24.5% | – |
| Housing units | 545 ±75 | 5,557 | −142 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.3% ±17.0 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 83.7% ±8.9 pts | 84.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±4.5 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.8% ±1.6 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.8% ±5.7 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 32.3% ±9.1 pts | 34.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.8% ±10.0 pts | 5.7% | – |
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 Marcus building?
Builders took permits for 7 new housing units in Marcus in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 6.7 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 Marcus work and get to work?
85.4% of Marcus's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 18.6 minutes.
| Measure | Marcus | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.1% ±6.9 pts | 66.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% ±3.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 85.4% ±5.4 pts | 77.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.6% ±4.6 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 2.0% ±1.7 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.4% ±3.9 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.6 min ±4.2 | 16.7 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 Marcus?
No census tract lies mostly in Marcus; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
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 Marcus) · Census block assignment files
How does Marcus compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Marcus is the 10,121st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 271st-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Marcus ranks 98th of 279 places in Iowa with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 271st | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 244th | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 225th | 279 |
| Median household income | 98th | 279 |
| Per capita income | 22nd | 279 |
| Median home value | 91st | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 253rd | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 203rd | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 157th | 279 |
| Median age | 57th | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 48th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 174th | 279 |
Marcus's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Marcus 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 Marcus?
25 of the 57 figures for Marcus 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 Marcus 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 Marcus.