City · Iowa
Mediapolis, Iowa
Mediapolis, city, in Des Moines County, Iowa. Mediapolis had 1,660 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,688 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,928 (±347). GEOID 1950790.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,660
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,688 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,928 ±347
Median household income
$75,543
±$13,851 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$179,700
±$17,313 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$1,040
±$260 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Mediapolis and what county is it in?
Mediapolis is a city in Des Moines County, Iowa. It covers 1.2 square miles of land, 1,407 residents per square mile in 2020.
Mediapolis is in the Burlington, IA-IL micropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Mediapolis, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,660 people lived in Mediapolis on July 1, 2025, down 1.5% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 1,688 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,928 (±347).
| Measure | Mediapolis | Des Moines County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,928 ±347 | 38,487 | no clear change |
| Households | 732 ±137 | 17,178 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.55 ±0.29 | 2.20 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 774 ±139 | 18,802 | no clear change |
Mediapolis's population since 2000
From 1,644 in 2000 to 1,660 in 2025: up 1.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Mediapolis 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 Mediapolis?
The median resident of Mediapolis is 35.3 years old; 31.6% are under 18 and 18.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 88.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 6.9%.
| Measure | Mediapolis | Des Moines County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 ±3.3 | 42.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 31.6% ±5.0 pts | 22.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.9% ±4.7 pts | 21.3% | – |
| Male | 49.6% ±4.3 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.4% ±3.5 pts | 3.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 88.2% ±5.3 pts | 84.5% | −8.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.6 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.9% ±3.9 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.3% ±2.9 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.8% ±3.3 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.0% ±3.2 pts | 8.1% | – |
| With a disability | 12.4% ±3.6 pts | 16.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.3% ±0.9 pts | 3.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.4% ±3.2 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 35.6% ±7.4 pts | 23.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.5% ±5.8 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.4% ±5.6 pts | 88.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 1.9% | – |
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 Mediapolis earn?
Half of Mediapolis's 732 households earn less than $75,543 a year (±$13,851), against $62,928 in Des Moines County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $73,282 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Mediapolis | Des Moines County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $75,543 ±$13,851 | $62,928 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $91,401 ±$10,608 | $80,523 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,687 ±$3,468 | $35,662 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.7% ±4.1 pts | 12.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.1% ±5.5 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.2% ±3.9 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.2% ±3.3 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.3% ±4.0 pts | 87.3% | – |
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 Mediapolis?
Owners occupy 78.3% of Mediapolis's occupied homes and renters 21.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $179,700 by its owner (±$17,313). The median renter pays $1,040 a month including utilities, and 57.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Mediapolis | Des Moines County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $179,700 ±$17,313 | $136,500 | +$33,494 |
| Median gross rent | $1,040 ±$260 | $904 | +$299 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 57.5% ±17.1 pts | 43.4% | +30.0 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,389 ±$69 | $1,250 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.3% ±7.3 pts | 74.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.7% ±7.3 pts | 25.4% | – |
| Housing units | 774 ±139 | 18,802 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±14.5 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.4% ±6.9 pts | 78.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.7% ±4.0 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.3% ±4.5 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 25.5% ±7.8 pts | 33.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.4% ±2.9 pts | 7.3% | – |
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 Mediapolis building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Mediapolis in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 2.4 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 Mediapolis work and get to work?
86.6% of Mediapolis's workers drive alone and 4.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 23.9 minutes.
| Measure | Mediapolis | Des Moines County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.8% ±5.8 pts | 61.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9% ±1.8 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 86.6% ±4.3 pts | 82.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.8% ±2.7 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.6% ±2.6 pts | 4.2% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.9 min ±4.6 | 18.0 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 Mediapolis?
No census tract lies mostly in Mediapolis; 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 Mediapolis) · Census block assignment files
How does Mediapolis compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Mediapolis is the 8,379th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 194th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Mediapolis ranks 109th 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 | 194th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 169th | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 66th | 279 |
| Median household income | 109th | 279 |
| Per capita income | 209th | 279 |
| Median home value | 118th | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 43rd | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 129th | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57th | 279 |
| Median age | 231st | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 92nd | 279 |
| Work from home | 203rd | 221 |
| Travel time to work | 63rd | 279 |
Mediapolis's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Mediapolis 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 Mediapolis?
18 of the 57 figures for Mediapolis 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 Mediapolis 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 Mediapolis.