City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Mount Vernon, IA

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

4,551
Residents
$106,356
Median income
$256,900
Median home
$1,071
Median rent (state)

Mount Vernon - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Mount Vernon lands in the 81st percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

81st
percentile, household income
57th
percentile, home value
26th
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: Mount Vernon, IA

Mount Vernon is a small town in Iowa, home to 4,551 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Mount Vernon brings in $106,356 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.7%. Typical homes in Mount Vernon are valued around $256,900, and the median resident age is 23.7 years. About 49.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 0 residential units were authorized in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier.

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,071 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Iowa's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 86.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

4,551 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$106,356 /yr

Poverty 4.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Mount Vernon compare to other US cities?

Mount Vernon measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 81% higher than other cities
Home value 57% pricier than other cities
Median rent 26% 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

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 Mount Vernon'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.

81stIncome percentile

81st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Mount Vernon's home value compares nationally

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

$256,900 43rd percentile more affordable than 43% 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%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Mount Vernon $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 - Mount Vernon, IA Mount Vernon, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Mount Vernon, 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 Mount Vernon, IA median $106,356/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%
Mount Vernon, 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 Mount Vernon, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 49.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,551
Median Income
$106,356
Median Home Value
$256,900
Median Age
23.7
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Labor force participation
58.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
49.5%

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,450 residents4,500 residents4,550 residents4,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,541 residents 4,514 residents ▼ -0.6%
Mount Vernon'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
2019 17
2020 0
2021 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2021.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
64.0%
Carpool
4.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
10.6%
Work from Home
20.6%

Based on 1,985 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 Mount Vernon sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,071/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
86.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Camanche
4,562 people
Evansdale
4,530 people
Huxley
4,440 people
Le Claire
4,718 people
Dyersville
4,357 people
Humboldt
4,761 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Mount Vernon's 4,551 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Waynesboro, MS
4,552 people
Post, TX
4,552 people
Ada, OH
4,553 people
Newton Falls, OH
4,553 people
Clintonville, WI
4,553 people
Whiting, IN
4,554 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Mount Vernon's $106,356 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Eudora, KS
$106,356 median income
Winthrop, MA
$106,357 median income
Winter Garden, FL
$106,371 median income
Crestview Hills, KY
$106,375 median income
Kotzebue, AK
$106,328 median income
Lochsloy, WA
$106,328 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Mount Vernon, 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 Mount Vernon, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.4% White 93.6% Black or African American 1.9% Asian 1.2% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 1.3% 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 Mount Vernon 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
Mount Vernon (this city) 4,551 $106,356
Camanche 4,562 $68,727
Evansdale 4,530 $57,415
Huxley 4,440 $122,716
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Mount Vernon, IA?

What is the population of Mount Vernon, IA? +

Mount Vernon, IA counts 4,551 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Mount Vernon, IA? +

The median household income in Mount Vernon is $106,356 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Mount Vernon? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Mount Vernon; 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 Mount Vernon, IA? +

Mount Vernon's median home value sits at $256,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.