City · Iowa
Onawa, Iowa
Onawa, city, in Monona County, Iowa. Onawa had 2,821 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,906 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,839 (±17). GEOID 1959115.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,821
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,906 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,839 ±17
Median household income
$62,143
±$15,539 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$145,800
±$18,282 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$1,037
±$184 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Onawa and what county is it in?
Onawa is a city in Monona County, Iowa. It covers 5.3 square miles of land, 552 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 Onawa, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,821 people lived in Onawa on July 1, 2025, down 3.1% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 2,906 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,839 (±17).
| Measure | Onawa | Monona County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,839 ±17 | 8,557 | +35 |
| Households | 1,256 ±95 | 3,878 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.18 ±0.16 | 2.16 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,369 ±98 | 4,372 | −171 |
Onawa's population since 2000
From 3,091 in 2000 to 2,821 in 2025: down 8.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Onawa 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 Onawa?
The median resident of Onawa is 35.5 years old; 25.6% are under 18 and 21.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.0%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.7%.
| Measure | Onawa | Monona County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 ±3.0 | 43.7 | −6.2 |
| Under 18 years | 25.6% ±3.2 pts | 22.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.5% ±3.6 pts | 24.4% | – |
| Male | 45.9% ±3.1 pts | 49.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.5% ±1.2 pts | 2.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.0% ±1.9 pts | 92.8% | +4.8 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.7% ±2.0 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.3% ±2.3 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.7% ±4.0 pts | 9.8% | – |
| With a disability | 18.0% ±4.4 pts | 14.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.3% ±2.9 pts | 3.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.3% ±4.0 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.4% ±5.9 pts | 19.6% | +8.5 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.5% ±3.6 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.4% ±4.0 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
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 Onawa earn?
Half of Onawa's 1,256 households earn less than $62,143 a year (±$15,539), against $68,377 in Monona County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $44,805 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Onawa | Monona County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,143 ±$15,539 | $68,377 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $69,895 ±$7,929 | $81,023 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,522 ±$3,266 | $35,795 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 16.3% ±8.3 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 18.4% ±17.7 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.2% ±4.5 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 86.0% ±5.1 pts | 90.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.3% ±5.6 pts | 84.9% | – |
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 Onawa?
Owners occupy 73.7% of Onawa's occupied homes and renters 26.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $145,800 by its owner (±$18,282). The median renter pays $1,037 a month including utilities, and 50.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Onawa | Monona County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $145,800 ±$18,282 | $142,900 | +$42,545 |
| Median gross rent | $1,037 ±$184 | $855 | +$285 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 50.6% ±20.4 pts | 33.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,218 ±$98 | $1,194 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 73.7% ±7.5 pts | 75.7% | +15.2 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 26.3% ±7.5 pts | 24.3% | – |
| Housing units | 1,369 ±98 | 4,372 | −171 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.3 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 83.6% ±6.7 pts | 84.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.1% ±1.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.0% ±2.4 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 32.2% ±8.5 pts | 37.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.2% ±4.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
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 Onawa building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Onawa in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 0.7 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 Onawa work and get to work?
83.7% of Onawa's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 18.4 minutes.
| Measure | Onawa | Monona County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.9% ±5.8 pts | 61.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.2% ±1.2 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.7% ±10.0 pts | 81.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.8% ±9.6 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.5% ±2.1 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.4 min ±3.3 | 22.6 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 Onawa?
1 census tract lies mostly in Onawa, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9603Monona County | 2,923 | $63,208 |
| Tract 9602Monona County | 1,986 | $83,750 |
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 Onawa) · Census block assignment files
How does Onawa compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Onawa is the 6,541st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 126th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Onawa ranks 197th 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 | 126th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 233rd | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 255th | 279 |
| Median household income | 197th | 279 |
| Per capita income | 254th | 279 |
| Median home value | 188th | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 46th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 37th | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 213th | 279 |
| Median age | 228th | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 142nd | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 181st | 279 |
Onawa's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Onawa 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 Onawa?
19 of the 57 figures for Onawa 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 Onawa 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 Onawa.