City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Osage, IA

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

3,578
Residents
$62,309
Median income
$141,800
Median home
$919
Median rent (state)

Osage - the verdict

Nationally, Osage sits in the 39th percentile for household income and the 75th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

39th
percentile, household income
24th
percentile, home value
6th
percentile, median rent
75th
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: Osage, IA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 3,578 residents in Osage, a small town within Iowa. The typical household in Osage brings in $62,309 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.7%. Osage's housing stock carries a median value of $141,800, and the median resident age is 43.9 years. Educational attainment runs 24.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 63.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 7 residential building permits were authorized in Osage (Rapid Growth), up 40% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Osage reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 741.8 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Osage's yearly average temperature at 45.3°F with 37.6 inches of precipitation per year and 39.6 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Iowa at 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $919 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 37.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

3,578 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$62,309 /yr

Poverty 3.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Osage compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 39% higher than other cities
Home value 24% pricier than other cities
Median rent 6% pricier than other cities
Safety 75% 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, Osage ranks #63 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 Osage'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.

39thIncome percentile
75thSafety percentile

39th percentile nationally for median household income · 75th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Osage's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Osage'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 66 Avg. percentile National median
Osage'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 Osage's home value compares nationally

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

$141,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 76% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $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. Osage $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 - Osage, IA Osage, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Osage, 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 Osage, IA median $62,309/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%
Osage, 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 Osage, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.2%

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

Population
3,578
Median Income
$62,309
Median Home Value
$141,800
Median Age
43.9
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Labor force participation
63.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
741.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
114.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
627.7
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
45.3°F
Annual Precipitation
37.6"
Annual Snowfall
39.6"

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 →
3,500 residents3,550 residents3,600 residents3,650 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,633 residents 3,552 residents ▼ -2.2%
Osage's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
7
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 5
2021 17
2022 10
2023 10
2024 7

Permit volume increased 40% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
87.9%
Carpool
4.0%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
2.0%
Work from Home
3.8%
Other
2.0%

Based on 1,837 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 Osage sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$919/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
37.7 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Eagle Grove
3,588 people
Saylorville
3,559 people
Emmetsburg
3,651 people
Albia
3,688 people
New Hampton
3,462 people
Carter Lake
3,773 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Osage's 3,578 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Perham, MN
3,577 people
North Cape May, NJ
3,577 people
Del Monte Forest, CA
3,576 people
St. Augusta, MN
3,576 people
Silt, CO
3,575 people
Islandia, NY
3,581 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Osage's $62,309 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Raymond, MN
$62,308 median income
Washburn, TX
$62,308 median income
East Dubuque, IL
$62,313 median income
Park Forest, IL
$62,305 median income
Elbridge, NY
$62,313 median income
Altamahaw, NC
$62,315 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Osage, 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 Osage, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.8% White 95.2% Black or African American 1.0% Asian 1.5% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 0.6% 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 Osage 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
Osage (this city) 3,578 $62,309
Eagle Grove 3,588 $58,458
Saylorville 3,559 $80,250
Emmetsburg 3,651 $57,353
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Osage, IA?

What is the population of Osage, IA? +

The population of Osage, IA stands at 3,578 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Osage, IA? +

Osage households earn a median of $62,309 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Osage? +

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

Osage has a total crime rate of 741.8 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 Osage, IA? +

Homes in Osage carry a median value of $141,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Osage? +

The average annual temperature in Osage runs 45.3°F, 37.6 inches of precipitation, and 39.6 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.