City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Oskaloosa, IA

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

11,492
Residents
$62,172
Median income
$128,900
Median home
$947
Median rent (state)

Oskaloosa - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Oskaloosa lands in the 39th percentile for household income and the 62nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

39th
percentile, household income
20th
percentile, home value
10th
percentile, median rent
62nd
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: Oskaloosa, IA

Oskaloosa is a small town in Iowa, home to 11,492 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $62,172 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.3%. Typical homes in Oskaloosa are valued around $128,900, and the median resident age is 37.9 years. Educational attainment runs 26.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 63.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 13 residential building permits were authorized in Oskaloosa (Construction Slowdown), down 52% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Oskaloosa reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1042.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 50.1°F with 38.7 inches of precipitation per year.

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $947 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Iowa's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 29.7 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

11,492 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$62,172 /yr

Poverty 8.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Oskaloosa compare to other US cities?

Oskaloosa 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 20% pricier than other cities
Median rent 10% pricier than other cities
Safety 62% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Iowa alone, Oskaloosa ranks #81 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Oskaloosa'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
62ndSafety percentile

39th percentile nationally for median household income · 62nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Oskaloosa's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Oskaloosa'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 62 Avg. percentile National median
Oskaloosa'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 Oskaloosa's home value compares nationally

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

$128,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 80% 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. Oskaloosa $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 - Oskaloosa, IA Oskaloosa, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Oskaloosa, 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 Oskaloosa, IA median $62,172/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%
Oskaloosa, 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 Oskaloosa, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.8%

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

Population
11,492
Median Income
$62,172
Median Home Value
$128,900
Median Age
37.9
Poverty Rate
8.3%
Labor force participation
63.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1042.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
140.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
902.0
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
50.1°F
Annual Precipitation
38.7"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
11,450 residents11,500 residents11,550 residents11,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 11,544 residents 11,493 residents ▼ -0.4%
Oskaloosa's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
13
housing units authorized
Single-Family
11
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 27
2020 32
2021 23
2022 11
2023 9
2024 13

Permit volume decreased 52% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.3%
Carpool
10.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
4.6%
Work from Home
5.5%
Other
0.6%

Based on 5,812 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 Oskaloosa sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$947/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
29.7 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Spencer
11,393 people
Storm Lake
11,275 people
Pleasant Hill
10,796 people
Pella
10,624 people
Le Mars
10,597 people
Boone
12,445 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Oskaloosa's 11,492 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Four Corners, TX
11,490 people
Woods Cross, UT
11,490 people
River Forest, IL
11,489 people
Mexico, MO
11,487 people
New Port Richey East, FL
11,485 people
Town of Pecos, TX
11,485 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Oskaloosa's $62,172 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Norfolk, NE
$62,175 median income
Carthage, NC
$62,177 median income
Elk Mound, WI
$62,167 median income
Madison, SD
$62,180 median income
Plentywood, MT
$62,163 median income
Trout Creek, MT
$62,162 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Oskaloosa, 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 Oskaloosa, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.6% White 92.7% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 1.7% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 2.5% 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 Oskaloosa 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
Oskaloosa (this city) 11,492 $62,172
Spencer 11,393 $57,068
Storm Lake 11,275 $58,341
Pleasant Hill 10,796 $86,890
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Oskaloosa, IA?

What is the population of Oskaloosa, IA? +

The population of Oskaloosa, IA stands at 11,492 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Oskaloosa, the typical household earns $62,172 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Oskaloosa? +

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

Oskaloosa has a total crime rate of 1042.1 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 Oskaloosa, IA? +

Homes in Oskaloosa carry a median value of $128,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Oskaloosa? +

The average annual temperature in Oskaloosa runs 50.1°F, 38.7 inches of precipitation. 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

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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.