City · Iowa
Panora, Iowa
Panora, city, in Guthrie County, Iowa. Panora had 1,094 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,091 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,579 (±223). GEOID 1961320.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,094
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,091 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,579 ±223
Median household income
$66,339
±$7,774 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$182,000
±$13,187 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$1,040
±$134 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Panora and what county is it in?
Panora is a city in Guthrie County, Iowa. It covers 1.8 square miles of land, 602 residents per square mile in 2020.
Panora is in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 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 Panora, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,094 people lived in Panora on July 1, 2025, up 0.4% since 2020, slower than Iowa (+1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 1,091 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,579 (±223).
| Measure | Panora | Guthrie County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,579 ±223 | 10,688 | +351 |
| Households | 610 ±101 | 4,600 | +134 |
| Average household size | 2.52 ±0.26 | 2.29 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 676 ±109 | 5,808 | no clear change |
Panora's population since 2000
From 1,175 in 2000 to 1,094 in 2025: down 6.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Panora 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 Panora?
The median resident of Panora is 38.3 years old; 29.1% are under 18 and 20.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 3.1%.
| Measure | Panora | Guthrie County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 ±3.5 | 46.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 29.1% ±4.3 pts | 21.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.5% ±5.8 pts | 24.2% | – |
| Male | 46.6% ±4.0 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.1% ±2.4 pts | 3.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.0% ±3.8 pts | 92.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±2.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.7 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.5% ±1.3 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.5% ±1.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.6% ±3.3 pts | 7.1% | – |
| With a disability | 10.1% ±3.5 pts | 12.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.6% ±1.8 pts | 3.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.0% ±2.3 pts | 95.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.7% ±7.0 pts | 25.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.4% ±5.2 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.1% ±7.4 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 1.2% | – |
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 Panora earn?
Half of Panora's 610 households earn less than $66,339 a year (±$7,774), against $77,711 in Guthrie County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $70,118 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Panora | Guthrie County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,339 ±$7,774 | $77,711 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $93,486 ±$18,560 | $100,744 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,930 ±$6,240 | $43,480 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.3% ±7.5 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 12.0% ±12.0 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.8% ±8.7 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.3% ±6.0 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.8% ±6.5 pts | 89.3% | – |
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 Panora?
Owners occupy 80.5% of Panora's occupied homes and renters 19.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $182,000 by its owner (±$13,187). The median renter pays $1,040 a month including utilities, and 58.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Panora | Guthrie County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $182,000 ±$13,187 | $180,100 | +$36,532 |
| Median gross rent | $1,040 ±$134 | $845 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 58.0% ±26.2 pts | 34.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,320 ±$123 | $1,459 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 80.5% ±9.8 pts | 84.0% | +14.5 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 19.5% ±9.8 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Housing units | 676 ±109 | 5,808 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.5% ±14.0 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 87.3% ±5.0 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.6% ±2.2 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.1% ±2.2 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 46.2% ±9.4 pts | 36.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.5% ±2.3 pts | 4.0% | – |
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 Panora building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Panora in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 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 Panora work and get to work?
62.2% of Panora's workers drive alone and 20.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 23.0 minutes.
| Measure | Panora | Guthrie County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.0% ±6.4 pts | 62.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% ±7.8 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 62.2% ±7.5 pts | 76.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.9% ±5.6 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 6.4% ±4.4 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 20.5% ±6.6 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.0 min ±4.0 | 27.1 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 Panora?
No census tract lies mostly in Panora; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9501Guthrie County | 4,040 | $78,705 |
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 Panora) · Census block assignment files
How does Panora compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Panora is the 9,922nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 258th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Panora ranks 163rd 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 | 258th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 110th | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 247th | 279 |
| Median household income | 163rd | 279 |
| Per capita income | 143rd | 279 |
| Median home value | 114th | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 43rd | 266 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 149th | 279 |
| Median age | 172nd | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 67th | 279 |
| Work from home | 9th | 221 |
| Travel time to work | 77th | 279 |
Panora's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Panora 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 Panora?
23 of the 57 figures for Panora 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 Panora 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 Panora.