City · Iowa
Riceville, Iowa
Riceville, city, mostly in Mitchell County (60.4% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Howard County, Iowa. Riceville had 805 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 806 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 823 (±137). GEOID 1966585.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
805
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 806 · ACS 2020-2024: 823 ±137
Median household income
$44,615
±$6,349 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$112,100
±$20,677 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$1,156
±$775 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Riceville and what county is it in?
Riceville is a city mostly in Mitchell County (60.4% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Howard County, Iowa. It covers 1.1 square miles of land, 761 residents per square mile in 2020.
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mitchell County | 487 | 60.4% |
| Howard County | 319 | 39.6% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Riceville, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 805 people lived in Riceville on July 1, 2025, down 0.6% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 806 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 823 (±137).
| Measure | Riceville | Mitchell County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 823 ±137 | 10,575 | no clear change |
| Households | 396 ±65 | 4,597 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.02 ±0.20 | 2.25 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 427 ±67 | 4,950 | no clear change |
Riceville's population since 2000
From 840 in 2000 to 805 in 2025: down 4.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Riceville 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 Riceville?
The median resident of Riceville is 36.3 years old; 21.3% are under 18 and 22.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 91.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.7%.
| Measure | Riceville | Mitchell County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 ±5.5 | 41.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.3% ±5.1 pts | 23.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.1% ±7.4 pts | 21.7% | – |
| Male | 48.8% ±5.0 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.7% ±4.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 91.0% ±5.6 pts | 95.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±3.4 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.9% ±2.4 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.5% ±2.5 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.7% ±3.6 pts | 9.2% | – |
| With a disability | 10.3% ±4.3 pts | 10.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.1% ±3.4 pts | 7.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.9% ±5.7 pts | 93.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.6% ±6.3 pts | 24.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.1% ±2.3 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.4% ±5.0 pts | 88.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.3% ±2.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
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 Riceville earn?
Half of Riceville's 396 households earn less than $44,615 a year (±$6,349), against $71,365 in Mitchell County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 the median was $54,645 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $10,030 after inflation. 10.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Riceville | Mitchell County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,615 ±$6,349 | $71,365 | −$10,030 |
| Mean household income | $57,031 ±$7,073 | $96,151 | – |
| Per capita income | $27,101 ±$2,846 | $41,197 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.9% ±5.8 pts | 9.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 10.3% ±10.5 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.8% ±6.8 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 88.9% ±6.0 pts | 92.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.1% ±9.2 pts | 89.9% | – |
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 Riceville?
Owners occupy 67.9% of Riceville's occupied homes and renters 32.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $112,100 by its owner (±$20,677).
| Measure | Riceville | Mitchell County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $112,100 ±$20,677 | $175,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,156 ±$775 | $738 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 52.2% ±24.9 pts | 31.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,174 ±$131 | $1,313 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 67.9% ±10.7 pts | 80.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.1% ±10.7 pts | 20.0% | – |
| Housing units | 427 ±67 | 4,950 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±17.8 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 93.4% ±3.0 pts | 89.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.6% ±2.2 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±5.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.7% ±2.3 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 38.2% ±9.0 pts | 38.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.8% ±2.0 pts | 3.0% | – |
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 Riceville building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Riceville 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 Riceville work and get to work?
82.2% of Riceville's workers drive alone and 7.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 33.3 minutes.
| Measure | Riceville | Mitchell County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.8% ±9.0 pts | 66.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.0% ±1.3 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 82.2% ±7.3 pts | 71.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.0% ±4.2 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.2% ±1.7 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.3% ±4.8 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 33.3 min ±12.5 | 18.5 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 Riceville?
No census tract lies mostly in Riceville; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9603Howard County | 2,807 | $66,000 |
| Tract 5601Mitchell County | 3,127 | $62,146 |
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 Riceville) · Census block assignment files
How does Riceville compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Riceville is the 11,219th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 329th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Riceville is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 329th | 939 |
Riceville's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Riceville 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 Riceville?
23 of the 57 figures for Riceville 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 Riceville 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 Riceville.