City · Iowa
Ringsted, Iowa
Ringsted, city, in Emmet County, Iowa. Ringsted had 341 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 6.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 365 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 380 (±63). GEOID 1967170.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
341
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 365 · ACS 2020-2024: 380 ±63
Median household income
$51,042
±$23,930 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$47,000
±$6,312 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$658
±$94 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Ringsted and what county is it in?
Ringsted is a city in Emmet County, Iowa. It covers 1.0 square miles of land, 366 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 Ringsted, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 341 people lived in Ringsted on July 1, 2025, down 6.6% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 365 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 380 (±63).
| Measure | Ringsted | Emmet County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 380 ±63 | 9,262 | −119 |
| Households | 177 ±33 | 4,063 | −59 |
| Average household size | 2.15 ±0.31 | 2.15 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 222 ±39 | 4,520 | no clear change |
Ringsted's population since 2000
From 436 in 2000 to 341 in 2025: down 21.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ringsted 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 Ringsted?
The median resident of Ringsted is 44.0 years old; 21.8% are under 18 and 17.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.5%.
| Measure | Ringsted | Emmet County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 ±12.1 | 42.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.8% ±7.6 pts | 19.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.9% ±5.4 pts | 24.1% | – |
| Male | 53.7% ±5.7 pts | 51.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.8% ±1.3 pts | 10.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.2% ±6.7 pts | 85.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.5% ±6.2 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±6.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.1% ±2.0 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.1% ±4.9 pts | 4.2% | – |
| With a disability | 21.6% ±8.0 pts | 18.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.9% ±4.2 pts | 5.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.5% ±2.7 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.2% ±6.8 pts | 17.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.9% ±2.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.5% ±10.7 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.7% ±4.3 pts | 2.5% | – |
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 Ringsted earn?
Half of Ringsted's 177 households earn less than $51,042 a year (±$23,930), against $63,730 in Emmet County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $55,381 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 18.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ringsted | Emmet County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,042 ±$23,930 | $63,730 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $77,615 ±$19,093 | $77,279 | – |
| Per capita income | $37,372 ±$10,288 | $36,351 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 18.4% ±10.4 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 27.7% ±21.9 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.3% ±8.2 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.0% ±3.7 pts | 95.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.4% ±3.9 pts | 86.9% | – |
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 Ringsted?
Owners occupy 75.7% of Ringsted's occupied homes and renters 24.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $47,000 by its owner (±$6,312). The median renter pays $658 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Ringsted | Emmet County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $47,000 ±$6,312 | $114,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $658 ±$94 | $733 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 27.8% ±21.3 pts | 36.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $805 ±$74 | $1,074 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 75.7% ±9.2 pts | 79.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 24.3% ±9.2 pts | 20.6% | – |
| Housing units | 222 ±39 | 4,520 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±16.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 17.3% ±13.3 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 90.5% ±5.1 pts | 83.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±10.6 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±10.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±10.6 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 47.7% ±9.8 pts | 33.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.1% ±2.7 pts | 6.1% | – |
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 Ringsted building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Ringsted 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 Ringsted work and get to work?
89.9% of Ringsted's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 24.0 minutes.
| Measure | Ringsted | Emmet County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.7% ±8.9 pts | 65.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% ±2.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 89.9% ±5.5 pts | 77.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.5% ±3.6 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±11.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±11.8 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.6% ±4.6 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.0 min ±3.6 | 20.9 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 Ringsted?
No census tract lies mostly in Ringsted; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 701Emmet County | 1,573 | $70,000 |
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 Ringsted) · Census block assignment files
How does Ringsted compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ringsted is the 14,698th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 534th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Ringsted 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 | 534th | 939 |
Ringsted's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Ringsted 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 Ringsted?
24 of the 57 figures for Ringsted 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 Ringsted 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 Ringsted.