City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Sandusky, IA

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

355
Residents
$96,118
Median income
$223,400
Median home
$962
Median rent (state)

Sandusky - the verdict

Sandusky ranks in the 75th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

75th
percentile, household income
49th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Sandusky, IA

Iowa's Sandusky is a small town, with 355 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $96,118 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in Sandusky are valued around $223,400, and the median resident age is 59.1 years. Educational attainment runs 29.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 55.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Iowa scores 87.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $962 per month statewide. 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 62.9 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

355 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$96,118 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Sandusky compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 75% higher than other cities
Home value 49% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Sandusky against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Iowa only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Iowa-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Sandusky near the bottom of Iowa's cities

Among the 858 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Sandusky ranks #764 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sandusky only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#74 of 845
91st percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#338 of 858
59th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#97 of 849
89th percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#764 of 858
0th percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#127 of 858
85th percentile in Iowa

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Iowa only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

75thIncome percentile

75th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Sandusky's home value compares nationally

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

$223,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 51% 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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Sandusky $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 - Sandusky, IA Sandusky, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sandusky, 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 Sandusky, IA median $96,118/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%
Sandusky, 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 Sandusky, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 29.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.6%

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

Population
355
Median Income
$96,118
Median Home Value
$223,400
Median Age
59.1
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
55.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
29.2%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
82.3%
Carpool
10.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
7.0%

Based on 158 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 Sandusky sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$962/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
62.9 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Menlo
355 people
Lehigh
354 people
Rowley
354 people
Wesley
356 people
Terril
357 people
Ute
351 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sandusky's 355 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Ridgecrest Heights, CA
355 people
Shaver Lake, CA
355 people
Eldorado Springs, CO
355 people
Twelve Mile, IN
355 people
Gorham, KS
355 people
McHenry, KY
355 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sandusky's $96,118 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Makawao, HI
$96,116 median income
Hickory Corners, MI
$96,105 median income
Bellville, GA
$96,140 median income
Mukwonago, WI
$96,096 median income
Westminster, CO
$96,145 median income
Hudson, MA
$96,149 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sandusky, 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 Sandusky, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 95.2% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 3.9% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.9% 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 Sandusky 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
Sandusky (this city) 355 $96,118
Menlo 355 $78,333
Lehigh 354 $58,824
Rowley 354 $60,417
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sandusky, IA?

What is the population of Sandusky, IA? +

355 people live in Sandusky, IA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Sandusky is $96,118 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sandusky? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sandusky; 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.

What is the median home value in Sandusky, IA? +

The median home value in Sandusky is $223,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.