City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

St. Charles, IA

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

891
Residents
$81,944
Median income
$197,100
Median home
$1,318
Median rent (state)

St. Charles - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, St. Charles lands in the 63rd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

63rd
percentile, household income
42nd
percentile, home value
47th
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: St. Charles, IA

891 people live in St. Charles, Iowa - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. St. Charles households earn a median of $81,944 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.5%. Typical homes in St. Charles are valued around $197,100, and the median resident age is 33.0 years. 18.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 69.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 67% from five years earlier.

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,318 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 35.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

891 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$81,944 /yr

Poverty 0.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does St. Charles compare to other US cities?

Where St. Charles sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 63% higher than other cities
Home value 42% pricier than other cities
Median rent 47% 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 St. Charles against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Iowa only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Iowa-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent is St. Charles's strongest outlier among Iowa cities

Among the 858 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, St. Charles ranks #34 - the 90th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares St. Charles only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#163 of 845
81st percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#34 of 858
90th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#133 of 849
84th percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#759 of 858
11th percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#392 of 858
54th 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.

63rdIncome percentile

63rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How St. Charles's home value compares nationally

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

$197,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 58% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. St. Charles $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 - St. Charles, IA St. Charles, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, IA median $81,944/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%
St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.8%

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

Population
891
Median Income
$81,944
Median Home Value
$197,100
Median Age
33.0
Poverty Rate
0.5%
Labor force participation
69.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.8%

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
635 residents640 residents645 residents650 residents 202020212022202320242025 645 residents 641 residents ▼ -0.6%
St. Charles's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 3
2021 0
2022 0
2023 3
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 67% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.4%
Carpool
7.7%
Public Transit
1.9%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
13.2%

Based on 478 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 St. Charles sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,318/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
35.5 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Hills
892 people
West Bend
889 people
Gowrie
894 people
Dakota City
887 people
Merrill
885 people
Sloan
884 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to St. Charles's 891 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bowman, GA
891 people
Blue Mound, IL
891 people
McLouth, KS
891 people
Scranton, KS
891 people
Carlton, MN
891 people
Norvelt, PA
891 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to St. Charles's $81,944 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Point Hope, AK
$81,944 median income
Morrisonville, IL
$81,944 median income
Princeville, IL
$81,944 median income
Portland, TX
$81,944 median income
New Cumberland, PA
$81,947 median income
North Port, FL
$81,940 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.9% White 93.7% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.0% Two or more races 1.2% 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 St. Charles 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
St. Charles (this city) 891 $81,944
Hills 892 $81,875
West Bend 889 $84,286
Gowrie 894 $74,375
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about St. Charles, IA?

What is the population of St. Charles, IA? +

St. Charles, IA counts 891 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in St. Charles, IA? +

Median annual household income in St. Charles runs $81,944, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in St. Charles? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for St. Charles; 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 St. Charles, IA? +

The median home value in St. Charles is $197,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.