City · Iowa
Sumner, Iowa
Sumner, city, mostly in Bremer County (99.6% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Fayette County, Iowa. Sumner had 2,022 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,030 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,106 (±206). GEOID 1976260.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,022
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,030 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,106 ±206
Median household income
$58,854
±$9,492 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$118,000
±$13,593 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$902
±$240 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Sumner and what county is it in?
Sumner is a city mostly in Bremer County (99.6% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Fayette County, Iowa. It covers 2.5 square miles of land, 826 residents per square mile in 2020.
Sumner is in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Bremer County | 2,021 | 99.6% |
| Fayette County | 9 | 0.4% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Sumner, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,022 people lived in Sumner on July 1, 2025, down 0.4% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 2,030 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,106 (±206).
| Measure | Sumner | Bremer County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,106 ±206 | 25,204 | no clear change |
| Households | 863 ±89 | 9,716 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.37 ±0.22 | 2.44 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 989 ±87 | 10,585 | no clear change |
Sumner's population since 2000
From 2,106 in 2000 to 2,022 in 2025: down 4.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sumner 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 Sumner?
The median resident of Sumner is 47.5 years old; 20.9% are under 18 and 23.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 96.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 1.8%.
| Measure | Sumner | Bremer County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 ±6.9 | 39.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.9% ±4.0 pts | 22.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.3% ±3.0 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Male | 42.2% ±5.5 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.8% ±0.8 pts | 2.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 96.3% ±2.3 pts | 92.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.2 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.4 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.2% ±2.8 pts | 6.3% | – |
| With a disability | 13.5% ±3.4 pts | 11.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 2.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.3% ±2.6 pts | 96.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 28.2% ±7.4 pts | 36.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.7% ±4.7 pts | 12.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.6% ±6.2 pts | 88.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.2% ±5.2 pts | 2.2% | – |
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 Sumner earn?
Half of Sumner's 863 households earn less than $58,854 a year (±$9,492), against $86,784 in Bremer County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 the median was $78,787 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $19,933 after inflation. 13.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sumner | Bremer County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,854 ±$9,492 | $86,784 | −$19,933 |
| Mean household income | $77,357 ±$9,932 | $108,261 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,772 ±$4,352 | $43,033 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.6% ±7.1 pts | 7.3% | +11.6 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 20.7% ±19.2 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.4% ±5.3 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.4% ±4.2 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.9% ±4.9 pts | 92.6% | – |
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 Sumner?
Owners occupy 77.9% of Sumner's occupied homes and renters 22.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $118,000 by its owner (±$13,593). The median renter pays $902 a month including utilities, and 26.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Sumner | Bremer County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $118,000 ±$13,593 | $219,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $902 ±$240 | $921 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 26.9% ±15.7 pts | 25.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,051 ±$129 | $1,586 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 77.9% ±6.7 pts | 79.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 22.1% ±6.7 pts | 20.3% | – |
| Housing units | 989 ±87 | 10,585 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.3% ±10.7 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 83.3% ±5.8 pts | 80.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.3% ±1.7 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.1% ±1.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.3% ±1.7 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 47.8% ±6.9 pts | 28.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.4% ±4.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
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 Sumner building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Sumner in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 1.0 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 Sumner work and get to work?
87.9% of Sumner's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 20.9 minutes.
| Measure | Sumner | Bremer County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.0% ±5.8 pts | 66.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% ±3.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 87.9% ±6.0 pts | 75.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.1% ±2.4 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 3.2% ±3.6 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.7% ±5.1 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.9 min ±3.2 | 20.1 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 Sumner?
1 census tract lies mostly in Sumner, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
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 Sumner) · Census block assignment files
How does Sumner compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sumner is the 7,639th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 163rd-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Sumner ranks 226th 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 | 163rd | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 131st | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 204th | 279 |
| Median household income | 226th | 279 |
| Per capita income | 164th | 279 |
| Median home value | 236th | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 99th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 67th | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 98th | 279 |
| Median age | 26th | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 103rd | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 124th | 279 |
Sumner's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Sumner 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 Sumner?
24 of the 57 figures for Sumner 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 Sumner 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 Sumner.