City · Iowa
Sutherland, Iowa
Sutherland, city, in O'Brien County, Iowa. Sutherland had 626 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 629 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 629 (±115). GEOID 1976485.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
626
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 629 · ACS 2020-2024: 629 ±115
Median household income
$55,469
±$9,306 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$101,200
±$29,709 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$581
±$57 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Sutherland and what county is it in?
Sutherland is a city in O'Brien County, Iowa. It covers 0.9 square miles of land, 740 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 Sutherland, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 626 people lived in Sutherland on July 1, 2025, down 0.8% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 629 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 629 (±115).
| Measure | Sutherland | O'Brien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 629 ±115 | 14,126 | no clear change |
| Households | 277 ±55 | 5,809 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.16 ±0.31 | 2.36 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 325 ±60 | 6,564 | no clear change |
Sutherland's population since 2000
From 707 in 2000 to 626 in 2025: down 11.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sutherland 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 Sutherland?
The median resident of Sutherland is 51.5 years old; 22.6% are under 18 and 26.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 6.5%.
| Measure | Sutherland | O'Brien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.5 ±5.6 | 39.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.6% ±8.8 pts | 24.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.6% ±7.3 pts | 21.2% | – |
| Male | 46.6% ±5.8 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.4% ±1.4 pts | 7.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.2% ±6.7 pts | 87.0% | −8.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±1.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.5% ±6.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±2.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.8% ±1.1 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 13.8% ±4.3 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 18.4% ±4.4 pts | 14.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.2% ±3.9 pts | 3.0% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.1% ±5.9 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 15.5% ±7.1 pts | 22.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.1% ±3.1 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.2% ±8.5 pts | 85.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9% ±1.4 pts | 2.3% | – |
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 Sutherland earn?
Half of Sutherland's 277 households earn less than $55,469 a year (±$9,306), against $68,356 in O'Brien County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $61,777 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 13.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sutherland | O'Brien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,469 ±$9,306 | $68,356 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $65,992 ±$8,278 | $84,439 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,541 ±$4,909 | $35,198 | −$24,688 |
| People below the poverty line | 13.9% ±7.2 pts | 13.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.7% ±17.7 pts | 20.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.2% ±8.7 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.6% ±6.1 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.4% ±6.5 pts | 90.1% | – |
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 Sutherland?
Owners occupy 79.8% of Sutherland's occupied homes and renters 20.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $101,200 by its owner (±$29,709). The median renter pays $581 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Sutherland | O'Brien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $101,200 ±$29,709 | $173,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $581 ±$57 | $868 | −$139 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 36.5% ±27.4 pts | 26.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,212 ±$128 | $1,357 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 79.8% ±7.8 pts | 76.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 20.2% ±7.8 pts | 23.9% | – |
| Housing units | 325 ±60 | 6,564 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.2% ±12.2 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 84.3% ±6.3 pts | 82.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.5% ±3.0 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±7.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±7.4 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 57.2% ±9.9 pts | 27.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.9% ±5.7 pts | 4.7% | – |
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 Sutherland building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Sutherland 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 Sutherland work and get to work?
83.9% of Sutherland's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 21.4 minutes.
| Measure | Sutherland | O'Brien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 51.5% ±6.9 pts | 65.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% ±4.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.9% ±7.9 pts | 79.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.7% ±6.3 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±9.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.8% ±1.1 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.1% ±2.8 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.4 min ±3.6 | 19.0 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 Sutherland?
No census tract lies mostly in Sutherland; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4904O'Brien County | 2,289 | $68,375 |
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 Sutherland) · Census block assignment files
How does Sutherland compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sutherland is the 12,301st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 394th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Sutherland 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 | 394th | 939 |
Sutherland's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Sutherland 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 Sutherland?
24 of the 57 figures for Sutherland 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 Sutherland 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 Sutherland.