City · Iowa
Waukon, Iowa
Waukon, city, in Allamakee County, Iowa. Waukon had 3,849 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,827 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,792 (±21). GEOID 1982740.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,849
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,827 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,792 ±21
Median household income
$60,269
±$12,375 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$147,200
±$22,321 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$696
±$221 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Waukon and what county is it in?
Waukon is a city in Allamakee County, Iowa. It covers 2.8 square miles of land, 1,348 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 Waukon, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,849 people lived in Waukon on July 1, 2025, up 0.7% since 2020, slower than Iowa (+1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 3,827 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,792 (±21).
| Measure | Waukon | Allamakee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,792 ±21 | 14,092 | +121 |
| Households | 1,810 ±166 | 5,950 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.02 ±0.18 | 2.32 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,088 ±187 | 7,761 | no clear change |
Waukon's population since 2000
From 4,131 in 2000 to 3,849 in 2025: down 6.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Waukon 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 Waukon?
The median resident of Waukon is 44.3 years old; 18.7% are under 18 and 27.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 4.2%. 2.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Waukon | Allamakee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 ±9.3 | 43.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.7% ±4.3 pts | 24.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 27.8% ±4.3 pts | 23.1% | – |
| Male | 50.5% ±3.3 pts | 51.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.2% ±2.4 pts | 9.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.0% ±3.0 pts | 86.5% | −3.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±1.8 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.8% ±1.7 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.2% ±2.5 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.3% ±3.2 pts | 6.3% | – |
| With a disability | 14.7% ±4.3 pts | 12.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.1% ±2.6 pts | 7.0% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.0% ±3.4 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.7% ±5.2 pts | 22.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.1% ±3.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.1% ±7.6 pts | 92.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
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 Waukon earn?
Half of Waukon's 1,810 households earn less than $60,269 a year (±$12,375), against $70,694 in Allamakee County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $56,541 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Waukon | Allamakee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,269 ±$12,375 | $70,694 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $72,091 ±$10,286 | $88,120 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,393 ±$4,311 | $35,863 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.0% ±4.0 pts | 10.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.1% ±10.6 pts | 13.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.8% ±5.0 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.1% ±3.4 pts | 91.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.4% ±5.8 pts | 86.0% | – |
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 Waukon?
Owners occupy 77.0% of Waukon's occupied homes and renters 23.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $147,200 by its owner (±$22,321). The median renter pays $696 a month including utilities, and 36.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Waukon | Allamakee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $147,200 ±$22,321 | $172,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $696 ±$221 | $796 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 36.3% ±14.7 pts | 29.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,207 ±$102 | $1,383 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 77.0% ±6.5 pts | 79.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 23.0% ±6.5 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Housing units | 2,088 ±187 | 7,761 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 13.5% ±13.6 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.2% ±7.1 pts | 74.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.9% ±4.4 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.6% ±2.3 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 31.4% ±7.0 pts | 28.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.5% ±2.8 pts | 3.7% | – |
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 Waukon building?
Builders took permits for 53 new housing units in Waukon in 2025 (5 in single-family houses), 13.8 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 Waukon work and get to work?
81.9% of Waukon's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 16.7 minutes.
| Measure | Waukon | Allamakee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.0% ±6.1 pts | 64.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% ±2.4 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.9% ±6.2 pts | 74.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.1% ±3.4 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 5.7% ±3.1 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.5% ±4.4 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 16.7 min ±2.7 | 22.2 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 Waukon?
1 census tract lies mostly in Waukon, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9603Allamakee County | 4,166 | $61,388 |
| Tract 9605Allamakee County | 3,696 | $71,094 |
| Tract 9602Allamakee County | 2,286 | $83,077 |
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 Waukon) · Census block assignment files
How does Waukon compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Waukon is the 5,609th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 105th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Waukon ranks 217th 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 | 105th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 101st | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 81st | 279 |
| Median household income | 217th | 279 |
| Per capita income | 196th | 279 |
| Median home value | 185th | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 235th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 123rd | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 120th | 279 |
| Median age | 53rd | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 109th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 214th | 279 |
Waukon's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Waukon 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 Waukon?
15 of the 57 figures for Waukon 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 Waukon 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 Waukon.