City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Wellman, IA

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

1,539
Residents
$56,696
Median income
$149,000
Median home
$962
Median rent (state)

Wellman - the verdict

Nationally, Wellman sits in the 30th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

30th
percentile, household income
27th
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: Wellman, IA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,539 residents in Wellman, a small town within Iowa. Median household income here is $56,696 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.3%. Home values in Wellman run a median of $149,000, and the median resident age is 40.5 years. Educational attainment runs 21.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 64.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 2 residential building permits were authorized in Wellman (Construction Slowdown), down 33% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Iowa at 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $962 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 44.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

1,539 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$56,696 /yr

Poverty 8.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Wellman compare to other US cities?

Here's how Wellman stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 30% higher than other cities
Home value 27% 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Wellman's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

30thIncome percentile

30th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Wellman's home value compares nationally

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

$149,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 73% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Wellman $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 - Wellman, IA Wellman, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wellman, 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 Wellman, IA median $56,696/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%
Wellman, 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 Wellman, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.3%

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

Population
1,539
Median Income
$56,696
Median Home Value
$149,000
Median Age
40.5
Poverty Rate
8.3%
Labor force participation
64.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.5%

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,510 residents1,520 residents1,530 residents1,540 residents1,550 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,521 residents 1,539 residents ▲ +1.2%
Wellman's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 5
2021 1
2022 2
2023 4
2024 2

Permit volume decreased 33% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
86.9%
Carpool
4.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.6%
Work from Home
4.7%

Based on 771 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 Wellman 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
44.2 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Pocahontas
1,536 people
State Center
1,548 people
Holstein
1,552 people
Ackley
1,554 people
Panora
1,520 people
Brooklyn
1,565 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wellman's 1,539 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Keystone Heights, FL
1,539 people
Garden City, MO
1,539 people
Fountain Green, UT
1,539 people
Jamesport, NY
1,538 people
Minco, OK
1,540 people
Ucon, ID
1,537 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wellman's $56,696 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dendron, VA
$56,696 median income
Weirton, WV
$56,699 median income
Dayton, TN
$56,692 median income
Hollis, AK
$56,691 median income
Hebron, OH
$56,691 median income
Cotton, NM
$56,688 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wellman, 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 Wellman, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.3% White 95.9% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 3.0% 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 Wellman 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
Wellman (this city) 1,539 $56,696
Pocahontas 1,536 $56,298
State Center 1,548 $72,303
Holstein 1,552 $61,625
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wellman, IA?

What is the population of Wellman, IA? +

1,539 people live in Wellman, IA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Wellman is $56,696 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wellman? +

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

The median home value in Wellman is $149,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

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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.