City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Zearing, IA

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

584
Residents
$67,031
Median income
$138,600
Median home
$1,153
Median rent (state)

Zearing - the verdict

Zearing ranks in the 46th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

46th
percentile, household income
23rd
percentile, home value
33rd
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: Zearing, IA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 584 residents in Zearing, a small town within Iowa. Zearing households earn a median of $67,031 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 19.2%. Home values in Zearing run a median of $138,600, and the median resident age is 34.2 years. Educational attainment runs 32.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 66.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 2 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Low Activity).

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 $1,153 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Iowa's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 68.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

584 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$67,031 /yr

Poverty 19.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Zearing compare to other US cities?

Zearing measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 46% higher than other cities
Home value 23% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% 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 Zearing'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.

46thIncome percentile

46th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Zearing's home value compares nationally

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

$138,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 77% 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. Zearing $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 - Zearing, IA Zearing, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Zearing, 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 Zearing, IA median $67,031/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%
Zearing, 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 Zearing, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.0%

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

Population
584
Median Income
$67,031
Median Home Value
$138,600
Median Age
34.2
Poverty Rate
19.2%
Labor force participation
66.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.3%

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
480 residents500 residents520 residents540 residents560 residents 202020212022202320242025 536 residents 504 residents ▼ -6.0%
Zearing's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 2

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
65.2%
Carpool
28.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
5.6%
Other
1.1%

Based on 267 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 Zearing sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,153/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
68.8 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Colesburg
585 people
Everly
586 people
Hopkinton
586 people
Moravia
587 people
Martensdale
588 people
Crescent
591 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Zearing's 584 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Trout Valley, IL
584 people
Cheshire, MA
584 people
Cement City, MI
584 people
Fairmont, NE
584 people
Mesquite, NM
584 people
Parish, NY
584 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Zearing's $67,031 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

East Globe, AZ
$67,031 median income
Cathedral City, CA
$67,031 median income
Westfir, OR
$67,031 median income
Nellis AFB, NV
$67,036 median income
Paradise, CA
$67,042 median income
Breesport, NY
$67,043 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Zearing, 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 Zearing, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.8% 16.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.8% White 79.8% Black or African American 1.9% Asian 1.4% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 16.6% 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 Zearing 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
Zearing (this city) 584 $67,031
Colesburg 585 $50,000
Everly 586 $55,192
Hopkinton 586 $80,536
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Zearing, IA?

What is the population of Zearing, IA? +

584 people live in Zearing, IA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Zearing runs $67,031, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Zearing? +

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

The median home value in Zearing is $138,600, 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.