Cities with highest divorce rate in Iowa research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to analyze Iowa’s most recent Census data to determine the divorce rate for each city in Iowa based on the percentage of currently divorced residents. Here are the results of our analysis:
-
The city with the highest divorce rate in Iowa is Anamosa based on the most recent Census data.
-
Anamosa is 16.0% Divorced.
-
The city with the lowest divorce rate in Iowa is Ames.
-
Ames is 2.0% Divorced.
-
Iowa is 7.0% Divorced.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
There are some 178,574 people living in Iowa over fifteen years of age who are divorced. You can compare that to the 28,339,199 Americans who are currently divorced in 2024.
Many people decide to run away – or split up – across the Hawkeye State.
Isn’t the divorce rate in America close to 50%? Yes indeed. But we’re measuring something else; we are looking at counts and percentages of people over 15 years old who are currently divorced. That 50% statistic is for the percentage of people who have ever been divorced.
For today’s analysis, the focus will be on the number of currently divorced people.
So now that we have you biting your nails, rethinking your worldview, and pulling out your hair, let’s look at the places in Iowa with the highest rates of divorcees.
The 10 Cities In Iowa With The Highest Divorce Rates
Let’s quickly recap before we dive into the Saturday Night Science behind the data.
What is the city in Iowa with the highest divorce rate? That would be Anamosa, with 16.0% of people over 15 years of age being divorced, per the most recent census data.
What is the overall Iowa divorce rate? According to the 2018-2022 Community Survey, the overall divorce rate in Iowa is 7.0%, which compares to the US divorce rate of 10.9%.
Alrighty, on to how we calculated the places with the highest divorce rates in Iowa.
For more Iowa reading, check out:
The 10 Places With The Highest Divorce Rate In Iowa For 2024
/10
Population: 5,493
Divorce Rate: 16.0%
Divorcees: 703
Median Income: $55,934
More on Anamosa: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 9,868
Divorce Rate: 13.0%
Divorcees: 1,026
Median Income: $47,571
More on Keokuk: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 5,934
Divorce Rate: 13.0%
Divorcees: 617
Median Income: $41,629
More on Oelwein: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 7,875
Divorce Rate: 13.0%
Divorcees: 819
Median Income: $57,276
More on Perry: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 6,770
Divorce Rate: 12.0%
Divorcees: 649
Median Income: $54,692
More on Atlantic: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 12,482
Divorce Rate: 12.0%
Divorcees: 1,198
Median Income: $64,192
More on Boone: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 13,057
Divorce Rate: 11.0%
Divorcees: 1,149
Median Income: $94,176
More on Norwalk: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 7,364
Divorce Rate: 11.0%
Divorcees: 648
Median Income: $52,039
More on Charles City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 23,976
Divorce Rate: 11.0%
Divorcees: 2,109
Median Income: $51,628
More on Burlington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 7,523
Divorce Rate: 11.0%
Divorcees: 662
Median Income: $57,318
More on Knoxville: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
How We Determined The Places In Iowa That Get Un-Hitched The Most
Since this is the 58th category of rankings we are compiling for the site, we had a pretty good idea of where to find data on marriage and divorce in America. We used Saturday Night Science to look at the U.S. Census Bureau on divorce rates. Because who likes tracking misery more than the U.S. government?
Specifically, we looked at the 2018-2022 American Community Survey table S1201 — Marital Status.
Pretty straightforward on that front — we just had to extract the following column of data:
- Population 15 Years and Over -> Divorced
There are some interesting/fun/sad data like .1% of female Americans aged 15-19 are divorced, but 0% of males (That’s probably a rounding issue, but still).
But the national data is for another day. Today, the analysis focuses on the 84 places in Iowa with a population of over 5,000.
We ranked each place by the percentage of divorcees over 15 years of age from highest to lowest. We crowned the divorce capital of Iowa the place with the highest incidence of divorcees, Anamosa.
And if you’re trying to avoid divorce, check out Ames, the city with the lowest divorce rate in Iowa.
We updated this article for 2024 and this list is our fifth time ranking the cities in Iowa with the highest divorce rates.
Getting Some Closure In Iowa After Untying The Know
Besides just coming up with what we thought would be a great new blog/book title, “Untying the Knot In Iowa: Life After Divorce,” we now have a sense of what places in the Hawkeye State don’t pay much attention to the whole “’til death do we part” phrase.
The cities with the highest divorce rate in Iowa are Anamosa, Keokuk, Oelwein, Perry, Atlantic, Boone, Norwalk, Charles City, Burlington, and Knoxville.
Try to keep in mind that the reason cities rank where they do in Iowa could be because of the age, education, and income distribution, as all of those things impact the rate of divorce.
And that’s probably for the best. Getting out of a toxic relationship is much better than staying in it.
Just make sure you have your running shoes ready to go.
For more Iowa reading, check out:
Cities With The Highest Divorce Rates In Iowa
| Rank | City | Population | Divorcees | Divorce Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anamosa, IA | 5,493 | 703 | 16.0% |
| 2 | Keokuk, IA | 9,868 | 1,026 | 13.0% |
| 3 | Oelwein, IA | 5,934 | 617 | 13.0% |
| 4 | Perry, IA | 7,875 | 819 | 13.0% |
| 5 | Atlantic, IA | 6,770 | 649 | 12.0% |
| 6 | Boone, IA | 12,482 | 1,198 | 12.0% |
| 7 | Norwalk, IA | 13,057 | 1,149 | 11.0% |
| 8 | Charles City, IA | 7,364 | 648 | 11.0% |
| 9 | Burlington, IA | 23,976 | 2,109 | 11.0% |
| 10 | Knoxville, IA | 7,523 | 662 | 11.0% |
| 11 | Nevada, IA | 6,933 | 610 | 11.0% |
| 12 | Centerville, IA | 5,393 | 474 | 11.0% |
| 13 | Fort Dodge, IA | 24,850 | 2,186 | 11.0% |
| 14 | Creston, IA | 7,519 | 661 | 11.0% |
| 15 | Webster City, IA | 7,787 | 685 | 11.0% |
| 16 | Newton, IA | 15,692 | 1,380 | 11.0% |
| 17 | Clear Lake, IA | 7,642 | 672 | 11.0% |
| 18 | Clinton, IA | 24,524 | 2,158 | 11.0% |
| 19 | Ottumwa, IA | 25,359 | 2,028 | 10.0% |
| 20 | Washington, IA | 7,329 | 586 | 10.0% |
| 21 | Osceola, IA | 5,455 | 436 | 10.0% |
| 22 | Eldridge, IA | 6,693 | 535 | 10.0% |
| 23 | Estherville, IA | 5,881 | 470 | 10.0% |
| 24 | Algona, IA | 5,443 | 435 | 10.0% |
| 25 | Cherokee, IA | 5,154 | 412 | 10.0% |
| 26 | Altoona, IA | 20,017 | 1,601 | 10.0% |
| 27 | Spirit Lake, IA | 5,409 | 432 | 10.0% |
| 28 | Independence, IA | 6,106 | 439 | 9.0% |
| 29 | Grinnell, IA | 9,511 | 684 | 9.0% |
| 30 | Oskaloosa, IA | 11,492 | 827 | 9.0% |
| 31 | Maquoketa, IA | 6,123 | 440 | 9.0% |
| 32 | Muscatine, IA | 23,671 | 1,704 | 9.0% |
| 33 | Fort Madison, IA | 10,293 | 741 | 9.0% |
| 34 | Des Moines, IA | 213,164 | 15,347 | 9.0% |
| 35 | Glenwood, IA | 5,128 | 369 | 9.0% |
| 36 | Manchester, IA | 5,112 | 368 | 9.0% |
| 37 | Mason City, IA | 27,271 | 1,745 | 8.0% |
| 38 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 136,929 | 8,763 | 8.0% |
| 39 | Iowa Falls, IA | 5,095 | 326 | 8.0% |
| 40 | Windsor Heights, IA | 5,200 | 332 | 8.0% |
| 41 | Hiawatha, IA | 7,179 | 459 | 8.0% |
| 42 | Pleasant Hill, IA | 10,456 | 669 | 8.0% |
| 43 | Winterset, IA | 5,366 | 343 | 8.0% |
| 44 | Waterloo, IA | 67,256 | 4,304 | 8.0% |
| 45 | Indianola, IA | 15,845 | 1,014 | 8.0% |
| 46 | Spencer, IA | 11,351 | 726 | 8.0% |
| 47 | Marion, IA | 41,401 | 2,649 | 8.0% |
| 48 | Carroll, IA | 10,270 | 657 | 8.0% |
| 49 | Council Bluffs, IA | 62,670 | 4,010 | 8.0% |
| 50 | Clarinda, IA | 5,371 | 300 | 7.0% |
| 51 | Fairfield, IA | 9,474 | 530 | 7.0% |
| 52 | Grimes, IA | 15,402 | 862 | 7.0% |
| 53 | Sioux City, IA | 85,469 | 4,786 | 7.0% |
| 54 | Dubuque, IA | 59,315 | 3,321 | 7.0% |
| 55 | Davenport, IA | 101,448 | 5,681 | 7.0% |
| 56 | Mount Pleasant, IA | 9,214 | 515 | 7.0% |
| 57 | Red Oak, IA | 5,563 | 311 | 7.0% |
| 58 | Bondurant, IA | 7,617 | 426 | 7.0% |
| 59 | Bettendorf, IA | 38,997 | 2,183 | 7.0% |
| 60 | West Des Moines, IA | 68,744 | 3,299 | 6.0% |
| 61 | Adel, IA | 6,090 | 292 | 6.0% |
| 62 | Polk City, IA | 5,604 | 268 | 6.0% |
| 63 | Sergeant Bluff, IA | 5,007 | 240 | 6.0% |
| 64 | Ankeny, IA | 68,392 | 3,282 | 6.0% |
| 65 | Marshalltown, IA | 27,511 | 1,320 | 6.0% |
| 66 | Waukee, IA | 25,045 | 1,202 | 6.0% |
| 67 | Denison, IA | 8,316 | 399 | 6.0% |
| 68 | Le Mars, IA | 10,549 | 421 | 5.0% |
| 69 | Orange City, IA | 6,278 | 251 | 5.0% |
| 70 | Coralville, IA | 22,494 | 899 | 5.0% |
| 71 | Urbandale, IA | 45,591 | 1,823 | 5.0% |
| 72 | Cedar Falls, IA | 40,686 | 1,627 | 5.0% |
| 73 | Pella, IA | 10,556 | 422 | 5.0% |
| 74 | Sheldon, IA | 5,417 | 216 | 5.0% |
| 75 | Johnston, IA | 23,856 | 954 | 5.0% |
| 76 | Decorah, IA | 7,611 | 304 | 5.0% |
| 77 | Waverly, IA | 10,399 | 332 | 4.0% |
| 78 | Sioux Center, IA | 8,227 | 263 | 4.0% |
| 79 | Clive, IA | 18,576 | 594 | 4.0% |
| 80 | North Liberty, IA | 20,393 | 652 | 4.0% |
| 81 | Iowa City, IA | 74,878 | 1,797 | 3.0% |
| 82 | Asbury, IA | 5,890 | 141 | 3.0% |
| 83 | Storm Lake, IA | 11,194 | 179 | 2.0% |
| 84 | Ames, IA | 66,265 | 1,060 | 2.0% |
