Like all states, Iowa has certain places that are going on hard times. These Iowa places have an above-average percentage of people living in poverty, out of work, or not making as much as they should be.
Even as the economy continues to improve, it’s worthwhile to look at the places in each state struggling to make ends meet. So we set our sites on locating the poorest places in Iowa.
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the newest Census data from the American Community Survey for the 84 cities in Iowa with more than 5,000 people.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Poorest Places In Iowa For 2024:
What’s the poorest city in Iowa? According to the facts, Centerville is the poorest place in Iowa for 2024.
This isn’t a commentary on the people that live there or the vibrant culture and traditions of these places. Instead, it’s just a look at the facts.
For more Iowa reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Iowa
- Cheapest Places To Live In Iowa
- Most Dangerous Cities In Iowa
- The poorest states in the US
- The poorest cities in the US
The 10 Poorest Cities In Iowa For 2024
1. Centerville
/10
Population: 5,393
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Income: $42,064 (2nd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 25.3% (3rd highest)
People In Poverty: 1,362
More on Centerville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Centerville, unfortunately, ranks as the poorest place in Iowa thanks to combination of low pay and and a lack of jobs.
The city of 5,393 people averages the 2nd lowest median household income in Iowa and the 3rd highest poverty rate. At the very least, the cost of living ranks in the bottom 15% of place in the state, so things like housing are relatively affordable.
2. Keokuk
/10
Population: 9,868
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Income: $47,571 (4th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 19.3% (8th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,905
More on Keokuk: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
The second poorest city in Iowa is Keokuk.
The city ranks as having the 8th highest incidence of poverty and 4th lowest median household income. However, the unemployment rate ‘only’ ranks as the 5th highest in the Hawkeye State.
3. Oelwein
/10
Population: 5,934
Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 2)
Median Income: $41,629 (lowest)
Poverty Rate: 17.4% (13th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,035
More on Oelwein: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Placing as the third poorest city, Oelwein’s median income ranks as the lowest.
And that’s a sign that there’s a relatively substantial jump in the quality of the economy from second to third place on our list. The poverty rate is 17.45% and ranks near the bottom of places in the state.
But what makes up for the relatively low incomes of the city is its low cost of living. The income you do make here goes further than in most parts of the Hawkeye State.
4. Cherokee
/10
Cherokee ranks as the fourth poorest place in Iowa.
The town ranks as having the 11th lowest median household income and the 4th highest incidence of poverty in the state.
That being said, there’s still a ton of cultural diversity in the city as it hosts many events throughout the year.
5. Red Oak
/10
Population: 5,563
Rank Last Year: 17 (Up 12)
Median Income: $50,984 (7th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 18.6% (11th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,032
More on Red Oak: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
The fifth poorest city in Iowa is Red Oak.
The city ranks as having the 7th lowest median income in the state. However, an extremely low cost of living prevents a good number of folks from living in poverty as the poverty rate only ranks as the 11th highest in Iowa.
Still not the best news for Red Oak.
6. Fairfield
/10
Population: 9,474
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 1)
Median Income: $44,277 (3rd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 17.1% (16th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,617
More on Fairfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Fairfield ranks as the sixth poorest place in the Hawkeye State.
It ranks as having the 16th highest incidence of poverty and the 15th highest unemployment rate.
7. Iowa City
/10
Population: 74,878
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 2)
Median Income: $54,879 (20th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 26.7% (2nd highest)
People In Poverty: 20,014
More on Iowa City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Iowa City places as the seventh poorest city in Iowa.
The city of over 74,878 ranks as having the 2nd highest incidence of poverty in the state. However, it has a very low cost of living which helps to pay the bills each month.
8. Burlington
/10
Population: 23,976
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Income: $51,628 (10th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 17.8% (12th highest)
People In Poverty: 4,277
More on Burlington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Burlington ranks as the eighth poorest city in Iowa.
The big issue for the town is the unemployment rate which ranks as one of the highest in the state.
9. Atlantic
/10
Population: 6,770
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 1)
Median Income: $54,692 (19th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 21.4% (5th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,452
More on Atlantic: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Atlantic couldn’t stay out of the top ten poorest places in Iowa; it ranks number 9.
While the median income is the 19th lowest, there are a substantial number of people that live below the poverty line. Overall, Atlantic ranks as having the 5th most people living in poverty of all the places we analyzed in Iowa.
10. Ottumwa
/10
Population: 25,359
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 2)
Median Income: $53,085 (14th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 19.0% (10th highest)
People In Poverty: 4,815
More on Ottumwa: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
And rounding out the top ten poorest cities in Iowa is Ottumwa.
The city of 25,359 people ranks in the bottom 20% for both median income and poverty rate in the Hawkeye State.
Methodology: How We Determined The Poorest Places In Iowa for 2024
The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think about determining the poorest places is to simply the poverty rate. That is, the number of people living below a federally established level of income for a household of a certain size.
However, we don’t think that one statistic wholly encompasses what it means to be one of the “poorest places”. So we used Saturday Night Science to look at this set of criteria from the newly released 2018-2022 American Community Survey:
- Poverty Level
- Median Household Income
After we collected the data for all 84 places with more than 5,000 people in Iowa, we ranked each place from 1 to 84 for each of the criteria, with 1 being the poorest.
We then averaged all the rankings for a place into a “Poor Score” with the place having the lowest overall Poor Score, Centerville, crowned the “Poorest Place In Iowa For 2024”.
This report has been updated for 2024, which is our tenth time ranking the poorest places in Iowa.
Summary: The Poorest Cities In Iowa For 2024
Like we said earlier, when we set out to identify the poorest places in Iowa, we weren’t sure what we’d encounter, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in Iowa.
When you look at the data, the cities and places mentioned above meet the criteria for being at the very bottom of the income ladder for everyone that lives there.
If you’re curious enough, here are the richest cities in Iowa, according to data:
- Richest: Clive
2nd Richest: Asbury
3rd Richest: Urbandale
For more Iowa reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Iowa
- Safest Places In Iowa
- Worst Places To Live In Iowa
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Iowa
Detailed List Of The Poorest Places To Live In Iowa
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Rate | Median Income | People In Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Centerville | 5,393 | 25.3% | $42,064 | 1,362 |
| 2 | Keokuk | 9,868 | 19.3% | $47,571 | 1,905 |
| 3 | Oelwein | 5,934 | 17.4% | $41,629 | 1,035 |
| 4 | Cherokee | 5,154 | 22.4% | $51,651 | 1,153 |
| 5 | Red Oak | 5,563 | 18.6% | $50,984 | 1,032 |
| 6 | Fairfield | 9,474 | 17.1% | $44,277 | 1,617 |
| 7 | Iowa City | 74,878 | 26.7% | $54,879 | 20,014 |
| 8 | Burlington | 23,976 | 17.8% | $51,628 | 4,277 |
| 9 | Atlantic | 6,770 | 21.4% | $54,692 | 1,452 |
| 10 | Ottumwa | 25,359 | 19.0% | $53,085 | 4,815 |
| 11 | Osceola | 5,455 | 19.8% | $55,208 | 1,081 |
| 12 | Ames | 66,265 | 26.8% | $57,428 | 17,765 |
| 13 | Waterloo | 67,256 | 17.4% | $54,104 | 11,695 |
| 14 | Anamosa | 5,493 | 19.1% | $55,934 | 1,050 |
| 15 | Fort Madison | 10,293 | 14.5% | $48,944 | 1,491 |
| 16 | Maquoketa | 6,123 | 16.8% | $53,462 | 1,025 |
| 17 | Denison | 8,316 | 20.9% | $57,744 | 1,733 |
| 18 | Creston | 7,519 | 13.8% | $51,366 | 1,037 |
| 19 | Clinton | 24,524 | 17.0% | $55,196 | 4,164 |
| 20 | Charles City | 7,364 | 13.4% | $52,039 | 990 |
| 21 | Clarinda | 5,371 | 11.8% | $51,413 | 635 |
| 22 | Estherville | 5,881 | 14.7% | $55,699 | 866 |
| 23 | Oskaloosa | 11,492 | 17.0% | $57,949 | 1,958 |
| 24 | Muscatine | 23,671 | 17.4% | $58,474 | 4,114 |
| 25 | Newton | 15,692 | 12.3% | $53,873 | 1,937 |
| 26 | Perry | 7,875 | 13.9% | $57,276 | 1,094 |
| 27 | Spencer | 11,351 | 13.6% | $57,175 | 1,543 |
| 28 | Mount Pleasant | 9,214 | 15.8% | $58,895 | 1,453 |
| 29 | Iowa Falls | 5,095 | 9.0% | $50,035 | 456 |
| 30 | Algona | 5,443 | 10.3% | $52,903 | 562 |
| 31 | Davenport | 101,448 | 15.8% | $59,890 | 16,028 |
| 32 | Fort Dodge | 24,850 | 15.1% | $59,452 | 3,752 |
| 33 | Knoxville | 7,523 | 13.0% | $57,318 | 980 |
| 34 | Washington | 7,329 | 11.6% | $56,399 | 849 |
| 35 | Des Moines | 213,164 | 15.2% | $62,378 | 32,400 |
| 36 | Sheldon | 5,417 | 14.7% | $61,939 | 794 |
| 37 | Sioux City | 85,469 | 14.8% | $64,250 | 12,649 |
| 38 | Council Bluffs | 62,670 | 13.6% | $61,181 | 8,516 |
| 39 | Cedar Falls | 40,686 | 17.0% | $71,011 | 6,900 |
| 40 | Marshalltown | 27,511 | 14.3% | $65,000 | 3,931 |
| 41 | Grinnell | 9,511 | 10.2% | $57,813 | 969 |
| 42 | Decorah | 7,611 | 9.8% | $57,939 | 742 |
| 43 | Dubuque | 59,315 | 13.0% | $63,520 | 7,710 |
| 44 | Independence | 6,106 | 11.7% | $63,042 | 711 |
| 45 | Mason City | 27,271 | 10.6% | $60,786 | 2,877 |
| 46 | Hiawatha | 7,179 | 12.3% | $65,610 | 883 |
| 47 | Storm Lake | 11,194 | 6.4% | $54,615 | 713 |
| 48 | Manchester | 5,112 | 8.6% | $57,969 | 441 |
| 49 | Carroll | 10,270 | 8.9% | $60,368 | 919 |
| 50 | Cedar Rapids | 136,929 | 11.4% | $66,895 | 15,568 |
| 51 | Webster City | 7,787 | 8.6% | $59,665 | 665 |
| 52 | Nevada | 6,933 | 11.4% | $69,742 | 792 |
| 53 | Coralville | 22,494 | 10.7% | $67,691 | 2,400 |
| 54 | Glenwood | 5,128 | 8.8% | $65,833 | 451 |
| 55 | Winterset | 5,366 | 9.9% | $71,411 | 530 |
| 56 | Boone | 12,482 | 8.2% | $64,192 | 1,023 |
| 57 | Waverly | 10,399 | 9.8% | $78,278 | 1,013 |
| 58 | Indianola | 15,845 | 8.7% | $73,534 | 1,378 |
| 59 | Pleasant Hill | 10,456 | 9.3% | $81,992 | 968 |
| 60 | Johnston | 23,856 | 10.4% | $98,324 | 2,492 |
| 61 | Clear Lake | 7,642 | 6.8% | $66,900 | 519 |
| 62 | Orange City | 6,278 | 7.5% | $77,500 | 470 |
| 63 | Le Mars | 10,549 | 6.9% | $73,734 | 725 |
| 64 | Windsor Heights | 5,200 | 8.0% | $85,055 | 414 |
| 65 | West Des Moines | 68,744 | 7.5% | $82,345 | 5,176 |
| 66 | Marion | 41,401 | 7.1% | $81,519 | 2,922 |
| 67 | Spirit Lake | 5,409 | 5.7% | $70,248 | 306 |
| 68 | Adel | 6,090 | 7.8% | $91,891 | 478 |
| 69 | Sergeant Bluff | 5,007 | 8.3% | $117,500 | 416 |
| 70 | Bettendorf | 38,997 | 7.3% | $100,570 | 2,866 |
| 71 | Altoona | 20,017 | 6.0% | $89,100 | 1,205 |
| 72 | Grimes | 15,402 | 6.5% | $99,896 | 994 |
| 73 | Sioux Center | 8,227 | 2.7% | $82,050 | 219 |
| 74 | Pella | 10,556 | 4.2% | $86,025 | 442 |
| 75 | Polk City | 5,604 | 7.1% | $152,536 | 399 |
| 76 | Waukee | 25,045 | 5.8% | $106,846 | 1,452 |
| 77 | Norwalk | 13,057 | 4.1% | $94,176 | 532 |
| 78 | North Liberty | 20,393 | 4.5% | $100,197 | 921 |
| 79 | Eldridge | 6,693 | 1.5% | $89,946 | 103 |
| 80 | Bondurant | 7,617 | 6.1% | $120,588 | 466 |
| 81 | Ankeny | 68,392 | 4.7% | $101,151 | 3,241 |
| 82 | Urbandale | 45,591 | 5.5% | $111,888 | 2,502 |
| 83 | Asbury | 5,890 | 5.5% | $117,391 | 325 |
| 84 | Clive | 18,576 | 2.7% | $124,908 | 505 |
Ames is not poor at all it has one of the best districts in the USA