Hancock County, Iowa Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Hancock County, Iowa, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Hancock County, Iowa. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Hancock County, Iowa. The estimated population of Hancock County, Iowa is 10,837 people, with a median age of 44.2.

We can look at the total population in Hancock County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
10,837
+1.2%
-1.22%
2020
10,709
 -0.86% -
2019
10,802
 -0.79% -
2018
10,888
 -0.76% -
2017
10,971
 - -

Population of Hancock County, Iowa by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
91.8%
93.8%
 -2.13%
Black/African American
1.2%
0.6%
 +100.00%
Native
0.1%
0.3%
 -66.67%
Hispanic
5%
3.9%
 +28.21%
Asian
0.3%
0.1%
 +200.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.2%
1.2%
 0.00%
Other
0.5%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Hancock County, Iowa by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 44.2 -0.67% 42.5 -0.7% 45.5 -0.22%
2020 44.5 +0.68% 42.8 +2.64% 45.6 +0.22%
2019 44.2 -0.67% 41.7 -0.95% 45.5 -0.87%
2018 44.5 0% 42.1 +0.96% 45.9 -0.22%
2017 44.5 - 41.7 - 46 -

The median age of Hancock County, Iowa gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 605 +20.46% 605 -1.95% 737 590
10 to 19 804 -19.5% 681 -10.79% 644 605
20 to 29 498 +20.5% 479 +15.04% 599 554
30 to 39 714 -14.3% 556 -1.87% 616 540
40 to 49 557 +10.33% 619 +2.28% 613 628
50 to 59 968 -26.43% 824 -7.11% 736 762
60 to 69 685 +19.88% 762 -2.07% 822 727
70+ 688 +5.14% 926 +2.4% 721 943

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Hancock County, Iowa is $64,730.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Hancock County.

  • Under 25
    $42,069.00
  • 25 to 44
    $73,929.00
  • 45 to 64
    $74,858.00
  • 65 and over
    $47,703.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Hancock County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Hancock County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Hancock County, Iowa is currently $75,699.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

4.10% of households in Hancock County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Hancock County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    16.64%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    19.46%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    22.71%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    16.79%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    16.01%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.30%
  • $200,000 or more
    4.10%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Hancock County is $31,996.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Hancock County by the total population of Hancock County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Hancock County, Iowa, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Hancock County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    3.71%
  • Bachelor's degree
    27.82%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    10.60%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    55.04%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.83%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Hancock County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Hancock County over the age of 16 is 8,756.

Of those people, a total of 67.10% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Hancock County is 65.50%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 495 45.10% 6.30%
20 to 24 years 546 92.10% 5.00%
25 to 29 years 607 89.50% 0.20%
30 to 34 years 531 88.30% 0.40%
35 to 44 years 1,278 94.10% 5.10%
45 to 54 years 1,186 84.50% 2.90%
55 to 59 years 900 86.60% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 800 71.50% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 1,332 36.00% 2.10%
75 years and over 1,081 9.50% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Hancock County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 8,439 66.90% 2.50%
Black or African American 76 100.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 14 85.70% 0.00%
Asian 33 90.90% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 53 39.60% 0.00%
Two or more races 141 66.70% 3.20%
Hispanic or Latino 334 70.10% 0.90%
Not Hispanic or Latino 8,185 66.70% 2.50%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Hancock County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Hancock County is 5,733, with median earnings of $40,381.00.

Women in Hancock County, Iowa earning approximately 75.60% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 5,733 $40,381.00
Male 3,020 $44,107.00
Female 2,713 $33,366.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 662 $42,667.00
Business and Financial 303 $58,922.00
Computer and Mathematical 27 $77,589.00
Architecture and Engineering 108 $75,000.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 56 $50,000.00
Community and Social Service 33 $44,205.00
Legal 60 $100,909.00
Educational and Library 286 $46,302.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 37 $28,618.00
Healthcare Practitioners 288 $48,000.00
Healthcare Support 242 $23,904.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 28 $9,167.00
Law Enforcement 11 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 150 $20,714.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 208 $14,688.00
Personal Care and Service 188 $37,083.00
Sales 568 $33,448.00
Office and Administrative Support 479 $38,393.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 132 $21,875.00
Construction and Extraction 207 $31,635.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 265 $45,764.00
Production 717 $41,110.00
Transportation and Material Moving 344 $45,459.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 466 $50,938.00 196 $37,292.00
Business and Financial 89 $62,574.00 214 $55,000.00
Computer and Mathematical 27 $77,589.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 108 $75,000.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 38 $52,727.00 18 $0.00
Community and Social Service 5 $0.00 28 $44,583.00
Legal 49 $101,534.00 11 $0.00
Educational and Library 56 $53,875.00 230 $45,729.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 6 $0.00 31 $28,224.00
Healthcare Practitioners 51 $39,750.00 237 $48,625.00
Healthcare Support 14 $17,188.00 228 $23,947.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 9 $3,125.00 19 $50,521.00
Law Enforcement 11 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 37 $22,039.00 113 $20,280.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 90 $26,875.00 118 $6,934.00
Personal Care and Service 19 $0.00 169 $52,972.00
Sales 270 $45,078.00 298 $25,417.00
Office and Administrative Support 89 $57,679.00 390 $36,400.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 123 $21,406.00 9 $41,750.00
Construction and Extraction 207 $31,635.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 261 $45,764.00 4 $0.00
Production 503 $42,847.00 214 $39,688.00
Transportation and Material Moving 330 $45,459.00 14 $40,000.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 4,610 households in Hancock County, with an average household size of 2.31 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 3,201 families in Hancock County with an average family size of 2.75 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 2,725 142 334 1,409
Average Household Size 2.78 3.32 2.75 1.19
Total Families 2,725 142 334 0
Average Household Size 2.76 2.83 2.61 0

Poverty

Of the 3,201 families in Hancock County, 8.00% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Hancock County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 5,138 housing units in Hancock County, Iowa.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 4,610 89.72%
Vacant 528 10.28%

14.87% of the total 5,138 housing units in Hancock County are rental units. This is approximately 764 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 3,712 are occupied by the owner - or 72.25% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Hancock County is $717.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Hancock County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    134
  • Less than $500
    111
  • $500 to $999
    530
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    92
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    7
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    11
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    13

Property Value

The median value of a property in Hancock County is $99,600.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Hancock County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    634
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,230
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    531
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    579
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    531
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    185
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    21
  • $1,000,000 or more
    1

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Hancock County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Hancock County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,741
  • 1940 to 1949
    256
  • 1950 to 1959
    793
  • 1960 to 1969
    522
  • 1970 to 1979
    781
  • 1980 to 1989
    348
  • 1990 to 1999
    267
  • 2000 to 2009
    311
  • 2010 to 2013
    109
  • 2014 or later
    10

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Hancock County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    192
  • 1 vehicle available
    984
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,033
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,401

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Hancock County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Hancock County that commute to work in a particular way.

20 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Hancock County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    535
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,135
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    746
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    625
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    649
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    337
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    497
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    124
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    81
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    300
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    104
  • 90 or more minutes
    165

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Hancock County, Iowa in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Hancock County, Iowa

We have data for 27 places in Hancock County, Iowa. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.