Monroe County, Iowa Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Monroe 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 Monroe County, Iowa. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Monroe County, Iowa. The estimated population of Monroe County, Iowa is 7,589 people, with a median age of 41.6.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
7,589
 -2.22% -4.08%
2020
7,761
 -0.59% -
2019
7,807
 -0.71% -
2018
7,863
 -0.62% -
2017
7,912
 - -

Population of Monroe 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
94.8%
93.5%
 +1.39%
Black/African American
0%
0.1%
 -100.00%
Native
0%
0%
 0.00%
Hispanic
0.3%
2.8%
 -89.29%
Asian
1.2%
0.9%
 +33.33%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3.7%
1.3%
 +184.62%
Other
0%
1.5%
 -100.00%

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 Monroe 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 41.6 -0.95% 43 +4.37% 41.1 -3.97%
2020 42 -2.33% 41.2 -1.67% 42.8 -3.17%
2019 43 +2.87% 41.9 +5.81% 44.2 -0.23%
2018 41.8 -0.95% 39.6 -2.46% 44.3 +1.84%
2017 42.2 - 40.6 - 43.5 -

The median age of Monroe 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 9 588 -18.41% 429 0.62% 476 418
10 to 19 574 -23.3% 518 +27.7% 451 651
20 to 29 463 -16.11% 377 +12.66% 392 426
30 to 39 365 +16.22% 415 +9.15% 419 443
40 to 49 531 -19.27% 514 -25.52% 424 383
50 to 59 565 +9.73% 575 -4.26% 620 542
60 to 69 548 -12.61% 476 -3.59% 473 449
70+ 395 +5.79% 579 +4.62% 418 604

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Monroe County, Iowa is $69,929.00.

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 Monroe County.

  • Under 25
    $29,063.00
  • 25 to 44
    $89,250.00
  • 45 to 64
    $75,147.00
  • 65 and over
    $48,405.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Monroe 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 Monroe County, Iowa is currently $75,267.00.

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.

2.94% of households in Monroe 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 Monroe County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    18.35%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    17.21%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    20.01%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    19.28%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    20.01%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    2.20%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.94%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Monroe County is $32,160.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Monroe 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 Monroe 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
    4.86%
  • Bachelor's degree
    22.86%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    14.52%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    56.31%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.44%

Employment

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

The total population of Monroe County over the age of 16 is 5,994.

Of those people, a total of 63.20% 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 Monroe County is 61.20%.

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 401 51.40% 9.20%
20 to 24 years 423 78.50% 4.20%
25 to 29 years 395 88.60% 0.00%
30 to 34 years 368 89.40% 2.70%
35 to 44 years 864 88.70% 5.60%
45 to 54 years 940 81.40% 3.80%
55 to 59 years 659 85.60% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 468 56.20% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 858 20.70% 3.90%
75 years and over 618 5.70% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Monroe 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 5,803 63.70% 3.30%
Black or African American 1 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 49 95.90% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 0 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 141 30.50% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 22 0.00% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 5,802 63.70% 3.30%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Monroe 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 Monroe County is 3,667, with median earnings of $44,815.00.

Women in Monroe County, Iowa earning approximately 72.10% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 3,667 $44,815.00
Male 1,914 $51,990.00
Female 1,753 $37,492.00

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 361 $52,212.00
Business and Financial 129 $60,809.00
Computer and Mathematical 30 $35,625.00
Architecture and Engineering 30 $109,643.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 19 $0.00
Community and Social Service 110 $46,250.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 409 $49,962.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 57 $8,375.00
Healthcare Practitioners 187 $48,958.00
Healthcare Support 128 $15,000.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 10 $0.00
Law Enforcement 28 $73,750.00
Food Preparation and Serving 188 $11,250.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 52 $23,125.00
Personal Care and Service 95 $30,398.00
Sales 320 $39,167.00
Office and Administrative Support 311 $38,819.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 94 $57,250.00
Construction and Extraction 136 $43,100.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 243 $63,598.00
Production 487 $45,485.00
Transportation and Material Moving 83 $54,583.00

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 206 $51,346.00 155 $57,875.00
Business and Financial 30 $95,278.00 99 $54,205.00
Computer and Mathematical 12 $0.00 18 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 30 $109,643.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 11 $0.00 8 $0.00
Community and Social Service 8 $0.00 102 $43,750.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 175 $88,355.00 234 $43,098.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 36 $8,250.00 21 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 0 $0.00 187 $48,958.00
Healthcare Support 4 $0.00 124 $12,083.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 0 $0.00 10 $0.00
Law Enforcement 26 $0.00 2 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 61 $30,724.00 127 $9,704.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 27 $52,656.00 25 $23,047.00
Personal Care and Service 32 $0.00 63 $16,146.00
Sales 146 $65,676.00 174 $16,250.00
Office and Administrative Support 59 $37,344.00 252 $38,889.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 92 $57,125.00 2 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 136 $43,100.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 241 $63,624.00 2 $0.00
Production 378 $46,346.00 109 $42,639.00
Transportation and Material Moving 83 $54,583.00 0 $0.00

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 2,998 households in Monroe County, with an average household size of 2.49 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 1,812 families in Monroe County with an average family size of 3.26 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 1,468 151 193 1,186
Average Household Size 3.21 3.33 4.36 1.19
Total Families 1,468 151 193 0
Average Household Size 3.2 3.14 3.83 0

Poverty

Of the 1,812 families in Monroe County, 5.10% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Monroe 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 3,674 housing units in Monroe County, Iowa.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 2,998 81.60%
Vacant 676 18.40%

13.04% of the total 3,674 housing units in Monroe County are rental units. This is approximately 479 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 2,452 are occupied by the owner - or 66.74% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Monroe County is $635.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Monroe 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
    67
  • Less than $500
    137
  • $500 to $999
    271
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    71
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Monroe County is $115,000.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    461
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    610
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    454
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    333
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    270
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    192
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    110
  • $1,000,000 or more
    22

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    952
  • 1940 to 1949
    101
  • 1950 to 1959
    279
  • 1960 to 1969
    294
  • 1970 to 1979
    635
  • 1980 to 1989
    394
  • 1990 to 1999
    428
  • 2000 to 2009
    460
  • 2010 to 2013
    131
  • 2014 or later
    0

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 Monroe County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    245
  • 1 vehicle available
    622
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,097
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,034

Commuting to Work

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

25.2 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Monroe 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
    309
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    548
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    298
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    224
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    328
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    261
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    374
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    199
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    147
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    402
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    138
  • 90 or more minutes
    79

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Monroe 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 Monroe County, Iowa

We have data for 16 places in Monroe County, Iowa. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.