Palestine, Story County, Iowa Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Palestine, 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 Palestine, Iowa. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Palestine, Iowa. The estimated population of Palestine, Iowa is 6,671 people, with a median age of 37.7.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
6,671
+6.29%
+7.34%
2020
6,276
-2.56% -
2019
6,441
+3.67%
-
2018
6,213
-0.03% -
2017
6,215
- -

Population of Palestine, 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
92%
95.9%
-4.07%
Black/African American
2.6%
0.4%
+550.00%
Native
0%
0.2%
-100.00%
Hispanic
2.7%
2.1%
+28.57%
Asian
0.8%
1.3%
-38.46%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.9%
0.1%
+1,800.00%
Other
0%
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 Palestine, 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 37.7 +2.72% 37.5 +1.9% 37.9 +3.84%
2020 36.7 +0.27% 36.8 +2.51% 36.5 -0.82%
2019 36.6 -1.61% 35.9 -1.64% 36.8 -2.65%
2018 37.2 +3.91% 36.5 +7.04% 37.8 0%
2017 35.8 - 34.1 - 37.8 -

The median age of Palestine, 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 9 535 +22.17% 384 +37.76% 659 547
10 to 19 518 -48.15% 518 -8.52% 305 460
20 to 29 317 -1.3% 370 -60% 270 183
30 to 39 354 +45.5% 386 +44.86% 538 585
40 to 49 416 0.98% 459 -5.08% 416 430
50 to 59 422 +29.9% 412 +25.07% 559 519
60 to 69 296 +13.87% 351 -16.53% 331 292
70+ 226 -4.61% 251 +40.04% 212 365

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Palestine, Iowa is $106,474.00.

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 Palestine.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $122,106.00
  • 45 to 64
    $108,411.00
  • 65 and over
    $52,096.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Palestine, 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 Palestine, Iowa is currently $110,478.00.

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.

13.06% of households in Palestine 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 Palestine against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    10.01%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    9.00%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    15.31%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    10.45%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    32.23%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    9.93%
  • $200,000 or more
    13.06%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Palestine is $40,446.00.

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

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

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Palestine 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
    11.81%
  • Bachelor's degree
    52.54%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    7.96%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    26.81%
  • Less than high school diploma
    0.88%

Employment

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

The total population of Palestine over the age of 16 is 4,888.

Of those people, a total of 75.30% 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 Palestine is 73.50%.

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 188 46.80% 23.90%
20 to 24 years 219 99.10% 0.00%
25 to 29 years 234 97.40% 1.30%
30 to 34 years 530 89.10% 3.00%
35 to 44 years 1,040 91.00% 2.80%
45 to 54 years 913 84.80% 1.20%
55 to 59 years 564 89.40% 0.80%
60 to 64 years 445 74.80% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 314 30.90% 0.00%
75 years and over 441 5.00% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Palestine. 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 4,551 75.10% 1.80%
Black or African American 93 100.00% 15.10%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 38 39.50% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 20 100.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 186 72.60% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 134 69.40% 7.50%
Not Hispanic or Latino 4,512 75.20% 1.70%

Occupations

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

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Palestine is 3,592, with median earnings of $53,500.00.

Women in Palestine, Iowa earning approximately 66.50% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 3,592 $53,500.00
Male 1,858 $67,305.00
Female 1,734 $44,781.00

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 587 $68,958.00
Business and Financial 350 $84,432.00
Computer and Mathematical 89 $43,958.00
Architecture and Engineering 189 $108,221.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 77 $33,839.00
Community and Social Service 23 $31,932.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 200 $49,167.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 27 $7,109.00
Healthcare Practitioners 181 $59,598.00
Healthcare Support 65 $24,485.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 14 $36,429.00
Law Enforcement 6 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 77 $5,861.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 101 $14,081.00
Personal Care and Service 114 $24,706.00
Sales 449 $43,018.00
Office and Administrative Support 599 $47,569.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 18 $29,167.00
Construction and Extraction 78 $51,875.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 75 $71,250.00
Production 85 $53,603.00
Transportation and Material Moving 57 $11,042.00

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 349 $80,347.00 238 $66,500.00
Business and Financial 261 $103,750.00 89 $75,625.00
Computer and Mathematical 46 $58,421.00 43 $42,986.00
Architecture and Engineering 147 $108,221.00 42 $86,250.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 42 $0.00 35 $65,069.00
Community and Social Service 20 $32,273.00 3 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 84 $2,499.00 116 $56,667.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 3 $0.00 24 $6,875.00
Healthcare Practitioners 20 $49,583.00 161 $59,777.00
Healthcare Support 17 $0.00 48 $33,235.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 14 $36,429.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 6 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 3 $0.00 74 $5,778.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 78 $14,706.00 23 $6,691.00
Personal Care and Service 3 $0.00 111 $24,926.00
Sales 244 $73,750.00 205 $14,010.00
Office and Administrative Support 159 $76,382.00 440 $46,123.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 18 $29,167.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 78 $51,875.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 75 $71,250.00 0 $0.00
Production 58 $63,088.00 27 $53,015.00
Transportation and Material Moving 55 $10,903.00 2 $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 2,488 households in Palestine, with an average household size of 2.68 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 1,918 families in Palestine with an average family size of 3.07 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 1,709 102 107 570
Average Household Size 3.17 2.85 2.51 1.22
Total Families 1,709 102 107 0
Average Household Size 3.16 2.43 2.39 0

Poverty

Of the 1,918 families in Palestine, 3.00% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Palestine:

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 2,522 housing units in Palestine, Iowa.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 2,488 98.65%
Vacant 34 1.35%

12.61% of the total 2,522 housing units in Palestine are rental units. This is approximately 318 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 2,170 are occupied by the owner - or 86.04% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Palestine is $906.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Palestine 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
    0
  • Less than $500
    8
  • $500 to $999
    229
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    16
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    65
  • $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 Palestine is $225,700.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    113
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    84
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    152
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    443
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    774
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    567
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    37
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    294
  • 1940 to 1949
    65
  • 1950 to 1959
    99
  • 1960 to 1969
    365
  • 1970 to 1979
    486
  • 1980 to 1989
    168
  • 1990 to 1999
    263
  • 2000 to 2009
    435
  • 2010 to 2013
    347
  • 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 Palestine that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    138
  • 1 vehicle available
    427
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,191
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    732

Commuting to Work

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

21.2 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Palestine.

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
    203
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    219
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    304
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    472
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    845
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    223
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    412
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    170
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    122
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    63
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    36
  • 90 or more minutes
    16

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Palestine, 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.