Wright County, Iowa Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Wright 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 Wright County, Iowa. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Wright County, Iowa. The estimated population of Wright County, Iowa is 12,978 people, with a median age of 42.3.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
12,978
+2.64%
+0.89%
2020
12,644
 -0.75% -
2019
12,739
 -0.51% -
2018
12,804
 -0.47% -
2017
12,864
 - -

Population of Wright 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
83.5%
86.7%
 -3.69%
Black/African American
0.2%
0.5%
 -60.00%
Native
0.1%
0%
 0.00%
Hispanic
13.1%
11.1%
 +18.02%
Asian
0.1%
0.4%
 -75.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.1%
1.3%
 +61.54%
Other
0.8%
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 Wright 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 42.3 0% 41.7 -1.42% 42.7 +0.71%
2020 42.3 -2.76% 42.3 0% 42.4 -4.72%
2019 43.5 +0.23% 42.3 +1.2% 44.5 -0.45%
2018 43.4 -2.03% 41.8 -3.24% 44.7 -1.97%
2017 44.3 - 43.2 - 45.6 -

The median age of Wright 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 9 844 -0.88% 767 -6.34% 834 714
10 to 19 814 +29.72% 741 +11.8% 1,067 822
20 to 29 722 -15.78% 643 -0.13% 614 641
30 to 39 654 +9.15% 699 +4.91% 712 733
40 to 49 734 -0.15% 654 +3.19% 725 665
50 to 59 923 -16.44% 891 -30.53% 768 647
60 to 69 878 +14.41% 918 +13.35% 1,008 1,046
70+ 862 +6.68% 1,120 -5.23% 920 1,062

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Wright County, Iowa is $55,395.00.

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 Wright County.

  • Under 25
    $45,324.00
  • 25 to 44
    $60,341.00
  • 45 to 64
    $65,298.00
  • 65 and over
    $44,375.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Wright 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 Wright County, Iowa is currently $71,297.00.

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.

2.77% of households in Wright 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 Wright County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    18.19%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    27.40%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    20.40%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.56%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    12.90%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.78%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.77%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Wright County is $31,061.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Wright 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 Wright 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
    5.35%
  • Bachelor's degree
    25.36%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    12.41%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    55.27%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.61%

Employment

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

The total population of Wright County over the age of 16 is 10,114.

Of those people, a total of 58.60% 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 Wright County is 57.40%.

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 573 32.50% 9.70%
20 to 24 years 618 85.90% 0.00%
25 to 29 years 637 83.80% 1.50%
30 to 34 years 804 84.30% 0.70%
35 to 44 years 1,413 81.90% 3.80%
45 to 54 years 1,269 81.60% 2.20%
55 to 59 years 764 75.50% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 1,138 62.50% 1.00%
65 to 74 years 1,516 27.10% 3.90%
75 years and over 1,382 7.70% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Wright 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 9,406 59.00% 1.90%
Black or African American 13 38.50% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 23 100.00% 69.60%
Asian 19 78.90% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 221 61.10% 0.00%
Two or more races 432 46.80% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 937 56.60% 1.70%
Not Hispanic or Latino 8,901 59.10% 1.80%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Wright 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 Wright County is 5,807, with median earnings of $36,992.00.

Women in Wright County, Iowa earning approximately 67.80% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 5,807 $36,992.00
Male 3,279 $44,743.00
Female 2,528 $30,335.00

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 747 $53,517.00
Business and Financial 271 $59,453.00
Computer and Mathematical 44 $32,750.00
Architecture and Engineering 73 $54,940.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 10 $9,583.00
Community and Social Service 108 $55,909.00
Legal 13 $62,917.00
Educational and Library 268 $42,609.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 64 $32,386.00
Healthcare Practitioners 362 $56,111.00
Healthcare Support 115 $14,609.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 27 $0.00
Law Enforcement 44 $51,429.00
Food Preparation and Serving 213 $5,417.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 262 $23,636.00
Personal Care and Service 175 $10,772.00
Sales 447 $30,045.00
Office and Administrative Support 575 $29,967.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 279 $38,393.00
Construction and Extraction 231 $40,223.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 251 $41,250.00
Production 594 $37,134.00
Transportation and Material Moving 353 $54,327.00

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 587 $65,398.00 160 $34,167.00
Business and Financial 88 $77,819.00 183 $56,181.00
Computer and Mathematical 30 $31,944.00 14 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 63 $61,875.00 10 $21,250.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 4 $0.00 6 $0.00
Community and Social Service 9 $0.00 99 $44,375.00
Legal 3 $0.00 10 $0.00
Educational and Library 57 $65,313.00 211 $24,896.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 24 $65,192.00 40 $31,023.00
Healthcare Practitioners 43 $112,039.00 319 $53,750.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 115 $14,609.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 27 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 44 $51,429.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 110 $4,263.00 103 $16,250.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 193 $31,354.00 69 $14,519.00
Personal Care and Service 14 $4,688.00 161 $10,846.00
Sales 237 $36,250.00 210 $25,714.00
Office and Administrative Support 138 $31,000.00 437 $28,882.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 242 $42,661.00 37 $16,902.00
Construction and Extraction 201 $41,563.00 30 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 249 $42,574.00 2 $0.00
Production 434 $42,656.00 160 $35,486.00
Transportation and Material Moving 316 $57,917.00 37 $50,536.00

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 5,343 households in Wright County, with an average household size of 2.39 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 3,346 families in Wright County with an average family size of 3.04 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 2,750 147 449 1,997
Average Household Size 2.97 3.5 3.89 1.18
Total Families 2,750 147 449 0
Average Household Size 2.93 3.21 3.65 0

Poverty

Of the 3,346 families in Wright County, 10.10% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Wright 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 6,297 housing units in Wright County, Iowa.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 5,343 84.85%
Vacant 954 15.15%

18.14% of the total 6,297 housing units in Wright County are rental units. This is approximately 1,142 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 4,024 are occupied by the owner - or 63.90% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Wright County is $658.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Wright 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
    177
  • Less than $500
    257
  • $500 to $999
    735
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    112
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    38
  • $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 Wright County is $90,900.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    693
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,584
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    757
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    483
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    330
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    149
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    21
  • $1,000,000 or more
    7

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    2,229
  • 1940 to 1949
    420
  • 1950 to 1959
    853
  • 1960 to 1969
    593
  • 1970 to 1979
    960
  • 1980 to 1989
    480
  • 1990 to 1999
    275
  • 2000 to 2009
    297
  • 2010 to 2013
    190
  • 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 Wright County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    393
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,422
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,257
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,271

Commuting to Work

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

17.3 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Wright 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
    672
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,200
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    769
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    792
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    755
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    293
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    319
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    67
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    154
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    120
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    126
  • 90 or more minutes
    87

Summary

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

We have data for 20 places in Wright County, Iowa. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.