Population 14,886 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hamilton County
Household size in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Hamilton County is a place of small households, averaging 2.36 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Iowa as a whole looks much the same. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the southwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.4 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.1 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.8 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Hamilton County is 42.8 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has crept up from 42.4 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.8% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Hamilton County (8.9%), below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Hamilton County
Renters in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.6% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.6% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.6% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Hamilton County own their homes; 26.6% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 46.5% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.3 points, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.4% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Hamilton County as nationally: 9.3%, against 9.6%. Vacancy is little changed from 2006–10, while the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1950 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1953 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Hamilton County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1950, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Only two of Iowa's 99 counties have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $560 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $598 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $740 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $869 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$308 | +$351 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Hamilton County costs $869 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $308 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 22.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Hamilton County
Bachelor's degrees in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.4% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.3% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.0% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Hamilton County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 22.0%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 5.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.3% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.1% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.8% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Hamilton County: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Iowa as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.1 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Hamilton County
| Period | Hamilton County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Hamilton County is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Iowa as a whole (3.7%). Unemployment has edged up 1.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Hamilton County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County | 2.36 | 42.8 | 8.9% | 26.6% | 9.3% | 1950 | $869 | 22.0% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
| Webster County | 2.25 | 39.2 | 9.8% | 29.7% | 12.3% | 1958 | $797 | 22.0% | 93.5% | 4.9% |
| Hardin County | 2.32 | 43.8 | 7.8% | 26.4% | 12.3% | 1955 | $770 | 22.6% | 92.8% | 4.8% |
| Calhoun County | 2.30 | 43.9 | 7.7% | 19.5% | 16.2% | 1957 | $743 | 21.8% | 92.9% | 2.4% |
| Grundy County | 2.40 | 42.5 | 7.8% | 15.5% | 6.7% | 1961 | $859 | 28.3% | 96.7% | 1.9% |
| Sac County | 2.22 | 46.7 | 8.4% | 22.0% | 15.2% | 1954 | $737 | 22.1% | 92.7% | 4.0% |
| Black Hawk County | 2.37 | 37.0 | 10.5% | 33.8% | 8.2% | 1968 | $1,030 | 32.7% | 93.3% | 4.5% |
| Ida County | 2.23 | 41.6 | 11.4% | 27.1% | 8.6% | 1954 | $698 | 22.7% | 94.8% | 2.4% |
| Buchanan County | 2.53 | 40.7 | 10.2% | 17.9% | 7.6% | 1972 | $973 | 22.2% | 93.6% | 2.8% |
| Delaware County | 2.36 | 45.3 | 7.3% | 20.4% | 10.4% | 1967 | $739 | 22.3% | 93.3% | 1.7% |
| Woodbury County | 2.63 | 37.1 | 15.0% | 31.8% | 8.1% | 1960 | $1,067 | 23.7% | 87.4% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Wirt County, WV · Charles City County, VA · Chariton County, MO · Chaffee County, CO · Ceiba Municipio, PR · Cedar County, NE · Cedar County, MO · Cedar County, IA · Catano Municipio, PR · Charles Mix County, SD
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Hamilton County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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