Population 10,671 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hancock County
Household size in Hancock County
| Period | Hancock County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.38 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.22 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.26 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Hancock County is a place of small households, averaging 2.26 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.39, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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 Hancock County
| Period | Hancock County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.3 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.4 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.5 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.9 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.9, Hancock County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 43.3 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of Iowa's 99 counties, only nine are older.
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 Hancock County
| Period | Hancock County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Hancock County (8.8%), below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points, even as 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 Hancock County
Renters in Hancock County
| Period | Hancock County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.4% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.4% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.9% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 17.5% of households in Hancock County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. More than four in ten owners (45.1%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Only seven of Iowa's 99 counties have a lower share of renters.
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 Hancock County
| Period | Hancock County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Hancock County as nationally: 8.8%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.1 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Hancock County
| Period | Hancock County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1960 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1960 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Hancock County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1960, 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 northeast, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
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 Hancock County
| Period | Hancock County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $529 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $543 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $693 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $795 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$266 | +$351 | +$606 |
Rent in Hancock County runs $795 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $266 a month from 2006–10, a 50% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 25.5% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the south.
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 Hancock County
Bachelor's degrees in Hancock County
| Period | Hancock County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.0% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.9% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.4% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Hancock County: 20.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.9 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the southeast.
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 Hancock County
| Period | Hancock County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.6% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.4% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.1% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.4% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Hancock County have finished high school (91.4%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Still, the rate is lower than in Iowa as a whole (93.0%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.7 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 Hancock County
| Period | Hancock County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.6% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.3% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.9% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Hancock County has been strong: just 1.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.9 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
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).
Hancock 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County | 2.26 | 45.9 | 8.8% | 17.5% | 8.8% | 1960 | $795 | 20.4% | 91.4% | 1.9% |
| Cerro Gordo County | 2.15 | 45.9 | 9.4% | 29.6% | 14.9% | 1962 | $894 | 25.2% | 94.9% | 2.9% |
| Kossuth County | 2.22 | 45.3 | 6.2% | 21.4% | 9.7% | 1961 | $1,063 | 23.4% | 95.3% | 2.1% |
| Floyd County | 2.37 | 43.6 | 9.5% | 23.4% | 11.9% | 1953 | $738 | 18.1% | 95.4% | 3.0% |
| Palo Alto County | 2.27 | 42.0 | 8.1% | 22.9% | 16.7% | 1957 | $690 | 19.3% | 93.6% | 2.3% |
| Chickasaw County | 2.36 | 43.1 | 7.5% | 19.1% | 9.6% | 1966 | $717 | 21.3% | 93.7% | 1.7% |
| Clay County | 2.25 | 43.2 | 6.1% | 26.7% | 11.4% | 1963 | $800 | 27.3% | 93.2% | 3.5% |
| O'Brien County | 2.39 | 41.4 | 6.6% | 23.9% | 10.9% | 1961 | $789 | 22.2% | 90.3% | 1.1% |
| Sioux County | 2.69 | 34.4 | 6.0% | 23.9% | 5.1% | 1973 | $904 | 31.4% | 91.4% | 1.4% |
| Crawford County | 2.29 | 47.5 | 8.3% | 22.8% | 19.4% | 1977 | $809 | 18.7% | 92.7% | 3.0% |
| Iowa County | 2.35 | 44.2 | 7.5% | 22.6% | 8.7% | 1972 | $1,006 | 28.5% | 94.9% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Vernon County, MO · Burt County, NE · Butler County, AL · Butler County, IA · Butler County, KY · Butte County, ID · Butte County, SD · Calhoun County, TX · Calhoun County, WV · Carbon County, UT
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 Hancock 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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