Population 19,390 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Jackson County
Household size in Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.29 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Jackson County is a place of small households, averaging 2.39 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has crept up from 2.36 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the center.
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.6 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.9 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.4 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.4, Jackson County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.6, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the west.
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.3% of households in Jackson County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only nine of Iowa's 99 counties have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Jackson County
Renters in Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.6% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.8% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.0% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.3% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 19.3% of households in Jackson County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 46.0% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the northwest. The renter share has fallen 2.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Jackson County as nationally: 11.0%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Iowa as a whole (8.8%).
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Jackson County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1965, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1959 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the southeast 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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $546 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $616 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $669 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $853 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$306 | +$351 | +$606 |
Rent in Jackson County runs $853 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $306 a month since 2006–10, up 56%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Jackson County
Bachelor's degrees in Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.1% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Jackson County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 19.1%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Jackson County has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of Iowa counties.
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.6% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.3% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.5% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Jackson County: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Iowa. The share with a diploma has risen 6.8 points since 2006–10, 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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Jackson 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%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has risen 1.9 points, 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).
Jackson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 2.39 | 45.4 | 6.3% | 19.3% | 11.0% | 1965 | $853 | 19.1% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
| Carroll County | 2.18 | 46.7 | 8.1% | 22.8% | 18.7% | 1959 | $836 | 18.3% | 89.0% | 2.8% |
| Jones County | 2.43 | 42.9 | 13.3% | 19.4% | 7.8% | 1968 | $846 | 22.0% | 95.3% | 4.4% |
| Linn County | 2.44 | 39.6 | 11.3% | 26.5% | 8.3% | 1980 | $1,057 | 34.2% | 94.8% | 3.4% |
| Ogle County | 2.48 | 42.7 | 9.6% | 24.6% | 9.1% | 1973 | $946 | 24.3% | 91.2% | 4.7% |
| Benton County | 2.53 | 43.2 | 9.7% | 15.0% | 7.7% | 1967 | $843 | 25.7% | 95.3% | 1.9% |
| Boone County | 2.78 | 41.0 | 12.1% | 18.2% | 5.2% | 1984 | $1,234 | 24.0% | 86.8% | 6.7% |
| Tama County | 2.47 | 42.6 | 13.3% | 24.0% | 11.8% | 1959 | $870 | 19.9% | 91.6% | 4.5% |
| McHenry County | 2.71 | 41.4 | 9.3% | 17.3% | 4.3% | 1985 | $1,557 | 35.3% | 93.6% | 4.6% |
| Marshall County | 2.58 | 39.8 | 10.7% | 25.0% | 9.5% | 1957 | $1,039 | 22.6% | 86.1% | 4.2% |
| Story County | 2.36 | 33.8 | 5.1% | 44.5% | 9.3% | 1983 | $1,026 | 58.0% | 96.8% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Gooding County, ID · Sevier County, UT · Sevier County, AR · Sequatchie County, TN · Seminole County, OK · Screven County, GA · Scott County, VA · Scott County, TN · Scott County, AR · Sanders County, MT
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 Jackson 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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