Population 230,004 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Linn County
Household size in Linn County
| Period | Linn County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.44 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Linn County run small, averaging 2.44 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Iowa as a whole looks much the same. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 Linn County
| Period | Linn County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.7 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
At 39.6, the median age in Linn County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 37.2 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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 Linn County
| Period | Linn County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Linn County (11.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Iowa overall (10.0%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.1 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 Linn County
Renters in Linn County
| Period | Linn County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.1% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.5% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.2% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Linn County own their homes; 26.5% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. More than a third of owners (35.8%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northwest. The renter share has edged down 0.6 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 Linn County
| Period | Linn County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Linn County is close to the national rate: 8.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 1.4 points, even as 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 Linn County
| Period | Linn County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Linn County was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. Homes here are newer than in Iowa overall, where the median home dates to 1971. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the center. Only five of Iowa's 99 counties have newer 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 Linn County
| Period | Linn County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $724 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $749 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $839 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,057 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$333 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Linn County pays $1,057 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $333 a month since 2006–10, up 46%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.5% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the center and lowest 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 Linn County
Bachelor's degrees in Linn County
| Period | Linn County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.4% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.6% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.2% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Linn County as nationally: 34.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 3.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of Iowa's 99 counties, only seven have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Linn County
| Period | Linn County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.5% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.2% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.5% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.8% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Linn County: 94.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.3 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Linn County
| Period | Linn County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Linn County than nationally: unemployment was 3.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Linn 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linn County | 2.44 | 39.6 | 11.3% | 26.5% | 8.3% | 1980 | $1,057 | 34.2% | 94.8% | 3.4% |
| Benton County | 2.53 | 43.2 | 9.7% | 15.0% | 7.7% | 1967 | $843 | 25.7% | 95.3% | 1.9% |
| Jones County | 2.43 | 42.9 | 13.3% | 19.4% | 7.8% | 1968 | $846 | 22.0% | 95.3% | 4.4% |
| Tama County | 2.47 | 42.6 | 13.3% | 24.0% | 11.8% | 1959 | $870 | 19.9% | 91.6% | 4.5% |
| Jackson County | 2.39 | 45.4 | 6.3% | 19.3% | 11.0% | 1965 | $853 | 19.1% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
| Marshall County | 2.58 | 39.8 | 10.7% | 25.0% | 9.5% | 1957 | $1,039 | 22.6% | 86.1% | 4.2% |
| Carroll County | 2.18 | 46.7 | 8.1% | 22.8% | 18.7% | 1959 | $836 | 18.3% | 89.0% | 2.8% |
| Story County | 2.36 | 33.8 | 5.1% | 44.5% | 9.3% | 1983 | $1,026 | 58.0% | 96.8% | 4.3% |
| Boone County | 2.41 | 42.7 | 8.5% | 20.0% | 8.7% | 1961 | $930 | 28.5% | 95.1% | 1.5% |
| Ogle County | 2.48 | 42.7 | 9.6% | 24.6% | 9.1% | 1973 | $946 | 24.3% | 91.2% | 4.7% |
| Greene County | 2.19 | 45.9 | 8.1% | 23.6% | 10.1% | 1952 | $822 | 21.3% | 93.5% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Cleveland County, OK · Erie County, PA · Elkhart County, IN · Dutchess County, NY · Durham County, NC · Dona Ana County, NM · Deschutes County, OR · Delaware County, OH · Dauphin County, PA · Cumberland County, PA
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 Linn 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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