Locust, IA Demographics

Population 174 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Locust, IA map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Locust

Household size in Locust

Household size, people per household
PeriodLocustIowaU.S.
2006–102.532.442.68
2010–142.602.452.73
2015–192.332.432.71
2020–242.262.432.65
Change−0.27−0.01−0.03
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Locust 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 2.53, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.

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 Locust

Median age, years
PeriodLocustIowaU.S.
2006–1044.638.837.7
2010–1443.339.338.6
2015–1948.439.739.6
2020–2450.539.840.1
Change+5.9+1.0+2.3
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Locust skews older: half of its residents are older than 50.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.

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 Locust

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodLocustIowaU.S.
2006–104.2%9.5%12.3%
2010–143.2%9.9%12.3%
2015–194.9%10.0%11.6%
2020–243.9%10.0%11.6%
Change−0.3 pts+0.6 pts−0.6 pts
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Single-parent households are relatively rare in Locust: 3.9% of households, against 11.6% nationally.

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 Locust

Renters in Locust

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodLocustIowaU.S.
2006–1017.1%26.8%33.3%
2010–1412.7%28.2%35.6%
2015–1920.5%28.9%36.0%
2020–2427.1%28.3%34.8%
Change+10.0 pts+1.5 pts+1.5 pts
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Most households in Locust own their homes; 27.1% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. The picture is much the same across Iowa. More than four in ten owners (44.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%.

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 Locust

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodLocustIowaU.S.
2006–1010.2%8.7%11.4%
2010–1420.2%8.6%11.4%
2015–1918.6%9.4%11.1%
2020–2421.2%8.8%9.6%
Change+11.0 pts+0.1 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacant homes make up 21.2% of the housing in Locust, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.

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 Locust

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodLocustIowaU.S.
2006–10194719651974
2010–14195719671975
2015–19195919691977
2020–24195119711980
Change+4+6+6
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The housing in Locust is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1951, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.

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 Locust

Rent, per month
PeriodLocustIowaU.S.
2006–10$555$669$965
2010–14$629$732$1,040
2015–19$861$821$1,213
2020–24$981$1,020$1,571
Change+$426+$351+$606
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Rent in Locust runs $981 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Iowa as a whole looks much the same. The typical renter here spends 17.5% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.

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 Locust

Bachelor's degrees in Locust

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodLocustIowaU.S.
2006–1022.8%26.5%28.4%
2010–1422.2%27.9%29.6%
2015–1921.6%29.3%32.1%
2020–2438.7%32.3%35.6%
Change+15.9 pts+5.8 pts+7.2 pts
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College degrees are a bit more common in Locust than nationally: 38.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.

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 Locust

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodLocustIowaU.S.
2006–1091.0%90.4%84.9%
2010–1494.9%91.4%86.1%
2015–1997.1%92.1%87.7%
2020–2494.7%93.0%89.3%
Change+3.6 pts+2.7 pts+4.3 pts
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High school completion is high in Locust: 94.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.

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 Locust

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodLocustIowaU.S.
2006–103.3%5.2%8.1%
2010–143.8%5.4%9.4%
2015–192.7%3.7%5.6%
2020–240.4%3.7%5.4%
Change−2.9 pts−1.5 pts−2.7 pts
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Unemployment in Locust has been low: just 0.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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).

Locust compared with nearby cities

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Locust2.2650.53.9%27.1%21.2%1951$98138.7%94.7%0.4%
Burr Oak2.2550.03.7%30.0%21.7%1949$1,01233.1%94.5%0.0%
Quandahl2.4850.84.7%21.6%6.4%1979$89330.4%96.3%2.7%
Sattre2.4750.73.2%14.8%11.2%1973$91839.5%97.0%1.5%
Hesper2.3650.03.3%27.8%16.5%1958$1,04327.9%95.5%0.0%
Highlandville2.1849.53.6%28.8%24.4%1948$93035.5%94.1%0.4%
Decorah2.1044.63.4%30.9%11.3%1966$89739.0%96.7%2.8%
Freeport2.5251.55.0%17.0%4.0%1984$86435.1%96.9%3.2%
Mabel2.1846.815.1%12.2%13.2%1962$76219.2%90.1%2.1%
Newhouse2.1048.711.0%20.1%12.4%1943$1,46022.7%93.4%6.4%
Prosper2.8336.39.0%12.7%17.3%1962$78314.6%86.4%4.5%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Staff, TX · Sorgho, KY · Speedsville, NY · Spivey, KS · Split Rock, PA · Spragueville, ME · Spring Garden, MO · St. Urbans, WA · Stacy Basin, NY · Holt, KY

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 Locust. 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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