Population 14,568 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mills County
Household size in Mills County
| Period | Mills County | Omaha area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.61 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.62 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.61 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.67 | 2.57 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.67 people per household, Mills County sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the Omaha area as a whole, where it has 2.57 people. Household size has crept up from 2.61 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Of Iowa's 99 counties, only three have larger households.
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 Mills County
| Period | Mills County | Omaha area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.7 | 36.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.3 | 36.5 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.1 | 37.4 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.2 | 37.7 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +1.7 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Mills County is 42.2 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.7, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the north 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 Mills County
| Period | Mills County | Omaha area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 11.0% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 11.5% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 10.8% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | −0.2 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in ten households in Mills County (9.2%), below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.4 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 Mills County
Renters in Mills County
| Period | Mills County | Omaha area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.5% | 31.5% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 33.9% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.1% | 34.5% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.5% | 33.8% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 16.5% of households in Mills County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly four in ten owners (37.5%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 1.1 points, even as the national share rose. Only four 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 Mills County
| Period | Mills County | Omaha area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 9.2% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 8.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 7.8% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 6.3% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | −2.9 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Mills County than nationally: 11.2%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has risen 2.8 points since 2006–10, 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 Mills County
| Period | Mills County | Omaha area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1973 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1974 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1975 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1979 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Mills County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
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 Mills County
| Period | Mills County | Omaha area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $714 | $844 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $798 | $938 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $983 | $1,042 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $937 | $1,337 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$223 | +$493 | +$351 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Mills County costs $937 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $223 a month from 2006–10, a 31% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 23.2% 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 east 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 Mills County
Bachelor's degrees in Mills County
| Period | Mills County | Omaha area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 34.0% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.3% | 34.8% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.3% | 36.8% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.9% | 39.7% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +5.7 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Mills County than nationally: 30.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the east.
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 Mills County
| Period | Mills County | Omaha area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.2% | 91.2% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.1% | 91.2% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.2% | 91.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.8% | 92.5% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +1.3 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Mills County: 96.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other Iowa county has a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Mills County
| Period | Mills County | Omaha area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.1% | 5.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.8% | 6.0% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.9% | 3.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Mills County has been low: just 1.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Mills 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mills County | 2.67 | 42.2 | 9.2% | 16.5% | 11.2% | 1969 | $937 | 30.9% | 96.8% | 1.9% |
| Sarpy County | 2.71 | 37.0 | 9.5% | 29.6% | 4.6% | 1994 | $1,451 | 43.2% | 95.6% | 2.5% |
| Cass County | 2.51 | 42.0 | 8.0% | 14.6% | 8.4% | 1977 | $1,124 | 32.3% | 96.0% | 1.9% |
| Montgomery County | 2.24 | 44.0 | 11.5% | 30.9% | 8.5% | 1960 | $844 | 20.7% | 91.4% | 2.5% |
| Saunders County | 2.62 | 40.4 | 7.8% | 17.9% | 12.0% | 1970 | $989 | 33.3% | 97.0% | 3.0% |
| Adams County | 2.30 | 48.0 | 7.5% | 22.9% | 18.1% | 1956 | $863 | 26.9% | 93.9% | 3.8% |
| Union County | 2.35 | 41.9 | 9.0% | 27.9% | 10.9% | 1960 | $794 | 23.2% | 91.8% | 4.0% |
| Polk County | 2.44 | 45.0 | 6.1% | 21.1% | 14.5% | 1957 | $730 | 20.3% | 94.0% | 1.2% |
| Clarke County | 2.44 | 40.7 | 11.7% | 27.7% | 9.4% | 1978 | $823 | 16.2% | 88.9% | 4.6% |
| Merrick County | 2.38 | 43.1 | 6.8% | 17.8% | 10.8% | 1965 | $842 | 19.0% | 91.7% | 0.3% |
| Lucas County | 2.38 | 42.1 | 10.8% | 21.2% | 9.5% | 1961 | $1,054 | 16.2% | 91.6% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Woods County, OK · Howard County, AR · Howard County, IA · Howard County, MO · Worth County, IA · Huerfano County, CO · Hughes County, OK · Humboldt County, IA · Humphreys County, MS · Humphreys County, TN
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 Mills 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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