Population 7,513 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Monroe County
Household size in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.34 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.39 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Monroe County are small: just 2.39 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has crept up from 2.34 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.5 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.2 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.0 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.8 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Monroe County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.8, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has crept up from 42.5 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in twelve households in Monroe County (9.1%), below the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Iowa. The single-parent share has risen 2.6 points since 2006–10, 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 Monroe County
Renters in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.7% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.9% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.1% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.7% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Monroe County is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 50.0% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 3.0 points from 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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.8% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.9% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Monroe County than nationally: 13.5%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.2 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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Monroe County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1968, 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 1960 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center 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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $530 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $624 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $600 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $822 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$292 | +$351 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Monroe County costs $822 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $292 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.0% 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 south and lowest in the northeast.
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 Monroe County
Bachelor's degrees in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.8% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.2% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.8% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Monroe County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 22.8%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 7.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.6% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.1% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.9% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.0% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Monroe County: 95.0% 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 risen 6.4 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 Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Monroe County has been low: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.5 points since 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).
Monroe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 2.39 | 42.8 | 9.1% | 18.7% | 13.5% | 1968 | $822 | 22.8% | 95.0% | 2.3% |
| Wapello County | 2.51 | 40.0 | 17.5% | 31.6% | 10.5% | 1957 | $950 | 18.6% | 87.3% | 4.7% |
| Lucas County | 2.38 | 42.1 | 10.8% | 21.2% | 9.5% | 1961 | $1,054 | 16.2% | 91.6% | 5.0% |
| Jefferson County | 2.09 | 45.5 | 6.3% | 32.3% | 10.5% | 1964 | $879 | 43.5% | 95.4% | 8.2% |
| Clarke County | 2.44 | 40.7 | 11.7% | 27.7% | 9.4% | 1978 | $823 | 16.2% | 88.9% | 4.6% |
| Henry County | 2.41 | 41.1 | 11.0% | 25.9% | 10.3% | 1967 | $817 | 23.1% | 91.5% | 1.8% |
| Union County | 2.35 | 41.9 | 9.0% | 27.9% | 10.9% | 1960 | $794 | 23.2% | 91.8% | 4.0% |
| Adams County | 2.30 | 48.0 | 7.5% | 22.9% | 18.1% | 1956 | $863 | 26.9% | 93.9% | 3.8% |
| Montgomery County | 2.24 | 44.0 | 11.5% | 30.9% | 8.5% | 1960 | $844 | 20.7% | 91.4% | 2.5% |
| Knox County | 2.17 | 43.4 | 10.8% | 29.2% | 13.2% | 1960 | $819 | 21.1% | 90.6% | 4.8% |
| Mills County | 2.67 | 42.2 | 9.2% | 16.5% | 11.2% | 1969 | $937 | 30.9% | 96.8% | 1.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Sedgwick County, CO · Gilliam County, OR · Gilmer County, WV · Gilpin County, CO · Glacier County, MT · Glades County, FL · Glascock County, GA · Glasscock County, TX · Golden Valley County, MT · Scurry County, TX
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 Monroe 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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