Population 2,759 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Northwood
Household size in Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.07 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.17 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.43 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.25 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Northwood is a place of small households, averaging 2.31 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 climbed from 2.07, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.1 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.5 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.3 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.2 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −4.9 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Northwood skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.2, 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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Northwood: 6.6% 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 Northwood
Renters in Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.0% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.7% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −8.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 14.9% of households in Northwood rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over a third of owners (34.5%) have paid off their mortgages, below 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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.5% of homes in Northwood are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing.
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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1950 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1946 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Northwood is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1946, 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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $493 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $498 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $709 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $871 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$378 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Northwood pays $871 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 23.1% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under 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 Northwood
Bachelor's degrees in Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.7% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.7% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.4% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Northwood: 18.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.1% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.8% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Northwood have finished high school as nationally: 89.8%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Iowa as a whole (93.0%).
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 Northwood
| Period | Northwood | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Northwood than nationally: unemployment was 6.3%, against 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).
Northwood compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwood | 2.31 | 44.2 | 6.6% | 14.9% | 5.5% | 1946 | $871 | 18.4% | 89.8% | 6.3% |
| Kensett | 1.95 | 56.3 | 6.2% | 11.9% | 9.9% | 1941 | $670 | 16.8% | 95.3% | 2.0% |
| Silver Lake | 2.50 | 40.0 | 5.5% | 11.0% | 14.2% | 1938 | $982 | 22.5% | 94.0% | 0.0% |
| Glenville | 2.24 | 48.6 | 5.1% | 15.6% | 5.4% | 1962 | $903 | 16.1% | 92.5% | 1.1% |
| Myrtle | 2.42 | 44.5 | 6.7% | 15.9% | 7.4% | 1955 | $1,058 | 16.2% | 94.2% | 1.1% |
| London | 2.44 | 43.5 | 8.2% | 16.2% | 7.3% | 1959 | $936 | 15.9% | 94.5% | 1.6% |
| Carpenter | 2.64 | 43.6 | 3.6% | 12.3% | 2.8% | 1938 | $848 | 24.7% | 91.6% | 0.4% |
| Manly | 2.48 | 40.8 | 8.9% | 30.4% | 16.5% | 1957 | $679 | 18.2% | 96.2% | 3.9% |
| Grafton | 2.14 | 49.2 | 4.6% | 15.2% | 6.6% | 1942 | $675 | 15.5% | 94.7% | 2.1% |
| Joice | 2.45 | 42.9 | 5.6% | 10.9% | 12.3% | 1939 | $940 | 23.1% | 94.6% | 0.5% |
| Hanlontown | 2.31 | 49.5 | 5.7% | 10.6% | 10.1% | 1939 | $881 | 24.0% | 96.7% | 1.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: East Lansdowne, PA · Patrick, SC · Pine River, MN · Bangs, TX · Godwin, NC · Galva, IL · Doyline, LA · Counce, TN · Cordes Lakes, AZ · Coolville, OH
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 Northwood. 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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