Population 27,566 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ottumwa
Household size in Ottumwa
| Period | Ottumwa | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.34 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.34 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Ottumwa has 2.51 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in Iowa overall, where it has 2.43 people. Household size has climbed 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 Ottumwa
| Period | Ottumwa | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.1 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.9 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.3 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.9 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.1 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
At 38.9, the median age in Ottumwa is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has dropped from 40.1 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
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 Ottumwa
| Period | Ottumwa | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 19.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +7.6 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Ottumwa: 19.9% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 7.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people, only two have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Ottumwa
Renters in Ottumwa
| Period | Ottumwa | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.9% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.1% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.7% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.8% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +9.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Ottumwa rent their homes (35.8%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Iowa as a whole (28.3%). Among homeowners, 46.0% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 9.9 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Ottumwa
| Period | Ottumwa | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Ottumwa is close to the national rate: 10.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Iowa as a whole (8.8%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 1.7 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 Ottumwa
| Period | Ottumwa | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1950 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1951 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1951 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 |
Ottumwa is a place of older homes: half were built before 1955, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the center. Of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people, only five have older 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 Ottumwa
| Period | Ottumwa | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $605 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $642 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $718 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $963 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$357 | +$351 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ottumwa costs $963 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $357 a month from 2006–10, a 59% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.6% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the center.
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 Ottumwa
Bachelor's degrees in Ottumwa
| Period | Ottumwa | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.0% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Ottumwa: 19.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 4.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the south.
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 Ottumwa
| Period | Ottumwa | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.2% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.3% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.0% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.6% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Ottumwa never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 3.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only three of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people have a lower 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 Ottumwa
| Period | Ottumwa | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.1%, unemployment in Ottumwa is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Iowa overall (3.7%). Unemployment is down 3.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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).
Ottumwa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottumwa | 2.51 | 38.9 | 19.9% | 35.8% | 10.9% | 1955 | $963 | 19.0% | 85.6% | 5.1% |
| Cliffland | 2.51 | 45.1 | 7.7% | 21.2% | 8.5% | 1967 | $1,161 | 24.0% | 91.0% | 3.7% |
| Ottumwa Junction | 2.68 | 50.1 | 4.0% | 13.6% | 6.3% | 1975 | $1,344 | 20.0% | 91.8% | 1.9% |
| Dahlonega | 2.28 | 55.2 | 10.9% | 13.4% | 14.0% | 1969 | $843 | 24.0% | 95.7% | 1.3% |
| Agency | 2.39 | 49.3 | 6.9% | 14.7% | 11.4% | 1977 | $630 | 18.2% | 94.7% | 5.0% |
| Rutledge | 2.30 | 54.2 | 7.9% | 19.5% | 3.9% | 1973 | $913 | 20.0% | 94.3% | 0.3% |
| Chillicothe | 2.70 | 45.1 | 4.0% | 14.3% | 5.4% | 1970 | $1,154 | 19.2% | 93.2% | 1.9% |
| Munterville | 2.70 | 45.1 | 4.0% | 12.3% | 8.5% | 1974 | $1,203 | 17.4% | 93.1% | 1.4% |
| Highland Center | 2.18 | 57.7 | 6.5% | 15.2% | 6.9% | 1973 | $821 | 17.9% | 94.5% | 0.4% |
| Floris | 2.62 | 42.5 | 3.0% | 9.3% | 9.4% | 1976 | $1,001 | 12.7% | 90.2% | 0.6% |
| Kirkville | 2.58 | 44.6 | 4.8% | 16.8% | 4.5% | 1968 | $890 | 16.8% | 94.1% | 1.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Allen Park, MI · Amelia, OH · Angleton, TX · Ardmore, OK · Argyle, TX · Austin, MN · Austintown, OH · Barberton, OH · Bayonet Point, FL · Oxford, 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 Ottumwa. 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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