Population 408 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Palmer
Household size in Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.06 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.19 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.13 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Palmer is a place of small households, averaging 2.19 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 2.06, 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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.6 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.2 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.4 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 55.9 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.3 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 55.9, Palmer is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.8% of households in Palmer, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Palmer
Renters in Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.9% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.6% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.9% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 16.4% of households in Palmer rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About two-thirds of owners (66.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well 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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.0% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.8% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Palmer: 21.8% of homes are empty, 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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1938 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1938 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1938 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1938 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | ±0 | +6 | +6 |
Palmer is a place of older homes: half were built before 1938, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $533 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $603 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $539 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,052 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$519 | +$351 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Palmer costs $1,052 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. That is in line with the rest of Iowa. Rent takes 21.7% 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 Palmer
Bachelor's degrees in Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.2% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Palmer: 15.1% 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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.2% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.9% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.3% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.1% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Palmer: 97.1% 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 Palmer
| Period | Palmer | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.3% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.7% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.8%, unemployment in Palmer is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Iowa overall (3.7%). 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).
Palmer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmer | 2.19 | 55.9 | 6.8% | 16.4% | 21.8% | 1938 | $1,052 | 15.1% | 97.1% | 5.8% |
| Manson | 2.19 | 45.2 | 7.3% | 21.6% | 20.2% | 1969 | $718 | 30.9% | 97.0% | 5.8% |
| Pomeroy | 2.18 | 43.5 | 10.4% | 14.2% | 22.3% | 1957 | $690 | 21.0% | 94.8% | 1.9% |
| Pocahontas | 2.09 | 42.5 | 5.2% | 27.0% | 12.5% | 1961 | $916 | 20.9% | 92.0% | 5.1% |
| Pioneer | 2.39 | 42.5 | 6.8% | 20.9% | 10.6% | 1958 | $642 | 21.8% | 89.7% | 1.0% |
| Gilmore City | 2.37 | 42.8 | 9.3% | 21.2% | 14.4% | 1949 | $678 | 17.4% | 88.6% | 3.2% |
| Barnum | 2.52 | 47.1 | 5.6% | 4.5% | 10.3% | 1973 | $696 | 31.5% | 97.3% | 1.8% |
| Rolfe | 2.62 | 38.9 | 13.3% | 13.1% | 25.6% | 1945 | $606 | 14.7% | 84.4% | 12.1% |
| Fonda | 2.47 | 41.3 | 3.7% | 23.7% | 17.2% | 1945 | $661 | 22.7% | 90.2% | 3.2% |
| Ware | 2.24 | 46.1 | 4.3% | 18.2% | 12.7% | 1954 | $824 | 22.2% | 92.1% | 3.4% |
| Richard | 2.22 | 43.5 | 3.6% | 11.5% | 19.5% | 1953 | $725 | 15.7% | 89.6% | 1.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Kenoza Lake, NY · La Pointe, WI · La Paloma, TX · La Grange, TN · La Casita, TX · Kraemer, LA · Knoxlyn, PA · Knowlesville, NY · Knobtown, MS · Knighthood Village, IN
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 Palmer. 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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