Population 35,362 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wapello County
Household size in Wapello County
| Period | Wapello County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.37 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.13 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Wapello County run a little small, averaging 2.51 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in Iowa as a whole, where it has 2.43 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.39, 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 Wapello County
| Period | Wapello County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.6 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.0 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.6 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
At 40.0, the median age in Wapello County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 40.6, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the northeast.
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 Wapello County
| Period | Wapello County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.5% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Wapello County: 17.5% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has risen 5.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only one other Iowa county has 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 Wapello County
Renters in Wapello County
| Period | Wapello County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.5% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.1% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.5% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.6% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over three in ten households in Wapello County rent their homes (31.6%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Still, renters make up a bigger share here than in Iowa as a whole (28.3%). Among homeowners, 47.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 8.1 points from 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 Wapello County
| Period | Wapello County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Wapello County as nationally: 10.5%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Iowa overall (8.8%). Vacancy is up 1.6 points from 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 Wapello County
| Period | Wapello County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Wapello County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1957, 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 1954 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, 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 Wapello County
| Period | Wapello County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $594 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $637 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $709 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $950 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$356 | +$351 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Wapello County costs $950 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $356 a month from 2006–10, a 60% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.1% of the typical renter's income, just over 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 Wapello County
Bachelor's degrees in Wapello County
| Period | Wapello County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.4% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.6% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Wapello County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 18.6%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the north 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 Wapello County
| Period | Wapello County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.4% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.9% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.3% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Wapello County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 3.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Few Iowa counties have a lower share of high school graduates: only six of 99.
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 Wapello County
| Period | Wapello County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Wapello County is close to the national rate: 4.7% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Iowa as a whole (3.7%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.1 points, mirroring the country.
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).
Wapello 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wapello County | 2.51 | 40.0 | 17.5% | 31.6% | 10.5% | 1957 | $950 | 18.6% | 87.3% | 4.7% |
| Monroe County | 2.39 | 42.8 | 9.1% | 18.7% | 13.5% | 1968 | $822 | 22.8% | 95.0% | 2.3% |
| Jefferson County | 2.09 | 45.5 | 6.3% | 32.3% | 10.5% | 1964 | $879 | 43.5% | 95.4% | 8.2% |
| Henry County | 2.41 | 41.1 | 11.0% | 25.9% | 10.3% | 1967 | $817 | 23.1% | 91.5% | 1.8% |
| Lucas County | 2.38 | 42.1 | 10.8% | 21.2% | 9.5% | 1961 | $1,054 | 16.2% | 91.6% | 5.0% |
| Clarke County | 2.44 | 40.7 | 11.7% | 27.7% | 9.4% | 1978 | $823 | 16.2% | 88.9% | 4.6% |
| Union County | 2.35 | 41.9 | 9.0% | 27.9% | 10.9% | 1960 | $794 | 23.2% | 91.8% | 4.0% |
| Knox County | 2.17 | 43.4 | 10.8% | 29.2% | 13.2% | 1960 | $819 | 21.1% | 90.6% | 4.8% |
| Adams County | 2.30 | 48.0 | 7.5% | 22.9% | 18.1% | 1956 | $863 | 26.9% | 93.9% | 3.8% |
| Stark County | 2.28 | 44.5 | 9.0% | 19.9% | 10.5% | 1952 | $765 | 21.4% | 92.8% | 2.3% |
| Montgomery County | 2.24 | 44.0 | 11.5% | 30.9% | 8.5% | 1960 | $844 | 20.7% | 91.4% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Grant County, NM · Wakulla County, FL · Waldo County, ME · Warren County, MS · Washington County, MS · Harvey County, KS · Webster County, IA · Graves County, KY · Gratiot County, MI · Wabash County, 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 Wapello 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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