Population 106,247 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Woodbury County
Household size in Woodbury County
| Period | Woodbury County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.59 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Woodbury County average 2.63 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in Iowa overall, where it has 2.43 people. Household size has crept up from 2.56 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Few Iowa counties have larger households: only five of 99.
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 Woodbury County
| Period | Woodbury County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.6 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.0 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.1 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Woodbury County is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.1, against 40.1 nationally. The youngest areas are in the north, the oldest in the southeast. Few Iowa counties are younger: only eight of 99.
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 Woodbury County
| Period | Woodbury County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.7% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Woodbury County: 15.0% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only two of Iowa's 99 counties 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 Woodbury County
Renters in Woodbury County
| Period | Woodbury County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.5% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.6% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.8% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Woodbury County own their homes; 31.8% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Even so, renters make up a bigger share here than in Iowa as a whole (28.3%). Among homeowners, 44.8% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Only six of Iowa's 99 counties have a higher share of renters.
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 Woodbury County
| Period | Woodbury County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Woodbury County as nationally: 8.1%, against 9.6%. Woodbury County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Iowa counties.
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 Woodbury County
| Period | Woodbury County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1960 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1960 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Woodbury County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1960, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the west 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 Woodbury County
| Period | Woodbury County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $638 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $665 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $844 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,067 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$429 | +$351 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Woodbury County costs $1,067 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $429 a month from 2006–10, a 67% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the north; the most affordable are in the southeast.
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 Woodbury County
Bachelor's degrees in Woodbury County
| Period | Woodbury County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.2% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.6% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.5% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.7% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Woodbury County: 23.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.6 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the west.
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 Woodbury County
| Period | Woodbury County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.3% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.4% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Woodbury County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of Iowa's 99 counties, only seven 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 Woodbury County
| Period | Woodbury County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Woodbury County than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.1 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Woodbury 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodbury County | 2.63 | 37.1 | 15.0% | 31.8% | 8.1% | 1960 | $1,067 | 23.7% | 87.4% | 4.0% |
| Dakota County | 2.94 | 34.0 | 12.7% | 36.1% | 6.5% | 1970 | $1,051 | 14.4% | 78.7% | 4.7% |
| Dixon County | 2.56 | 42.7 | 12.1% | 23.5% | 12.1% | 1953 | $688 | 23.1% | 84.5% | 2.4% |
| Ida County | 2.23 | 41.6 | 11.4% | 27.1% | 8.6% | 1954 | $698 | 22.7% | 94.8% | 2.4% |
| Cedar County | 2.38 | 43.7 | 5.3% | 20.4% | 12.1% | 1963 | $710 | 23.7% | 96.4% | 1.7% |
| Sac County | 2.22 | 46.7 | 8.4% | 22.0% | 15.2% | 1954 | $737 | 22.1% | 92.7% | 4.0% |
| Calhoun County | 2.30 | 43.9 | 7.7% | 19.5% | 16.2% | 1957 | $743 | 21.8% | 92.9% | 2.4% |
| Webster County | 2.25 | 39.2 | 9.8% | 29.7% | 12.3% | 1958 | $797 | 22.0% | 93.5% | 4.9% |
| Holt County | 2.52 | 43.2 | 7.5% | 27.7% | 17.1% | 1965 | $757 | 29.6% | 94.1% | 1.1% |
| Hamilton County | 2.36 | 42.8 | 8.9% | 26.6% | 9.3% | 1950 | $869 | 22.0% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
| Hardin County | 2.32 | 43.8 | 7.8% | 26.4% | 12.3% | 1955 | $770 | 22.6% | 92.8% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Cowlitz County, WA · Story County, IA · Laramie County, WY · Sutter County, CA · Limestone County, AL · Sherburne County, MN · Grant County, WA · Sevier County, TN · DeKalb County, IL · Daviess County, KY
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 Woodbury 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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