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IAIowa rankings

Most educated towns in Iowa

Ranked by the share of adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. 143 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Ames 1 Ames 65.8% Median income $60,991 2 Tiffin 63.6% Median income $100,952 Map of Clive 3 Clive 61% Median income $132,121
#TownBachelor's or higherMedian incomeMedian age
1 Ames Ames67,669 people 65.8% $60,991 23.3
2 Tiffin5,737 people 63.6% $100,952 33.0
3 Map of Clive Clive19,012 people 61% $132,121 37.4
4 Iowa City75,752 people 60.5% $58,546 26.2
5 Robins3,332 people 58.7% $122,262 46.0
6 Waukee29,236 people 58% $101,029 34.7
7 Johnston24,384 people 57.8% $106,551 37.4
8 Coralville23,234 people 56% $69,144 34.0
9 West Des Moines71,083 people 54.9% $86,594 36.0
10 North Liberty21,125 people 54.5% $102,102 31.7
11 Map of Eldridge Eldridge6,818 people 54.4% $106,316 42.7
12 Huxley4,544 people 54.4% $112,094 34.9
13 Map of Fairfield Fairfield9,456 people 52.9% $51,311 40.0
14 Bondurant8,560 people 52.8% $135,674 32.4
15 Ankeny72,615 people 52.1% $108,198 33.6
16 Grimes16,366 people 51.5% $120,037 35.4
17 Urbandale46,595 people 51.2% $112,795 39.2
18 Bettendorf39,647 people 50.7% $100,495 40.9
19 Cedar Falls40,888 people 50.4% $76,987 29.3
20 Asbury5,989 people 50.4% $124,957 37.9
21 Pella10,720 people 47.3% $84,111 35.2
22 Map of Windsor Heights Windsor Heights5,143 people 45.9% $91,707 41.6
23 Map of Mount Vernon Mount Vernon4,513 people 45.1% $112,656 25.3
24 Orange City6,426 people 44.2% $82,122 29.8
25 Polk City6,037 people 44.2% $164,389 39.1
26 Waverly10,494 people 44.1% $80,284 32.8
27 Le Claire4,735 people 44.1% $104,844 36.5
28 Map of Story City Story City3,398 people 44% $96,605 38.7
29 Map of Solon Solon3,152 people 42.4% $113,295 38.8
30 Decorah7,535 people 42.2% $64,366 39.5
31 Sioux Center8,454 people 41.7% $92,983 30.0
32 Map of Hudson Hudson2,699 people 41.2% $120,481 41.0
33 Map of Williamsburg Williamsburg3,360 people 40.7% $58,059 33.8
34 Map of Norwalk Norwalk14,183 people 38.8% $102,722 37.8
35 Marion41,896 people 38.1% $86,743 40.6
36 Adel Adel6,430 people 37.9% $95,250 36.5
37 Grinnell9,505 people 37.5% $65,320 36.5
38 Map of Sergeant Bluff Sergeant Bluff5,171 people 36.7% $123,481 36.9
39 Wilton2,920 people 36.1% $76,648 45.2
40 Pleasant Hill11,136 people 35.5% $90,508 39.5
41 Fairfax2,900 people 35.1% $114,375 38.5
42 Indianola16,044 people 35% $75,453 35.9
43 Map of DeWitt DeWitt5,546 people 34.6% $92,587 38.6
44 Center Point2,562 people 34.2% $95,192 36.4
45 Dubuque59,174 people 34% $65,845 38.1
46 Map of Altoona Altoona21,495 people 33.5% $86,114 36.1
47 Cedar Rapids137,264 people 33.1% $70,424 37.3
48 Hiawatha7,206 people 32.4% $66,270 32.4
49 West Branch2,594 people 31.9% $92,209 36.7
50 Map of Kalona Kalona2,692 people 31.4% $80,129 41.4
51 Map of Knoxville Knoxville7,473 people 30.6% $61,599 42.2
52 Clear Lake7,607 people 30.5% $79,415 49.1
53 Map of Davenport Davenport100,913 people 29.9% $66,200 37.5
54 Map of Belmond Belmond2,694 people 29.9% $56,528 38.2
55 Spencer11,400 people 29.8% $59,667 41.4
56 Des Moines212,421 people 29.7% $65,932 34.6
57 Nevada6,983 people 29.6% $75,094 40.2
58 Saylorville3,366 people 29.4% $117,821 50.5
59 Forest City4,290 people 29.2% $69,205 34.4
60 Dyersville4,423 people 29.1% $83,559 43.0
61 Map of Vinton Vinton4,948 people 28.6% $66,495 44.7
62 Map of Carlisle Carlisle4,255 people 28.6% $109,191 36.3
63 Map of Carroll Carroll10,208 people 27.1% $69,706 43.6
64 Map of Spirit Lake Spirit Lake5,518 people 26.8% $65,720 40.4
65 Glenwood5,144 people 26.8% $71,790 39.6
66 Osage3,561 people 26.4% $68,730 43.4
67 Clarion2,770 people 26.4% $64,625 41.2
68 Waukon3,792 people 25.7% $60,269 44.3
69 Algona5,377 people 25.5% $56,040 40.1
70 Map of Oskaloosa Oskaloosa11,504 people 25.4% $64,004 37.6
71 Manchester5,191 people 25.3% $61,191 49.1
72 Jesup2,561 people 25.1% $89,408 34.3
73 Map of Humboldt Humboldt4,771 people 25% $74,500 39.6
74 West Burlington3,189 people 24.9% $48,542 38.0
75 Independence6,164 people 24.7% $73,806 40.9
76 Map of Albia Albia3,663 people 24.7% $70,455 38.1
77 Cherokee5,154 people 24.6% $61,750 43.2
78 Grundy Center2,809 people 24.5% $80,357 41.8
79 Boone12,424 people 24% $69,222 41.3
80 Map of Creston Creston7,435 people 23.9% $52,633 39.5
81 Map of Bloomfield Bloomfield2,742 people 23.8% $60,769 40.0
82 Map of Washington Washington7,290 people 23.6% $55,373 42.5
83 Mount Pleasant8,951 people 23.2% $61,042 37.5
84 Webster City7,769 people 23.2% $63,430 37.6
85 Atlantic6,763 people 23% $61,141 43.5
86 Sioux City86,101 people 22.9% $68,906 34.9
87 Iowa Falls5,038 people 22.9% $50,417 39.4
88 Sibley Sibley2,803 people 22.9% $55,070 37.1
89 Madrid2,808 people 22.8% $89,844 40.3
90 Burlington23,728 people 22.5% $59,000 42.5
91 New Hampton New Hampton3,453 people 22.3% $62,870 36.6
92 Harlan4,891 people 22.1% $57,488 44.6
93 Map of Winterset Winterset5,416 people 22% $67,708 37.5
94 Map of Garner Garner3,049 people 21.9% $70,726 47.0
95 Waterloo67,008 people 21.8% $57,480 36.7
96 Milford3,311 people 21.8% $63,369 47.3
97 Map of Fort Dodge Fort Dodge24,827 people 21.7% $60,649 37.6
98 Map of Rock Rapids Rock Rapids2,661 people 21.7% $63,942 41.0
99 Council Bluffs Council Bluffs62,586 people 21.5% $64,578 38.7
100 Eagle Grove3,593 people 21.2% $63,125 32.5
101 Map of Muscatine Muscatine23,489 people 21.1% $58,117 37.0
102 Le Mars10,640 people 21.1% $74,701 39.0
103 Jefferson4,152 people 21.1% $58,895 53.6
104 Eldora2,617 people 21.1% $77,188 39.5
105 Marshalltown Marshalltown27,626 people 20.9% $69,068 35.7
106 Mason City Mason City27,050 people 20.8% $64,804 42.5
107 Map of Ottumwa Ottumwa25,430 people 20.8% $61,103 36.7
108 Clinton Clinton24,322 people 20.8% $60,230 44.0
109 Sheldon5,474 people 20.8% $62,159 37.6
110 Cresco3,908 people 20.7% $60,608 38.5
111 Tipton3,106 people 20.2% $61,115 38.3
112 Camanche4,550 people 20.1% $64,153 40.1
113 Maquoketa6,075 people 19.7% $60,240 42.6
114 Monticello4,071 people 19.7% $70,015 42.6
115 Newton Newton15,700 people 19.5% $57,771 42.6
116 Onawa Onawa2,839 people 19.4% $62,143 35.5
117 Storm Lake11,428 people 18.9% $62,765 30.9
118 Map of Fort Madison Fort Madison10,133 people 18.5% $50,705 42.1
119 Shenandoah4,892 people 18.3% $59,783 47.0
120 Anamosa5,629 people 18.2% $60,650 40.9
121 Missouri Valley2,666 people 18.2% $71,818 38.0
122 Hawarden Hawarden2,658 people 18% $74,167 35.9
123 Red Oak5,510 people 17.7% $50,109 40.2
124 Denison8,260 people 17.5% $65,684 34.3
125 Map of Oelwein Oelwein5,834 people 17.5% $46,653 42.4
126 Map of Keokuk Keokuk9,662 people 17.4% $52,711 43.1
127 Perry7,985 people 17% $68,910 39.0
128 Map of Centerville Centerville5,372 people 16.7% $46,563 40.9
129 Rock Valley4,059 people 16.6% $76,250 35.1
130 West Liberty West Liberty3,776 people 16.2% $69,345 35.0
131 Tama3,051 people 16.2% $68,661 36.2
132 Hampton4,306 people 15.8% $47,088 48.4
133 Map of Mitchellville Mitchellville2,579 people 14.9% $81,172 37.6
134 Map of Postville Postville2,979 people 14.2% $49,485 23.2
135 Osceola5,523 people 14% $68,284 37.6
136 Emmetsburg3,648 people 13.9% $55,833 44.7
137 Clarinda5,353 people 13.8% $46,348 40.1
138 Chariton4,242 people 13.4% $46,979 38.6
139 Estherville5,839 people 13.3% $54,124 40.6
140 Marengo2,725 people 12.9% $57,941 39.6
141 Charles City7,232 people 12.8% $59,180 42.0
142 Evansdale4,518 people 10.3% $60,397 42.3
143 Map of Carter Lake Carter Lake3,767 people 9.5% $85,349 40.0

How this ranking works

We rank every town by the share of adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. The town with the highest figure ranks #1. For comparison, the figure for Iowa as a whole is 31.4%.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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