TownTapestry
Sign inJoin
IAIowa rankings

Towns with the most residents 65 and older in Iowa

Ranked by the share of residents aged 65 and older. 143 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

1 Jefferson 31.5% Median age 53.6 Map of Garner 2 Garner 30% Median age 47.0 3 Waukon 27.8% Median age 44.3
#TownAge 65 and olderMedian agePopulation
1 Jefferson4,152 people 31.5% 53.6 4,152
2 Map of Garner Garner3,049 people 30% 47.0 3,049
3 Waukon3,792 people 27.8% 44.3 3,792
4 Clear Lake7,607 people 27.5% 49.1 7,607
5 Map of Belmond Belmond2,694 people 27% 38.2 2,694
6 Map of Fairfield Fairfield9,456 people 26.6% 40.0 9,456
7 Shenandoah4,892 people 26.2% 47.0 4,892
8 Map of Algona Algona5,377 people 25.7% 40.1 5,377
9 Manchester5,191 people 25.6% 49.1 5,191
10 Emmetsburg3,648 people 25.6% 44.7 3,648
11 Map of Kalona Kalona2,692 people 25.4% 41.4 2,692
12 Osage3,561 people 25.2% 43.4 3,561
13 Milford3,311 people 24.2% 47.3 3,311
14 Map of Carroll Carroll10,208 people 24.1% 43.6 10,208
15 Atlantic6,763 people 24.1% 43.5 6,763
16 Decorah7,535 people 24% 39.5 7,535
17 Iowa Falls5,038 people 23.9% 39.4 5,038
18 Harlan4,891 people 23.9% 44.6 4,891
19 Charles City7,232 people 23.5% 42.0 7,232
20 Map of Vinton Vinton4,948 people 23.4% 44.7 4,948
21 Map of Washington Washington7,290 people 23.1% 42.5 7,290
22 Map of Oelwein Oelwein5,834 people 23.1% 42.4 5,834
23 Cherokee5,154 people 23.1% 43.2 5,154
24 Mason City Mason City27,050 people 23% 42.5 27,050
25 Map of Knoxville Knoxville7,473 people 23% 42.2 7,473
26 Clarinda5,353 people 22.9% 40.1 5,353
27 Estherville5,839 people 22.8% 40.6 5,839
28 Map of Humboldt Humboldt4,771 people 22.8% 39.6 4,771
29 Hampton4,306 people 22.8% 48.4 4,306
30 Map of Centerville Centerville5,372 people 22.4% 40.9 5,372
31 Monticello4,071 people 22.4% 42.6 4,071
32 Grundy Center2,809 people 22.4% 41.8 2,809
33 Map of Albia Albia3,663 people 22.2% 38.1 3,663
34 Map of Spirit Lake Spirit Lake5,518 people 22.1% 40.4 5,518
35 Evansdale4,518 people 22.1% 42.3 4,518
36 Maquoketa6,075 people 22% 42.6 6,075
37 Spencer11,400 people 21.9% 41.4 11,400
38 Map of Winterset Winterset5,416 people 21.9% 37.5 5,416
39 Map of Fort Madison Fort Madison10,133 people 21.8% 42.1 10,133
40 Glenwood5,144 people 21.7% 39.6 5,144
41 Burlington23,728 people 21.5% 42.5 23,728
42 Newton Newton15,700 people 21.5% 42.6 15,700
43 Onawa Onawa2,839 people 21.5% 35.5 2,839
44 Map of Keokuk Keokuk9,662 people 21.4% 43.1 9,662
45 Grinnell9,505 people 21.4% 36.5 9,505
46 Clinton Clinton24,322 people 21.3% 44.0 24,322
47 Cresco3,908 people 21.2% 38.5 3,908
48 Map of Story City Story City3,398 people 21.2% 38.7 3,398
49 Marengo2,725 people 21.2% 39.6 2,725
50 Independence6,164 people 20.9% 40.9 6,164
51 Saylorville3,366 people 20.9% 50.5 3,366
52 Dubuque59,174 people 20.7% 38.1 59,174
53 Map of Oskaloosa Oskaloosa11,504 people 20.4% 37.6 11,504
54 Map of Rock Rapids Rock Rapids2,661 people 20.4% 41.0 2,661
55 Tipton3,106 people 20.2% 38.3 3,106
56 Madrid2,808 people 20.2% 40.3 2,808
57 Sibley Sibley2,803 people 20.2% 37.1 2,803
58 New Hampton New Hampton3,453 people 20.1% 36.6 3,453
59 Pleasant Hill11,136 people 20% 39.5 11,136
60 Chariton4,242 people 19.8% 38.6 4,242
61 West Burlington3,189 people 19.8% 38.0 3,189
62 Missouri Valley2,666 people 19.8% 38.0 2,666
63 Map of Creston Creston7,435 people 19.7% 39.5 7,435
64 Camanche4,550 people 19.5% 40.1 4,550
65 Clarion2,770 people 19.5% 41.2 2,770
66 Wilton Wilton2,920 people 19.3% 45.2 2,920
67 Map of Windsor Heights Windsor Heights5,143 people 19.2% 41.6 5,143
68 Rock Valley4,059 people 19.1% 35.1 4,059
69 Map of Fort Dodge Fort Dodge24,827 people 19% 37.6 24,827
70 Bettendorf39,647 people 18.8% 40.9 39,647
71 Pella10,720 people 18.8% 35.2 10,720
72 Webster City7,769 people 18.8% 37.6 7,769
73 Map of Bloomfield Bloomfield2,742 people 18.7% 40.0 2,742
74 Waverly10,494 people 18.6% 32.8 10,494
75 Anamosa5,629 people 18.6% 40.9 5,629
76 Osceola5,523 people 18.6% 37.6 5,523
77 Map of Eldridge Eldridge6,818 people 18.5% 42.7 6,818
78 Red Oak5,510 people 18.5% 40.2 5,510
79 Eldora2,617 people 18.4% 39.5 2,617
80 Boone12,424 people 18.3% 41.3 12,424
81 Mount Pleasant8,951 people 18.3% 37.5 8,951
82 Eagle Grove3,593 people 18.2% 32.5 3,593
83 Indianola16,044 people 18.1% 35.9 16,044
84 Marion Marion41,896 people 18% 40.6 41,896
85 Map of Le Mars Le Mars10,640 people 18% 39.0 10,640
86 Nevada6,983 people 17.8% 40.2 6,983
87 Map of Muscatine Muscatine23,489 people 17.6% 37.0 23,489
88 Forest City Forest City4,290 people 17.6% 34.4 4,290
89 Council Bluffs Council Bluffs62,586 people 17.5% 38.7 62,586
90 Map of Carter Lake Carter Lake3,767 people 17.3% 40.0 3,767
91 Map of Hudson Hudson2,699 people 17.3% 41.0 2,699
92 Map of Altoona Altoona21,495 people 17.1% 36.1 21,495
93 Sheldon5,474 people 17.1% 37.6 5,474
94 Waterloo67,008 people 17% 36.7 67,008
95 Hawarden Hawarden2,658 people 17% 35.9 2,658
96 Orange City6,426 people 16.8% 29.8 6,426
97 Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids137,264 people 16.7% 37.3 137,264
98 West Branch2,594 people 16.7% 36.7 2,594
99 Dyersville4,423 people 16.6% 43.0 4,423
100 Marshalltown Marshalltown27,626 people 16.5% 35.7 27,626
101 Map of Davenport Davenport100,913 people 16.4% 37.5 100,913
102 Tama3,051 people 16.3% 36.2 3,051
103 Map of Ottumwa Ottumwa25,430 people 16.2% 36.7 25,430
104 DeWitt DeWitt5,546 people 16.1% 38.6 5,546
105 Cedar Falls40,888 people 16% 29.3 40,888
106 Map of Clive Clive19,012 people 15.9% 37.4 19,012
107 Map of Williamsburg Williamsburg3,360 people 15.6% 33.8 3,360
108 Johnston24,384 people 15.3% 37.4 24,384
109 Map of West Des Moines West Des Moines71,083 people 15.1% 36.0 71,083
110 Perry7,985 people 15% 39.0 7,985
111 Map of Sioux City Sioux City86,101 people 14.9% 34.9 86,101
112 Map of Solon Solon3,152 people 14.9% 38.8 3,152
113 Urbandale46,595 people 14.8% 39.2 46,595
114 Hiawatha7,206 people 14.8% 32.4 7,206
115 Asbury5,989 people 14.8% 37.9 5,989
116 Le Claire4,735 people 14.7% 36.5 4,735
117 Polk City6,037 people 14.5% 39.1 6,037
118 Jesup2,561 people 14.4% 34.3 2,561
119 Robins3,332 people 14.3% 46.0 3,332
120 Map of Norwalk Norwalk14,183 people 14.1% 37.8 14,183
121 Center Point2,562 people 13.9% 36.4 2,562
122 Fairfax2,900 people 13.8% 38.5 2,900
123 Denison8,260 people 13.4% 34.3 8,260
124 Coralville23,234 people 13.3% 34.0 23,234
125 Des Moines212,421 people 12.7% 34.6 212,421
126 Storm Lake11,428 people 12.5% 30.9 11,428
127 Sioux Center8,454 people 12.5% 30.0 8,454
128 Map of Sergeant Bluff Sergeant Bluff5,171 people 12.5% 36.9 5,171
129 Iowa City75,752 people 12.3% 26.2 75,752
130 Adel Adel6,430 people 12.3% 36.5 6,430
131 Map of Carlisle Carlisle4,255 people 12.3% 36.3 4,255
132 West Liberty West Liberty3,776 people 11.9% 35.0 3,776
133 Ankeny72,615 people 11.7% 33.6 72,615
134 Huxley4,544 people 11.6% 34.9 4,544
135 Ames Ames67,669 people 11.1% 23.3 67,669
136 Waukee29,236 people 11.1% 34.7 29,236
137 Map of Mount Vernon Mount Vernon4,513 people 11% 25.3 4,513
138 Map of Postville Postville2,979 people 10.4% 23.2 2,979
139 Tiffin5,737 people 10.2% 33.0 5,737
140 Map of Mitchellville Mitchellville2,579 people 10.2% 37.6 2,579
141 Grimes16,366 people 7.3% 35.4 16,366
142 North Liberty North Liberty21,125 people 7.2% 31.7 21,125
143 Bondurant8,560 people 6.7% 32.4 8,560

How this ranking works

We rank every town by the share of residents aged 65 and older. Retirement, lake and coastal towns lead this list. The town with the highest figure ranks #1. For comparison, the figure for Iowa as a whole is 18.1%.

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

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY All of the U.S.