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IAIowa rankings

Oldest towns in Iowa

Ranked by the median age of residents — often lake, mountain and retirement towns. 143 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

1 Jefferson 53.6 Population 4,152 2 Saylorville 50.5 Population 3,366 3 Clear Lake 49.1 Population 7,607
#TownMedian agePopulationHome value
1 Jefferson4,152 people 53.6 4,152 $155,800
2 Saylorville3,366 people 50.5 3,366 $314,300
3 Clear Lake7,607 people 49.1 7,607 $259,500
4 Manchester5,191 people 49.1 5,191 $139,400
5 Hampton4,306 people 48.4 4,306 $99,400
6 Milford3,311 people 47.3 3,311 $218,400
7 Shenandoah4,892 people 47.0 4,892 $116,700
8 Map of Garner Garner3,049 people 47.0 3,049 $186,300
9 Robins3,332 people 46.0 3,332 $413,400
10 Wilton2,920 people 45.2 2,920 $189,200
11 Map of Vinton Vinton4,948 people 44.7 4,948 $152,300
12 Emmetsburg3,648 people 44.7 3,648 $114,300
13 Harlan4,891 people 44.6 4,891 $152,500
14 Waukon3,792 people 44.3 3,792 $147,200
15 Clinton Clinton24,322 people 44.0 24,322 $118,200
16 Map of Carroll Carroll10,208 people 43.6 10,208 $188,700
17 Atlantic6,763 people 43.5 6,763 $149,900
18 Osage3,561 people 43.4 3,561 $160,700
19 Cherokee5,154 people 43.2 5,154 $136,700
20 Map of Keokuk Keokuk9,662 people 43.1 9,662 $104,300
21 Dyersville4,423 people 43.0 4,423 $234,100
22 Map of Eldridge Eldridge6,818 people 42.7 6,818 $350,500
23 Newton Newton15,700 people 42.6 15,700 $153,700
24 Maquoketa6,075 people 42.6 6,075 $132,500
25 Monticello4,071 people 42.6 4,071 $175,200
26 Mason City Mason City27,050 people 42.5 27,050 $142,000
27 Burlington23,728 people 42.5 23,728 $114,300
28 Map of Washington Washington7,290 people 42.5 7,290 $152,300
29 Map of Oelwein Oelwein5,834 people 42.4 5,834 $96,300
30 Evansdale4,518 people 42.3 4,518 $150,300
31 Map of Knoxville Knoxville7,473 people 42.2 7,473 $160,300
32 Map of Fort Madison Fort Madison10,133 people 42.1 10,133 $94,200
33 Charles City7,232 people 42.0 7,232 $115,400
34 Grundy Center2,809 people 41.8 2,809 $177,900
35 Map of Windsor Heights Windsor Heights5,143 people 41.6 5,143 $267,900
36 Spencer11,400 people 41.4 11,400 $184,800
37 Map of Kalona Kalona2,692 people 41.4 2,692 $257,900
38 Boone12,424 people 41.3 12,424 $173,000
39 Clarion2,770 people 41.2 2,770 $116,200
40 Map of Hudson Hudson2,699 people 41.0 2,699 $242,700
41 Map of Rock Rapids Rock Rapids2,661 people 41.0 2,661 $206,700
42 Bettendorf39,647 people 40.9 39,647 $306,500
43 Independence6,164 people 40.9 6,164 $165,300
44 Anamosa5,629 people 40.9 5,629 $172,600
45 Map of Centerville Centerville5,372 people 40.9 5,372 $103,000
46 Marion41,896 people 40.6 41,896 $241,700
47 Estherville5,839 people 40.6 5,839 $101,400
48 Map of Spirit Lake Spirit Lake5,518 people 40.4 5,518 $215,100
49 Madrid2,808 people 40.3 2,808 $185,600
50 Nevada6,983 people 40.2 6,983 $182,400
51 Red Oak5,510 people 40.2 5,510 $99,700
52 Algona5,377 people 40.1 5,377 $160,800
53 Clarinda5,353 people 40.1 5,353 $114,200
54 Camanche4,550 people 40.1 4,550 $172,400
55 Map of Fairfield Fairfield9,456 people 40.0 9,456 $156,000
56 Map of Carter Lake Carter Lake3,767 people 40.0 3,767 $169,400
57 Map of Bloomfield Bloomfield2,742 people 40.0 2,742 $132,000
58 Glenwood5,144 people 39.6 5,144 $206,200
59 Map of Humboldt Humboldt4,771 people 39.6 4,771 $173,600
60 Marengo2,725 people 39.6 2,725 $123,200
61 Pleasant Hill11,136 people 39.5 11,136 $295,100
62 Decorah7,535 people 39.5 7,535 $244,500
63 Map of Creston Creston7,435 people 39.5 7,435 $114,500
64 Eldora2,617 people 39.5 2,617 $133,000
65 Iowa Falls5,038 people 39.4 5,038 $123,800
66 Urbandale46,595 people 39.2 46,595 $335,500
67 Polk City6,037 people 39.1 6,037 $414,800
68 Le Mars10,640 people 39.0 10,640 $219,200
69 Perry7,985 people 39.0 7,985 $121,400
70 Map of Solon Solon3,152 people 38.8 3,152 $309,400
71 Council Bluffs Council Bluffs62,586 people 38.7 62,586 $171,800
72 Map of Story City Story City3,398 people 38.7 3,398 $215,600
73 Map of DeWitt DeWitt5,546 people 38.6 5,546 $237,100
74 Chariton4,242 people 38.6 4,242 $81,900
75 Cresco3,908 people 38.5 3,908 $117,200
76 Fairfax2,900 people 38.5 2,900 $274,500
77 Tipton3,106 people 38.3 3,106 $165,500
78 Map of Belmond Belmond2,694 people 38.2 2,694 $129,100
79 Dubuque59,174 people 38.1 59,174 $204,800
80 Map of Albia Albia3,663 people 38.1 3,663 $130,300
81 West Burlington3,189 people 38.0 3,189 $124,000
82 Missouri Valley2,666 people 38.0 2,666 $148,500
83 Asbury5,989 people 37.9 5,989 $339,000
84 Map of Norwalk Norwalk14,183 people 37.8 14,183 $303,100
85 Map of Fort Dodge Fort Dodge24,827 people 37.6 24,827 $144,100
86 Map of Oskaloosa Oskaloosa11,504 people 37.6 11,504 $153,300
87 Webster City7,769 people 37.6 7,769 $127,200
88 Osceola5,523 people 37.6 5,523 $146,300
89 Sheldon5,474 people 37.6 5,474 $192,700
90 Map of Mitchellville Mitchellville2,579 people 37.6 2,579 $206,600
91 Map of Davenport Davenport100,913 people 37.5 100,913 $166,400
92 Mount Pleasant8,951 people 37.5 8,951 $160,900
93 Map of Winterset Winterset5,416 people 37.5 5,416 $192,500
94 Johnston24,384 people 37.4 24,384 $369,100
95 Map of Clive Clive19,012 people 37.4 19,012 $401,100
96 Cedar Rapids137,264 people 37.3 137,264 $187,100
97 Sibley Sibley2,803 people 37.1 2,803 $122,000
98 Map of Muscatine Muscatine23,489 people 37.0 23,489 $153,600
99 Map of Sergeant Bluff Sergeant Bluff5,171 people 36.9 5,171 $298,500
100 Waterloo67,008 people 36.7 67,008 $152,600
101 Map of Ottumwa Ottumwa25,430 people 36.7 25,430 $106,300
102 West Branch2,594 people 36.7 2,594 $216,100
103 New Hampton New Hampton3,453 people 36.6 3,453 $167,700
104 Grinnell9,505 people 36.5 9,505 $209,500
105 Adel Adel6,430 people 36.5 6,430 $327,900
106 Le Claire4,735 people 36.5 4,735 $318,700
107 Center Point2,562 people 36.4 2,562 $212,400
108 Map of Carlisle Carlisle4,255 people 36.3 4,255 $234,300
109 Tama3,051 people 36.2 3,051 $106,800
110 Map of Altoona Altoona21,495 people 36.1 21,495 $274,600
111 West Des Moines71,083 people 36.0 71,083 $309,000
112 Indianola16,044 people 35.9 16,044 $237,500
113 Hawarden Hawarden2,658 people 35.9 2,658 $136,300
114 Marshalltown Marshalltown27,626 people 35.7 27,626 $127,700
115 Onawa Onawa2,839 people 35.5 2,839 $145,800
116 Grimes16,366 people 35.4 16,366 $304,700
117 Pella10,720 people 35.2 10,720 $292,700
118 Rock Valley4,059 people 35.1 4,059 $231,200
119 West Liberty West Liberty3,776 people 35.0 3,776 $180,000
120 Sioux City86,101 people 34.9 86,101 $173,600
121 Huxley4,544 people 34.9 4,544 $297,100
122 Waukee29,236 people 34.7 29,236 $350,500
123 Des Moines212,421 people 34.6 212,421 $194,700
124 Forest City4,290 people 34.4 4,290 $143,500
125 Denison8,260 people 34.3 8,260 $150,200
126 Jesup2,561 people 34.3 2,561 $190,200
127 Coralville23,234 people 34.0 23,234 $298,500
128 Map of Williamsburg Williamsburg3,360 people 33.8 3,360 $204,300
129 Ankeny72,615 people 33.6 72,615 $331,000
130 Tiffin5,737 people 33.0 5,737 $338,500
131 Waverly10,494 people 32.8 10,494 $223,300
132 Eagle Grove3,593 people 32.5 3,593 $104,600
133 Bondurant8,560 people 32.4 8,560 $318,800
134 Hiawatha7,206 people 32.4 7,206 $216,900
135 North Liberty21,125 people 31.7 21,125 $303,800
136 Storm Lake11,428 people 30.9 11,428 $172,200
137 Sioux Center8,454 people 30.0 8,454 $290,800
138 Orange City6,426 people 29.8 6,426 $264,000
139 Cedar Falls40,888 people 29.3 40,888 $263,600
140 Iowa City75,752 people 26.2 75,752 $285,900
141 Map of Mount Vernon Mount Vernon4,513 people 25.3 4,513 $245,200
142 Ames Ames67,669 people 23.3 67,669 $277,400
143 Map of Postville Postville2,979 people 23.2 2,979 $104,700

How this ranking works

We rank every town by the median age of residents — often lake, mountain and retirement towns. The town with the highest figure ranks #1. For comparison, the figure for Iowa as a whole is 38.6.

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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