Fort Dodge, IA Micro Area

Metro Area

Population: 36,848 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Fort Dodge, IA Micro Area

What is the median household income in Fort Dodge, IA Micro Area?: The median household income in Fort Dodge, IA Micro Area is $68,054 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Fort Dodge, IA Micro Area?: The poverty rate in Fort Dodge, IA Micro Area is 6.3% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Fort Dodge, IA Micro Area?: $138,500 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Fort Dodge, IA Micro Area?: The median gross rent in Fort Dodge, IA Micro Area is $762 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Fort Dodge, IA Micro Area residents have a college degree?: 20.5% of adults in Fort Dodge, IA Micro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

36,848

Median Income

$68,054

Median Home Value

$138,500

Poverty Rate

6.3%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

3.8%

Median Age

39.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$20,588 (+43.4%) Home Value: +$39,400 (+39.8%) Poverty Rate: -3.5 pp (-35.7%) Bachelor's+: +0.6 pp (+3%) Unemployment: -0.3 pp (-7.3%)

Demographics

Total Population 36,848

Median Age 39.0

Female 47.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 6.0% White (non-Hisp.) 84.6% Black 3.2% Asian 1.2% Two or More 6.7% Other 1.7%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Korean

0.7%

Chinese

0.2%

Filipino

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

3.4%

Puerto Rican

0.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $68,054 ±$3,664

Per Capita Income $86,456

Median Family Income $89,099

Poverty Rate 6.3%

Child Poverty Rate 8.6%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 11.5%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 23.9%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

5.2%

$10–15k

3.6%

$15–25k

9.6%

$25–35k

8.4%

$35–50k

11.6%

$50–75k

17.5%

$75–100k

16.0%

$100–150k

16.5%

$150–200k

6.7%

$200k+

4.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 17,053

Owner-Occupied 70.1%

Renter-Occupied 29.9%

Vacancy Rate 8.3%

Median Home Value $138,500

Median Gross Rent $762

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 14.9%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 29.8%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

10.8%

$50–100k

24.2%

$100–200k

19.0%

$200–300k

15.7%

$300–500k

9.6%

$500k–$1M

2.3%

$1M+

0.6%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

15.0%

$500–1k

62.9%

$1–1.5k

15.8%

$1.5–2k

4.2%

$2–2.5k

1.6%

$2.5–3.5k

0.2%

$3.5k+

0.2%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

6.5%

1 vehicle

33.5%

2 vehicles

34.0%

26.1%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

77.1%

Single-fam. att.

1.5%

2–4 units

4.3%

5–19 units

1.8%

20+ units

4.7%

Mobile home

2.0%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

33.2%

1940–1969

5.9%

1970–1999

13.9%

2000–2009

5.9%

2010+

3.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 92.3%

Bachelor's or Higher 20.5%

Graduate Degree 5.2%

Some College / Associate 25.1%

Less Than High School 1.8%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 60.9%

Unemployment Rate 3.8%

Work from Home 4.0%

Self-Employed 5.5%

Government Workers 13.3%

Private For-Profit 81.0%

Industry

Edu/Health

24.4%

Manufacturing

15.4%

Retail

11.9%

Arts/Entmt.

8.3%

Construction

8.0%

Agriculture

5.6%

Transportation

5.5%

Public Admin

5.1%

Prof. Services

5.0%

Finance

4.4%

Information

1.5%

Wholesale

1.2%

Occupation

Management

30.8%

Sales

19.3%

Food Prep

19.0%

Production

18.3%

Construction

12.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 19.3 min

Drove Alone 83.2%

Carpool 7.5%

Public Transit 0.2%

Work from Home 4.0%

Walked 3.0%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 15,641

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 41.2%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 13.4%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.7%

5–9

5.5%

10–14

6.2%

15–19

7.9%

20–24

7.2%

25–34

12.0%

35–44

11.9%

45–54

10.5%

55–64

5.9%

65–74

7.5%

75–84

11.1%

85+

5.9%

Under 18: 21.4% Working age (18–64): 78.6% 65 and over: 19.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 3.3%

Naturalized Citizen 18.9%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 2.2%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

50.8%

Asia

28.6%

Africa

3.7%

Europe

2.5%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 7.1%

With a Disability 14.8%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 92.5%

Uninsured 7.5%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 83.6%

Has a Computer 90.4%

Same House 1 Year Ago 84.6%

Moved from Abroad 0.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023