Ottumwa, IA Micro Area

Metro Area

Population: 35,265 (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 — Ottumwa, IA Micro Area

What is the median household income in Ottumwa, IA Micro Area?: The median household income in Ottumwa, IA Micro Area is $60,034 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Ottumwa, IA Micro Area?: The poverty rate in Ottumwa, IA Micro Area is 12.6% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Ottumwa, IA Micro Area?: $112,900 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Ottumwa, IA Micro Area?: The median gross rent in Ottumwa, IA Micro Area is $950 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Ottumwa, IA Micro Area residents have a college degree?: 19.4% of adults in Ottumwa, IA Micro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

35,265

Median Income

$60,034

Median Home Value

$112,900

Poverty Rate

12.6%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

3.7%

Median Age

39.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$13,788 (+29.8%) Home Value: +$30,800 (+37.5%) Poverty Rate: -0.1 pp (-0.8%) Bachelor's+: +0.6 pp (+3.2%) Unemployment: -2.2 pp (-37.3%)

Demographics

Total Population 35,265

Median Age 39.0

Female 49.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 12.6% White (non-Hisp.) 77.3% Black 3.4% Asian 1.5% Two or More 6.7% Other 3.5%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Filipino

0.7%

Indian

0.1%

Chinese

0.1%

Korean

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

8.1%

Cuban

0.5%

Puerto Rican

0.2%

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

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $60,034 ±$3,024

Per Capita Income $83,314

Median Family Income $70,621

Poverty Rate 12.6%

Child Poverty Rate 20.8%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 15.7%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 24.2%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

5.7%

$10–15k

4.9%

$15–25k

8.5%

$25–35k

8.1%

$35–50k

12.1%

$50–75k

21.5%

$75–100k

13.3%

$100–150k

14.2%

$150–200k

7.5%

$200k+

4.0%

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

Housing

Total Housing Units 15,740

Owner-Occupied 67.4%

Renter-Occupied 32.6%

Vacancy Rate 10.5%

Median Home Value $112,900

Median Gross Rent $950

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 16.3%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 39.9%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

14.9%

$50–100k

29.9%

$100–200k

18.2%

$200–300k

13.9%

$300–500k

7.1%

$500k–$1M

2.4%

$1M+

0.9%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

10.9%

$500–1k

45.4%

$1–1.5k

36.1%

$1.5–2k

5.5%

$2–2.5k

0.2%

$2.5–3.5k

0.7%

$3.5k+

1.2%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

6.6%

1 vehicle

31.7%

2 vehicles

34.6%

27.1%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

78.1%

Single-fam. att.

1.9%

2–4 units

2.4%

5–19 units

3.1%

20+ units

4.0%

Mobile home

4.0%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

27.4%

1940–1969

10.9%

1970–1999

14.5%

2000–2009

6.0%

2010+

1.3%

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

Education

High School or Higher 87.7%

Bachelor's or Higher 19.4%

Graduate Degree 7.6%

Some College / Associate 18.8%

Less Than High School 5.7%

Enrolled in School —

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

Employment

Labor Force Participation 61.5%

Unemployment Rate 3.7%

Work from Home 4.6%

Self-Employed 5.0%

Government Workers 13.9%

Private For-Profit 80.9%

Industry

Manufacturing

25.2%

Edu/Health

22.7%

Retail

14.1%

Construction

6.0%

Transportation

6.0%

Arts/Entmt.

5.2%

Prof. Services

4.8%

Finance

4.0%

Agriculture

3.7%

Public Admin

2.5%

Wholesale

1.4%

Information

0.9%

Occupation

Management

29.1%

Production

28.2%

Sales

18.3%

Food Prep

14.3%

Construction

10.2%

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

Commute

Median Travel Time 19.6 min

Drove Alone 79.1%

Carpool 12.6%

Public Transit 0.4%

Work from Home 4.6%

Walked 1.7%

Bicycle —

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

Households & Families

Total Households 14,088

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 46.3%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 16.9%

Multigenerational —

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

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.9%

5–9

5.7%

10–14

7.5%

15–19

7.3%

20–24

5.5%

25–34

12.4%

35–44

12.0%

45–54

12.4%

55–64

5.3%

65–74

8.0%

75–84

10.7%

85+

4.5%

Under 18: 23.7% Working age (18–64): 76.3% 65 and over: 18.0%

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

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 9.2%

Naturalized Citizen 41.4%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 6.8%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

50.6%

Africa

18.2%

Asia

15.7%

Europe

3.4%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 6.5%

With a Disability 15.9%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 92.8%

Uninsured 7.2%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 83.2%

Has a Computer 91.8%

Same House 1 Year Ago 88.2%

Moved from Abroad 0.4%

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