Hardin County, Iowa
Located in Iowa, Hardin County has a population of 16,639 residents and a median age of 45.4 years, making it the #2,061 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 9.7%. The median home value is $122,500, and the median household income is $65,069, which is 13% below the national median.
Demographics
Hardin County has a population of 16,639, making it the #2,061 most populous county in the US. The median age is 45.4 years, which is 16.7% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Hardin County is $65,069, ranking #1,627 out of 3,222 counties — 13.4% below the national median. The poverty rate is 9.7% and unemployment stands at 4.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Hardin County is $122,500 (-56.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $795/mo and the homeownership rate is 73.6%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Hardin County, 21.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 34.9% below the national average, ranking #1,667 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Hardin County is 77.3 years. 17.0% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
19.4% of adults in Hardin County smoke , 39.2% are obese , and 25.8% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 14.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 11.0 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
13.9% of children in Hardin County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 13.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Hardin County is 68.7%. The mean commute time is 22.8 min, which is 17.4% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Hardin County voted Republican with a margin of 38.4%. The vote was 30.3% Dem / 68.7% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 6.4 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Hardin County, Iowa
Hardin County, Iowa has a total population of 16,639, making it the 2,061st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Hardin County is 45.4 years, which is 16.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Hardin County is $65,069, which ranks #1,627 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 13.4% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 9.7%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.3%.
The median home value in Hardin County is $122,500, 56.5% below the national median. Renters in Hardin County pay a median gross rent of $795 per month. The homeownership rate is 73.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Hardin County, 21.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 34.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.0% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 22.8 min.
Hardin County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 90.1% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (5.5%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
All data for Hardin County, Iowa comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.