Mahaska County, Iowa
Located in Iowa, Mahaska County has a population of 22,021 residents and a median age of 39.0 years, making it the #1,773 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.6%. The median home value is $157,800, and the median household income is $70,940, which is 6% below the national median.
Demographics
Mahaska County has a population of 22,021, making it the #1,773 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.0 years, which is 0.3% 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 Mahaska County is $70,940, ranking #1,131 out of 3,222 counties — 5.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.6% and unemployment stands at 3.5%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Mahaska County is $157,800 (-44.0% vs national). Renters pay a median of $793/mo and the homeownership rate is 68.0%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Mahaska County, 24.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 28.4% below the national average, ranking #1,350 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Mahaska County is 76.6 years. 14.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 5.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
15.4% of adults in Mahaska County smoke , 42.4% are obese , and 22.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 18.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 13.1 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 12.3 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
14.3% of children in Mahaska County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 16.4 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Mahaska County is 67.5%. The mean commute time is 19.8 min, which is 28.1% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Mahaska County voted Republican with a margin of 51.6%. The vote was 23.6% Dem / 75.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Mahaska County, Iowa
Mahaska County, Iowa has a total population of 22,021, making it the 1,773rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Mahaska County is 39.0 years, which is 0.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Mahaska County is $70,940, which ranks #1,131 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 5.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.6%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.5%.
The median home value in Mahaska County is $157,800, 44.0% below the national median. Renters in Mahaska County pay a median gross rent of $793 per month. The homeownership rate is 68.0%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Mahaska County, 24.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 28.4% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 19.8 min.
Mahaska County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 91.6% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic or Latino (2.5%).
All data for Mahaska 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.