O'Brien County, Iowa
Located in Iowa, O'Brien County has a population of 14,126 residents and a median age of 39.5 years, making it the #2,215 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.3%. The median home value is $173,100, and the median household income is $68,356, which is 9% below the national median.
Demographics
O'Brien County has a population of 14,126, making it the #2,215 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.5 years, which is 1.5% 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 O'Brien County is $68,356, ranking #1,314 out of 3,222 counties — 9.0% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.3% and unemployment stands at 1.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in O'Brien County is $173,100 (-38.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $868/mo and the homeownership rate is 76.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In O'Brien County, 22.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 34.6% below the national average, ranking #1,645 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in O'Brien County is 76.4 years. 16.7% of adults report poor or fair health and 5.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.5% of adults in O'Brien County smoke , 38.8% are obese , and 23.0% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 18.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 14.4 per 100,000.
Motor Vehicle Deaths Trend
Families & Children
10.5% of children in O'Brien County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 17.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in O'Brien County is 72.8%. The mean commute time is 21.1 min, which is 23.7% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, O'Brien County voted Republican with a margin of 61.0%. The vote was 19% Dem / 80% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About O'Brien County, Iowa
O'Brien County, Iowa has a total population of 14,126, making it the 2,215th most populous county in the United States. The median age in O'Brien County is 39.5 years, which is 1.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in O'Brien County is $68,356, which ranks #1,314 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 9.0% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.3%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 1.0%.
The median home value in O'Brien County is $173,100, 38.6% below the national median. Renters in O'Brien County pay a median gross rent of $868 per month. The homeownership rate is 76.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In O'Brien County, 22.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 34.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 97.0% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.1 min.
O'Brien County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 87.0% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
All data for O'Brien 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.