Palo Alto County, Iowa
Located in Iowa, Palo Alto County has a population of 8,863 residents and a median age of 41.9 years, making it the #2,576 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 11.6%. The median home value is $123,200, and the median household income is $72,781, which is 3% below the national median.
Demographics
Palo Alto County has a population of 8,863, making it the #2,576 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.9 years, which is 7.7% 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 Palo Alto County is $72,781, ranking #988 out of 3,222 counties — 3.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 11.6% and unemployment stands at 2.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Palo Alto County is $123,200 (-56.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $638/mo and the homeownership rate is 77.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Palo Alto County, 19.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 43.6% below the national average, ranking #2,176 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Palo Alto County is 76.7 years. 14.7% of adults report poor or fair health and 5.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.1% of adults in Palo Alto County smoke , 41.6% are obese , and 25.7% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 26.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 20.8 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
13.4% of children in Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto County is 73.2%. The mean commute time is 18.9 min, which is 31.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Palo Alto County voted Republican with a margin of 45.0%. The vote was 26.9% Dem / 71.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 7.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Palo Alto County, Iowa
Palo Alto County, Iowa has a total population of 8,863, making it the 2,576th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Palo Alto County is 41.9 years, which is 7.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Palo Alto County is $72,781, which ranks #988 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 3.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.6%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.2%.
The median home value in Palo Alto County is $123,200, 56.3% below the national median. Renters in Palo Alto County pay a median gross rent of $638 per month. The homeownership rate is 77.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Palo Alto County, 19.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 43.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 18.9 min.
Palo Alto County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 91.3% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
All data for Palo Alto 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.