U.S. Census Bureau Releases Population Estimates for Cities in Iowa
May 16, 2024
The U.S. Census Bureau released July 1, 2023 population estimates for cities and towns, revealing geographic shifts in population growth compared to pre-pandemic July 1, 2019, estimates.
The estimates also show that, on average, many small and midsize U.S. cities with populations under 50,000 saw relatively higher growth rates in 2023 than in 2019 before the pandemic hit while large cities generally grew at slower rates.
Overall, the most populous cities continued to return to pre-pandemic trends thanks to increased growth rates and smaller population declines.
In Iowa, 4 of the 5 fastest growing cities were a part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. The fastest growing city during this time period was Tiffin, which is part of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. This continues the trend in the state over the last couple decades with areas near or adjacent to metropolitan areas experiencing most of the population gains. However, it is also important to note that 4 of the 5 largest cities in the state did see slight population loss during this same timeframe.
Also included in this release are 2023 annual housing unit estimates for the nation, all 50 states, and the 99 counties in Iowa. The new Iowa population estimates and rankings are available at the link below. The U.S. Census Bureau will next release state and county estimates on age, sex, race and Hispanic origin in June 2024.