100 Biggest Cities In Iowa For 2023

Using the latest Census data, we detail the 100 biggest cities in Iowa. You can all see a comprehensive list of all 284 cities and places in Iowa.

We all love the biggest cities that the Hawkeye State has to offer. You know the places like Des Moines and Cedar Rapids which make all the headlines.

But there are a bunch of other great large cities in Iowa that don't get as much love.

We're going to change that right now.

Using the most recent Census data, we can tell you about all the places in Iowa with a focus on the biggest. We update the data each year and this is our fourth time doing this.

You can click here to see a full table of the full of the 100 biggest cities in Iowa, along with every other place over 1,000 people big. It is sortable by clicking on the headers.

Read on below to see more on the biggest cities. Or for more reading on places to live in Iowa, check out:

The 10 Biggest Cities In Iowa

Des Moines, IA
Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility
5
/10

Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Population: 215,408
Population 2010: 202,095
Growth: 6.6%
More on Des Moines: Crime ReportHomes For Sale | Data

Cedar Rapids, IA
Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility
8
/10

Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Population: 133,125
Population 2010: 125,450
Growth: 6.1%
More on Cedar Rapids: Crime ReportHomes For Sale | Data

Davenport, IA
Overall SnackAbility
6
/10

Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Population: 102,199
Population 2010: 98,325
Growth: 3.9%
More on Davenport: Crime ReportHomes For Sale | Data

Sioux City, IA
Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility
6
/10

Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population: 82,535
Population 2010: 82,106
Growth: 0.5%
More on Sioux City: Crime ReportHomes For Sale | Data

Iowa City, IA
Overall SnackAbility
8
/10

Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Population: 75,849
Population 2010: 66,758
Growth: 13.6%
More on Iowa City: Crime ReportHomes For Sale | Data

Waterloo, IA
Overall SnackAbility
5
/10

Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Population: 67,671
Population 2010: 67,893
Growth: -0.3%
More on Waterloo: Crime ReportHomes For Sale | Data

West Des Moines, IA
Overall SnackAbility
9
/10

Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 2)
Population: 66,724
Population 2010: 54,731
Growth: 21.9%
More on West Des Moines: Homes For Sale | Data

Ames, IA
Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility
8
/10

Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Population: 66,361
Population 2010: 57,343
Growth: 15.7%
More on Ames: Crime ReportHomes For Sale | Data

Ankeny, IA
Overall SnackAbility
9
/10

Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 2)
Population: 64,744
Population 2010: 42,211
Growth: 53.4%
More on Ankeny: Crime ReportHomes For Sale | Data

Council Bluffs, IA
Overall SnackAbility
5
/10

Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 2)
Population: 62,376
Population 2010: 61,340
Growth: 1.7%
More on Council Bluffs: Crime ReportHomes For Sale | Data

How We Determined The Largest Cities In Iowa

We've been ranking and dissecting cities in the Hawkeye State for over 4 years now -- making this actually the fourth time we've run the numbers. We always use the best data, the US Census. In this case, that means we are using the 2013-2017 American Community Survey.

It what is probably the most simple analysis we run each year, we ranked every place in Iowa from biggest to smallest. The biggest city this year? That would be Des Moines.

The smallest? Palo, although there are places smaller than 1,000 people not listed here, so keep that in mind as we take a look at the top ten.

Now on to numbers 11-100 Biggest in Iowa

We hope that you find the big city, or really any city, that's right for you. Below is a list of the rest of the biggest cities along with every other place in Iowa.

Have fun snacking around in the Hawkeye State!

For more reading on Iowa, check out:

Detailed List Of The Biggest Cities In Iowa

Rank City Current Population 2010 Growth
1 Des Moines 215,408 202,095 6.6%
2 Cedar Rapids 133,125 125,450 6.1%
3 Davenport 102,199 98,325 3.9%
4 Sioux City 82,535 82,106 0.5%
5 Iowa City 75,849 66,758 13.6%
6 Waterloo 67,671 67,893 -0.3%
7 West Des Moines 66,724 54,731 21.9%
8 Ames 66,361 57,343 15.7%
9 Ankeny 64,744 42,211 53.4%
10 Council Bluffs 62,376 61,340 1.7%
11 Dubuque 58,052 57,504 1.0%
12 Urbandale 43,879 37,503 17.0%
13 Cedar Falls 40,750 38,178 6.7%
14 Marion 39,910 33,293 19.9%
15 Bettendorf 36,214 32,490 11.5%
16 Mason City 27,064 28,125 -3.8%
17 Marshalltown 26,957 27,096 -0.5%
18 Clinton 25,290 27,016 -6.4%
19 Burlington 24,858 25,604 -2.9%
20 Ottumwa 24,505 24,889 -1.5%
21 Fort Dodge 24,168 25,323 -4.6%
22 Muscatine 23,661 22,819 3.7%
23 Waukee 22,598 12,305 83.6%
24 Johnston 22,077 15,723 40.4%
25 Coralville 21,630 18,186 18.9%
26 North Liberty 19,159 11,889 61.1%
27 Altoona 18,917 13,757 37.5%
28 Clive 17,246 14,950 15.4%
29 Indianola 15,921 14,546 9.5%
30 Newton 15,160 15,371 -1.4%
31 Grimes 13,746 7,653 79.6%
32 Boone 12,470 12,764 -2.3%
33 Oskaloosa 11,727 11,393 2.9%
34 Norwalk 11,467 8,622 33.0%
35 Spencer 11,038 11,193 -1.4%
36 Storm Lake 10,508 10,357 1.5%
37 Fort Madison 10,407 11,096 -6.2%
38 Fairfield 10,327 9,451 9.3%
39 Pella 10,279 10,359 -0.8%
40 Keokuk 10,225 10,802 -5.3%
41 Waverly 10,172 9,754 4.3%
42 Le Mars 10,012 9,719 3.0%
43 Pleasant Hill 9,959 8,100 23.0%
44 Carroll 9,823 10,047 -2.2%
45 Grinnell 9,069 9,265 -2.1%
46 Mount Pleasant 8,574 8,743 -1.9%
47 Denison 8,319 8,077 3.0%
48 Creston 7,754 7,738 0.2%
49 Webster City 7,699 8,125 -5.2%
50 Perry 7,660 7,706 -0.6%
51 Decorah 7,615 8,115 -6.2%
52 Clear Lake 7,594 7,799 -2.6%
53 Sioux Center 7,592 6,916 9.8%
54 Hiawatha 7,395 6,932 6.7%
55 Charles City 7,351 7,667 -4.1%
56 Washington 7,318 7,261 0.8%
57 Knoxville 7,154 7,459 -4.1%
58 Nevada 6,737 6,753 -0.2%
59 Eldridge 6,678 5,319 25.5%
60 Atlantic 6,600 7,078 -6.8%
61 Bondurant 6,567 3,486 88.4%
62 Orange City 6,158 5,967 3.2%
63 Independence 6,085 5,987 1.6%
64 Maquoketa 5,990 6,135 -2.4%
65 Asbury 5,931 3,852 54.0%
66 Oelwein 5,896 6,433 -8.3%
67 Estherville 5,729 6,388 -10.3%
68 Anamosa 5,484 5,634 -2.7%
69 Centerville 5,433 5,593 -2.9%
70 Algona 5,415 5,569 -2.8%
71 Clarinda 5,371 5,566 -3.5%
72 Glenwood 5,325 5,354 -0.5%
73 Red Oak 5,323 5,814 -8.4%
74 Winterset 5,309 5,138 3.3%
75 Sheldon 5,178 5,046 2.6%
76 Osceola 5,160 4,878 5.8%
77 Spirit Lake 5,130 4,749 8.0%
78 Vinton 5,075 5,262 -3.6%
79 Iowa Falls 5,067 5,195 -2.5%
80 Manchester 5,011 5,187 -3.4%
81 Adel 4,924 3,640 35.3%
82 Sergeant Bluff 4,901 4,031 21.6%
83 Windsor Heights 4,889 4,835 1.1%
84 Cherokee 4,883 5,205 -6.2%
85 Shenandoah 4,859 5,222 -7.0%
86 Harlan 4,813 5,140 -6.4%
87 Polk City 4,797 3,231 48.5%
88 Evansdale 4,767 4,666 2.2%
89 Humboldt 4,568 4,648 -1.7%
90 Mount Vernon 4,487 4,375 2.6%
91 Camanche 4,342 4,403 -1.4%
92 Hampton 4,212 4,420 -4.7%
93 Carlisle 4,181 3,775 10.8%
94 Dyersville 4,131 4,070 1.5%
95 Chariton 4,127 4,429 -6.8%
96 Jefferson 4,121 4,360 -5.5%
97 Forest City 4,117 4,160 -1.0%
98 Le Claire 3,969 3,561 11.5%
99 Huxley 3,912 3,132 24.9%
100 Rock Valley 3,858 3,274 17.8%
101 Monticello 3,843 3,785 1.5%
102 Carter Lake 3,799 3,676 3.3%
103 Tiffin 3,779 1,986 90.3%
104 Cresco 3,751 3,867 -3.0%
105 West Liberty 3,750 3,659 2.5%
106 Albia 3,732 3,746 -0.4%
107 Emmetsburg 3,706 3,898 -4.9%
108 Waukon 3,663 3,931 -6.8%
109 Osage 3,549 3,597 -1.3%
110 Robins 3,510 2,906 20.8%
111 Park View 3,444 2,428 41.8%
112 New Hampton 3,413 3,585 -4.8%
113 Eagle Grove 3,410 3,601 -5.3%
114 Story City 3,362 3,393 -0.9%
115 Tipton 3,192 3,209 -0.5%
116 Williamsburg 3,152 3,015 4.5%
117 Garner 3,060 3,102 -1.4%
118 Hawarden 3,057 2,536 20.5%
119 Milford 3,015 2,844 6.0%
120 West Burlington 2,909 2,977 -2.3%
121 Wilton 2,845 2,801 1.6%
122 Onawa 2,788 3,005 -7.2%
123 Fairfax 2,770 1,641 68.8%
124 Tama 2,757 2,870 -3.9%
125 Saylorville 2,743 3,105 -11.7%
126 Clarion 2,726 2,861 -4.7%
127 Jesup 2,725 2,592 5.1%
128 Solon 2,690 1,924 39.8%
129 Bloomfield 2,681 2,630 1.9%
130 Grundy Center 2,671 2,673 -0.1%
131 West Union 2,630 2,614 0.6%
132 Eldora 2,620 2,774 -5.6%
133 Missouri Valley 2,610 2,886 -9.6%
134 Sibley 2,599 2,804 -7.3%
135 Madrid 2,570 2,505 2.6%
136 La Porte City 2,556 2,637 -3.1%
137 Rock Rapids 2,555 2,537 0.7%
138 Center Point 2,548 2,428 4.9%
139 Postville 2,528 1,996 26.7%
140 Kalona 2,528 2,449 3.2%
141 New London 2,433 1,760 38.2%
142 Belmond 2,419 2,287 5.8%
143 Belle Plaine 2,419 2,607 -7.2%
144 Hudson 2,409 2,334 3.2%
145 Marengo 2,407 2,546 -5.5%
146 Mitchellville 2,382 2,529 -5.8%
147 West Branch 2,357 2,468 -4.5%
148 Lamoni 2,339 2,501 -6.5%
149 Columbus Junction 2,260 2,024 11.7%
150 Ely 2,224 1,624 36.9%
151 Sumner 2,224 2,031 9.5%
152 Toledo 2,185 2,595 -15.8%
153 Northwood 2,182 1,962 11.2%
154 Rockwell City 2,166 2,357 -8.1%
155 Pleasantville 2,147 1,605 33.8%
156 Lisbon 2,138 1,885 13.4%
157 Mediapolis 2,118 1,812 16.9%
158 Lake Mills 2,108 2,162 -2.5%
159 Cascade 2,104 2,272 -7.4%
160 Bellevue 2,082 2,289 -9.0%
161 Atkins 2,069 1,719 20.4%
162 Blue Grass 2,058 1,382 48.9%
163 Audubon 2,054 2,177 -5.6%
164 Mount Ayr 1,988 1,659 19.8%
165 Hull 1,987 1,955 1.6%
166 Alta 1,978 1,917 3.2%
167 Peosta 1,964 1,511 30.0%
168 Ida Grove 1,929 2,158 -10.6%
169 Sigourney 1,909 2,101 -9.1%
170 Wapello 1,898 2,343 -19.0%
171 Granger 1,890 1,035 82.6%
172 Colfax 1,886 2,743 -31.2%
173 Leon 1,883 2,105 -10.5%
174 Durant 1,878 1,907 -1.5%
175 Sac City 1,864 2,294 -18.7%
176 Parkersburg 1,849 1,947 -5.0%
177 State Center 1,839 1,436 28.1%
178 Prairie City 1,827 1,311 39.4%
179 Monroe 1,810 1,868 -3.1%
180 Remsen 1,802 2,018 -10.7%
181 Walcott 1,802 1,570 14.8%
182 Epworth 1,792 1,809 -0.9%
183 Ackley 1,788 1,550 15.4%
184 Ogden 1,767 2,410 -26.7%
185 Britt 1,761 2,110 -16.5%
186 Manson 1,760 1,648 6.8%
187 Denver 1,759 1,827 -3.7%
188 Lake City 1,751 1,682 4.1%
189 Greenfield 1,736 1,973 -12.0%
190 Farley 1,733 1,508 14.9%
191 Moville 1,720 1,743 -1.3%
192 Dallas Center 1,710 2,085 -18.0%
193 Reinbeck 1,690 1,963 -13.9%
194 Guttenberg 1,689 1,784 -5.3%
195 Brooklyn 1,677 1,322 26.9%
196 Corning 1,671 1,674 -0.2%
197 Oakland 1,665 1,626 2.4%
198 Corydon 1,659 1,410 17.7%
199 Nora Springs 1,648 1,557 5.8%
200 Shell Rock 1,646 1,335 23.3%
201 Monona 1,639 1,844 -11.1%
202 Stuart 1,623 1,649 -1.6%
203 Hartley 1,583 1,796 -11.9%
204 Guthrie Center 1,558 1,562 -0.3%
205 Manning 1,550 1,713 -9.5%
206 Logan 1,544 1,571 -1.7%
207 Alton 1,534 1,077 42.4%
208 Panora 1,501 1,228 22.2%
209 Bedford 1,493 1,651 -9.6%
210 Traer 1,493 1,681 -11.2%
211 Montezuma 1,490 1,617 -7.9%
212 Manly 1,480 1,181 25.3%
213 Akron 1,478 1,512 -2.2%
214 Slater 1,463 1,583 -7.6%
215 Urbana 1,462 1,409 3.8%
216 Kingsley 1,459 1,317 10.8%
217 Nashua 1,448 1,646 -12.0%
218 Lenox 1,446 1,315 10.0%
219 Wellman 1,428 1,484 -3.8%
220 Pocahontas 1,420 1,698 -16.4%
221 Dysart 1,416 1,520 -6.8%
222 Strawberry Point 1,411 1,246 13.2%
223 Fairbank 1,406 1,236 13.8%
224 Woodbine 1,391 1,603 -13.2%
225 Lone Tree 1,390 1,333 4.3%
226 Van Meter 1,386 1,199 15.6%
227 Earlham 1,382 1,845 -25.1%
228 Roland 1,374 1,349 1.9%
229 Holstein 1,370 1,474 -7.1%
230 Avoca 1,368 1,555 -12.0%
231 Elkader 1,362 1,281 6.3%
232 Sanborn 1,359 1,302 4.4%
233 Jewell Junction 1,346 1,006 33.8%
234 Clarksville 1,345 1,558 -13.7%
235 Tripoli 1,337 1,301 2.8%
236 University Heights 1,332 1,111 19.9%
237 Walford 1,326 1,519 -12.7%
238 Melcher-Dallas 1,313 1,276 2.9%
239 Hamburg 1,300 1,156 12.5%
240 Marcus 1,295 979 32.3%
241 Fruitland 1,270 1,349 -5.9%
242 Coon Rapids 1,244 1,181 5.3%
243 Woodward 1,235 1,165 6.0%
244 Conrad 1,224 932 31.3%
245 Dunlap 1,214 992 22.4%
246 Springville 1,212 1,042 16.3%
247 Central City 1,207 1,250 -3.4%
248 Laurens 1,196 1,402 -14.7%
249 Lake Park 1,194 1,115 7.1%
250 Dike 1,192 1,095 8.9%
251 New Sharon 1,187 1,262 -5.9%
252 Greene 1,182 1,177 0.4%
253 Griswold 1,179 975 20.9%
254 Mapleton 1,173 1,314 -10.7%
255 Villisca 1,162 1,354 -14.2%
256 Malvern 1,153 1,158 -0.4%
257 Clarence 1,151 896 28.5%
258 Wayland 1,149 903 27.2%
259 St. Ansgar 1,144 1,205 -5.1%
260 Eddyville 1,142 898 27.2%
261 Fayette 1,141 1,481 -23.0%
262 Allison 1,134 1,009 12.4%
263 Fredericksburg 1,122 870 29.0%
264 Tabor 1,100 1,303 -15.6%
265 Newhall 1,096 722 51.8%
266 Buffalo 1,090 1,244 -12.4%
267 Gilbert 1,088 1,054 3.2%
268 Sheffield 1,062 1,277 -16.8%
269 Lawton 1,055 937 12.6%
270 Neola 1,055 810 30.2%
271 Swisher 1,054 862 22.3%
272 Janesville 1,051 942 11.6%
273 Graettinger 1,044 1,027 1.7%
274 Sloan 1,035 1,046 -1.1%
275 Winfield 1,035 1,433 -27.8%
276 Primghar 1,030 982 4.9%
277 Glidden 1,027 1,132 -9.3%
278 Winthrop 1,025 905 13.3%
279 Riverside 1,021 891 14.6%
280 Merrill 1,016 803 26.5%
281 Preston 1,013 996 1.7%
282 George 1,011 1,293 -21.8%
283 Sidney 1,007 1,008 -0.1%
284 Palo 1,003 912 10.0%

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