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:
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Population: 215,408
Population 2010: 202,095
Growth: 6.6%
More on Des Moines: Crime Report | Homes For Sale | Data
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Population: 133,125
Population 2010: 125,450
Growth: 6.1%
More on Cedar Rapids: Crime Report | Homes For Sale | Data
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Population: 102,199
Population 2010: 98,325
Growth: 3.9%
More on Davenport: Crime Report | Homes For Sale | Data
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population: 82,535
Population 2010: 82,106
Growth: 0.5%
More on Sioux City: Crime Report | Homes For Sale | Data
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Population: 75,849
Population 2010: 66,758
Growth: 13.6%
More on Iowa City: Crime Report | Homes For Sale | Data
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Population: 67,671
Population 2010: 67,893
Growth: -0.3%
More on Waterloo: Crime Report | Homes For Sale | Data
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
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Population: 66,361
Population 2010: 57,343
Growth: 15.7%
More on Ames: Crime Report | Homes For Sale | Data
Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 2)
Population: 64,744
Population 2010: 42,211
Growth: 53.4%
More on Ankeny: Crime Report | Homes For Sale | Data
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 2)
Population: 62,376
Population 2010: 61,340
Growth: 1.7%
More on Council Bluffs: Crime Report | Homes For Sale | Data
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.
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:
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% | |||||
HomeSnacks is based in Durham, NC.
We aim to deliver bite-sized pieces of infotainment about where you live.
We use data, analytics, and a sense of humor to determine quality of life for places across the nation.