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 283 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.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table

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: 213,545
Population 2010: 202,095
Growth: 5.7%
More on Des Moines: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Cedar Rapids, IA
Source: Wikipedia User Davumaya | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility
8
/10

Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Population: 136,512
Population 2010: 125,450
Growth: 8.8%
More on Cedar Rapids: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Davenport, IA
Source: Wikipedia User Ctjf83 | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility
6
/10

Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Population: 101,725
Population 2010: 98,325
Growth: 3.5%
More on Davenport: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

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

Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population: 85,081
Population 2010: 82,106
Growth: 3.6%
More on Sioux City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Iowa City, IA
Source: Wikipedia User Billwhittaker (talk) | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility
8
/10

Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Population: 74,240
Population 2010: 66,758
Growth: 11.2%
More on Iowa City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Waterloo, IA
Source: Wikipedia User FlickreviewR 2 | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility
5
/10

Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Population: 67,695
Population 2010: 67,893
Growth: -0.3%
More on Waterloo: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

West Des Moines, IA
Source: Wikipedia User Iowahwyman | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility
9
/10

Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Population: 67,640
Population 2010: 54,731
Growth: 23.6%
More on West Des Moines: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Ankeny, IA
Source: Wikipedia User Ashton B Crew | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility
9
/10

Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 1)
Population: 66,346
Population 2010: 42,211
Growth: 57.2%
More on Ankeny: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

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

Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Population: 65,522
Population 2010: 57,343
Growth: 14.3%
More on Ames: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Council Bluffs, IA
Source: Wikipedia User Jared Winkler | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility
5
/10

Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Population: 62,617
Population 2010: 61,340
Growth: 2.1%
More on Council Bluffs: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

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 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? Merrill, 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 213,545 202,095 5.7%
2 Cedar Rapids 136,512 125,450 8.8%
3 Davenport 101,725 98,325 3.5%
4 Sioux City 85,081 82,106 3.6%
5 Iowa City 74,240 66,758 11.2%
6 Waterloo 67,695 67,893 -0.3%
7 West Des Moines 67,640 54,731 23.6%
8 Ankeny 66,346 42,211 57.2%
9 Ames 65,522 57,343 14.3%
10 Council Bluffs 62,617 61,340 2.1%
11 Dubuque 59,379 57,504 3.3%
12 Urbandale 45,037 37,503 20.1%
13 Marion 41,023 33,293 23.2%
14 Cedar Falls 40,500 38,178 6.1%
15 Bettendorf 38,631 32,490 18.9%
16 Marshalltown 27,570 27,096 1.7%
17 Mason City 27,385 28,125 -2.6%
18 Ottumwa 25,379 24,889 2.0%
19 Fort Dodge 24,826 25,323 -2.0%
20 Clinton 24,651 27,016 -8.8%
21 Burlington 24,160 25,604 -5.6%
22 Muscatine 23,759 22,819 4.1%
23 Waukee 23,441 12,305 90.5%
24 Johnston 23,418 15,723 48.9%
25 Coralville 22,226 18,186 22.2%
26 North Liberty 19,976 11,889 68.0%
27 Altoona 19,345 13,757 40.6%
28 Clive 18,323 14,950 22.6%
29 Newton 15,688 15,371 2.1%
30 Indianola 15,544 14,546 6.9%
31 Grimes 14,842 7,653 93.9%
32 Norwalk 12,592 8,622 46.0%
33 Boone 12,509 12,764 -2.0%
34 Oskaloosa 11,552 11,393 1.4%
35 Spencer 11,292 11,193 0.9%
36 Storm Lake 11,166 10,357 7.8%
37 Le Mars 10,462 9,719 7.6%
38 Pella 10,414 10,359 0.5%
39 Fort Madison 10,340 11,096 -6.8%
40 Waverly 10,278 9,754 5.4%
41 Carroll 10,261 10,047 2.1%
42 Pleasant Hill 10,203 8,100 26.0%
43 Keokuk 9,977 10,802 -7.6%
44 Fairfield 9,653 9,451 2.1%
45 Grinnell 9,481 9,265 2.3%
46 Mount Pleasant 8,996 8,743 2.9%
47 Denison 8,323 8,077 3.0%
48 Sioux Center 8,090 6,916 17.0%
49 Perry 7,836 7,706 1.7%
50 Webster City 7,825 8,125 -3.7%
51 Decorah 7,767 8,115 -4.3%
52 Clear Lake 7,673 7,799 -1.6%
53 Creston 7,594 7,738 -1.9%
54 Knoxville 7,537 7,459 1.0%
55 Charles City 7,399 7,667 -3.5%
56 Washington 7,314 7,261 0.7%
57 Hiawatha 7,184 6,932 3.6%
58 Bondurant 7,163 3,486 105.5%
59 Nevada 7,017 6,753 3.9%
60 Atlantic 6,795 7,078 -4.0%
61 Eldridge 6,634 5,319 24.7%
62 Orange City 6,214 5,967 4.1%
63 Maquoketa 6,123 6,135 -0.2%
64 Independence 6,088 5,987 1.7%
65 Oelwein 5,961 6,433 -7.3%
66 Estherville 5,904 6,388 -7.6%
67 Adel 5,867 3,640 61.2%
68 Asbury 5,795 3,852 50.4%
69 Red Oak 5,576 5,814 -4.1%
70 Clarinda 5,498 5,566 -1.2%
71 Sheldon 5,475 5,046 8.5%
72 Osceola 5,412 4,878 10.9%
73 Algona 5,407 5,569 -2.9%
74 Polk City 5,386 3,231 66.7%
75 Centerville 5,353 5,593 -4.3%
76 Anamosa 5,332 5,634 -5.4%
77 Winterset 5,309 5,138 3.3%
78 Spirit Lake 5,301 4,749 11.6%
79 Glenwood 5,224 5,354 -2.4%
80 Windsor Heights 5,208 4,835 7.7%
81 Iowa Falls 5,154 5,195 -0.8%
82 Cherokee 5,141 5,205 -1.2%
83 Manchester 5,077 5,187 -2.1%
84 Vinton 4,951 5,262 -5.9%
85 Sergeant Bluff 4,917 4,031 22.0%
86 Harlan 4,912 5,140 -4.4%
87 Shenandoah 4,874 5,222 -6.7%
88 Humboldt 4,744 4,648 2.1%
89 Le Claire 4,614 3,561 29.6%
90 Evansdale 4,599 4,666 -1.4%
91 Camanche 4,545 4,403 3.2%
92 Mount Vernon 4,498 4,375 2.8%
93 Tiffin 4,482 1,986 125.7%
94 Hampton 4,327 4,420 -2.1%
95 Huxley 4,293 3,132 37.1%
96 Forest City 4,284 4,160 3.0%
97 Dyersville 4,276 4,070 5.1%
98 Chariton 4,193 4,429 -5.3%
99 Jefferson 4,178 4,360 -4.2%
100 Carlisle 4,063 3,775 7.6%
101 Rock Valley 4,018 3,274 22.7%
102 Monticello 3,994 3,785 5.5%
103 Cresco 3,872 3,867 0.1%
104 West Liberty 3,847 3,659 5.1%
105 Waukon 3,815 3,931 -3.0%
106 Carter Lake 3,796 3,676 3.3%
107 Albia 3,692 3,746 -1.4%
108 Emmetsburg 3,670 3,898 -5.8%
109 Eagle Grove 3,597 3,601 -0.1%
110 Osage 3,581 3,597 -0.4%
111 New Hampton 3,452 3,585 -3.7%
112 Story City 3,400 3,393 0.2%
113 Robins 3,344 2,906 15.1%
114 Williamsburg 3,322 3,015 10.2%
115 Milford 3,256 2,844 14.5%
116 West Burlington 3,190 2,977 7.2%
117 Tipton 3,143 3,209 -2.1%
118 Tama 3,072 2,870 7.0%
119 Garner 3,068 3,102 -1.1%
120 Solon 2,959 1,924 53.8%
121 Saylorville 2,916 3,105 -6.1%
122 Wilton 2,916 2,801 4.1%
123 Onawa 2,894 3,005 -3.7%
124 Park View 2,870 2,428 18.2%
125 Clarion 2,826 2,861 -1.2%
126 Sibley 2,817 2,804 0.5%
127 Fairfax 2,794 1,641 70.3%
128 Grundy Center 2,783 2,673 4.1%
129 Madrid 2,782 2,505 11.1%
130 Marengo 2,714 2,546 6.6%
131 Postville 2,711 1,996 35.8%
132 Missouri Valley 2,683 2,886 -7.0%
133 Hawarden 2,675 2,536 5.5%
134 Eldora 2,673 2,774 -3.6%
135 Bloomfield 2,665 2,630 1.3%
136 Kalona 2,631 2,449 7.4%
137 Rock Rapids 2,604 2,537 2.6%
138 Mitchellville 2,589 2,529 2.4%
139 West Union 2,585 2,614 -1.1%
140 Center Point 2,582 2,428 6.3%
141 Hudson 2,541 2,334 8.9%
142 New London 2,535 1,760 44.0%
143 Jesup 2,535 2,592 -2.2%
144 Belmond 2,463 2,287 7.7%
145 Belle Plaine 2,419 2,607 -7.2%
146 Rockwell City 2,362 2,357 0.2%
147 La Porte City 2,349 2,637 -10.9%
148 Bellevue 2,345 2,289 2.4%
149 West Branch 2,289 2,468 -7.3%
150 Lamoni 2,285 2,501 -8.6%
151 Hull 2,248 1,955 15.0%
152 Atkins 2,241 1,719 30.4%
153 Ely 2,163 1,624 33.2%
154 Peosta 2,161 1,511 43.0%
155 Northwood 2,158 1,962 10.0%
156 Sumner 2,149 2,031 5.8%
157 Alta 2,144 1,917 11.8%
158 Columbus Junction 2,132 2,024 5.3%
159 Cascade 2,110 2,272 -7.1%
160 Lake Mills 2,101 2,162 -2.8%
161 Mediapolis 2,095 1,812 15.6%
162 Toledo 2,088 2,595 -19.5%
163 Audubon 2,065 2,177 -5.1%
164 Ida Grove 2,062 2,158 -4.4%
165 Granger 1,973 1,035 90.6%
166 Colfax 1,957 2,743 -28.7%
167 Lisbon 1,924 1,885 2.1%
168 Britt 1,922 2,110 -8.9%
169 Wapello 1,914 2,343 -18.3%
170 Sac City 1,895 2,294 -17.4%
171 Pleasantville 1,888 1,605 17.6%
172 Walcott 1,879 1,570 19.7%
173 Ogden 1,875 2,410 -22.2%
174 Denver 1,873 1,827 2.5%
175 Blue Grass 1,864 1,382 34.9%
176 Remsen 1,857 2,018 -8.0%
177 Mount Ayr 1,832 1,659 10.4%
178 Durant 1,829 1,907 -4.1%
179 Prairie City 1,824 1,311 39.1%
180 Monroe 1,822 1,868 -2.5%
181 Sigourney 1,805 2,101 -14.1%
182 Epworth 1,804 1,809 -0.3%
183 Parkersburg 1,765 1,947 -9.3%
184 Oakland 1,761 1,626 8.3%
185 Reinbeck 1,752 1,963 -10.7%
186 Corydon 1,749 1,410 24.0%
187 Dallas Center 1,741 2,085 -16.5%
188 Lake City 1,738 1,682 3.3%
189 Leon 1,716 2,105 -18.5%
190 Moville 1,712 1,743 -1.8%
191 Manson 1,707 1,648 3.6%
192 Ackley 1,706 1,550 10.1%
193 Farley 1,690 1,508 12.1%
194 Greenfield 1,671 1,973 -15.3%
195 Brooklyn 1,662 1,322 25.7%
196 Stuart 1,633 1,649 -1.0%
197 State Center 1,631 1,436 13.6%
198 Shell Rock 1,616 1,335 21.0%
199 Corning 1,607 1,674 -4.0%
200 Guttenberg 1,578 1,784 -11.5%
201 Dysart 1,578 1,520 3.8%
202 Nora Springs 1,568 1,557 0.7%
203 Guthrie Center 1,556 1,562 -0.4%
204 Hartley 1,553 1,796 -13.5%
205 Monona 1,548 1,844 -16.1%
206 Slater 1,540 1,583 -2.7%
207 Panora 1,537 1,228 25.2%
208 Fairbank 1,534 1,236 24.1%
209 Logan 1,532 1,571 -2.5%
210 Van Meter 1,528 1,199 27.4%
211 Akron 1,527 1,512 1.0%
212 Manning 1,510 1,713 -11.9%
213 Nashua 1,505 1,646 -8.6%
214 Walford 1,498 1,519 -1.4%
215 Holstein 1,495 1,474 1.4%
216 Lenox 1,483 1,315 12.8%
217 Strawberry Point 1,479 1,246 18.7%
218 Wellman 1,474 1,484 -0.7%
219 Urbana 1,470 1,409 4.3%
220 Pocahontas 1,465 1,698 -13.7%
221 Kingsley 1,433 1,317 8.8%
222 Traer 1,424 1,681 -15.3%
223 Woodbine 1,409 1,603 -12.1%
224 Roland 1,386 1,349 2.7%
225 University Heights 1,381 1,111 24.3%
226 Alton 1,380 1,077 28.1%
227 Manly 1,377 1,181 16.6%
228 Clarksville 1,366 1,558 -12.3%
229 Sanborn 1,364 1,302 4.8%
230 Bedford 1,360 1,651 -17.6%
231 Earlham 1,343 1,845 -27.2%
232 Montezuma 1,337 1,617 -17.3%
233 Jewell Junction 1,335 1,006 32.7%
234 Tripoli 1,304 1,301 0.2%
235 Laurens 1,301 1,402 -7.2%
236 Elkader 1,270 1,281 -0.9%
237 Springville 1,265 1,042 21.4%
238 Coon Rapids 1,263 1,181 6.9%
239 Avoca 1,263 1,555 -18.8%
240 Fruitland 1,232 1,349 -8.7%
241 Hamburg 1,217 1,156 5.3%
242 Melcher-Dallas 1,213 1,276 -4.9%
243 Lake Park 1,206 1,115 8.2%
244 Central City 1,197 1,250 -4.2%
245 Dike 1,195 1,095 9.1%
246 Wayland 1,187 903 31.5%
247 Dunlap 1,179 992 18.9%
248 New Sharon 1,159 1,262 -8.2%
249 Sloan 1,159 1,046 10.8%
250 Woodward 1,156 1,165 -0.8%
251 Greene 1,154 1,177 -2.0%
252 Villisca 1,153 1,354 -14.8%
253 Newhall 1,150 722 59.3%
254 Fayette 1,139 1,481 -23.1%
255 Malvern 1,129 1,158 -2.5%
256 St. Ansgar 1,124 1,205 -6.7%
257 Allison 1,120 1,009 11.0%
258 Swisher 1,118 862 29.7%
259 Conrad 1,110 932 19.1%
260 Marcus 1,106 979 13.0%
261 George 1,105 1,293 -14.5%
262 Eddyville 1,101 898 22.6%
263 Lone Tree 1,094 1,333 -17.9%
264 Preston 1,086 996 9.0%
265 Gilbert 1,082 1,054 2.7%
266 Griswold 1,081 975 10.9%
267 Buffalo Center 1,080 1,002 7.8%
268 Palo 1,080 912 18.4%
269 Clarence 1,071 896 19.5%
270 Riverside 1,067 891 19.8%
271 Fredericksburg 1,064 870 22.3%
272 Janesville 1,059 942 12.4%
273 Sheffield 1,047 1,277 -18.0%
274 Mapleton 1,039 1,314 -20.9%
275 De Soto 1,037 929 11.6%
276 Winthrop 1,036 905 14.5%
277 Danville 1,027 949 8.2%
278 Winfield 1,024 1,433 -28.5%
279 Lawton 1,015 937 8.3%
280 Long Grove 1,012 948 6.8%
281 Schleswig 1,008 842 19.7%
282 Underwood 1,003 893 12.3%
283 Merrill 1,001 803 24.7%

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