You’re probably never going to make enough money to live in the richest counties in Iowa.
The median household income in Dallas County, the richest county in Iowa is $102,379, significantly higher than the US median of $74,580, which means based purely on math most people never make enough to live there.
And that’s okay because it’s still fun to look at the people living in the lap of luxury.
So we used Saturday Night Science and the most recent Census to rank home prices and incomes for all 99 counties in the Hawkeye State. Let’s star gaze together.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | Summary
The 10 Richest Counties In Iowa For 2026
What is the richest county in Iowa? The richest county in Iowa is Dallas County. In contrast, the poorest county in state is Appanoose County, according to the Census data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Iowa. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Iowa and the cheapest places to live in Iowa.
The Richest Counties In Iowa For 2026
1. Dallas County
Biggest Place: West Des Moines
Population: 107,968
Median Income: $102,379 (highest)
Median Home Price: $349,910 (2nd highest)
More on Dallas County: Data
2. Madison County
Biggest Place: West Des Moines
Population: 16,926
Median Income: $90,855 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $333,980 (3rd highest)
More on Madison County: Data
3. Warren County
Biggest Place: Des Moines
Population: 54,409
Median Income: $94,588 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $320,410 (4th highest)
More on Warren County: Data
4. Mills County
Biggest Place: Glenwood
Population: 14,568
Median Income: $90,753 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $277,124 (10th highest)
More on Mills County: Data
5. Sioux County
Biggest Place: Sioux Center
Population: 36,212
Median Income: $86,098 (8th highest)
Median Home Price: $303,972 (7th highest)
More on Sioux County: Data
6. Benton County
Biggest Place: Vinton
Population: 25,724
Median Income: $86,962 (6th highest)
Median Home Price: $276,829 (11th highest)
More on Benton County: Data
7. Polk County
Biggest Place: Des Moines
Population: 503,175
Median Income: $83,576 (9th highest)
Median Home Price: $278,560 (9th highest)
More on Polk County: Data
8. Winneshiek County
Biggest Place: Decorah
Population: 19,873
Median Income: $79,066 (14th highest)
Median Home Price: $313,931 (5th highest)
More on Winneshiek County: Data
9. Plymouth County
Biggest Place: Sioux City
Population: 25,747
Median Income: $83,251 (11th highest)
Median Home Price: $286,326 (8th highest)
More on Plymouth County: Data
10. Bremer County
Biggest Place: Waverly
Population: 25,204
Median Income: $86,784 (7th highest)
Median Home Price: $252,839 (18th highest)
More on Bremer County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Iowa county is the richest?
To determine the richest county in Iowa, we have to look at a handful of metrics that correlate with how rich people are. To do that, we made assumptions about what makes a county rich. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to the American Community Survey data and Zillow for the most recent reporting period for data on the following:
- Average Home Price
- Median Income
We then ranked each county in Iowa for each of the criteria from one to 99, with one being the richest.
Taking the average rank across the two criteria, we created a Rich Score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Richest County In Iowa.”
The result is some of the places with the most expensive real estate and highest earners in the Hawkeye State.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our first time ranking the richest counties to live in Iowa. We have also ranked the richest states and richest cities in the United States.
Summary: The Richest Counties In Iowa For 2026
Living in Iowa can vary from one part of the state to the next, with pretty extreme variance in home prices and incomes across counties.
The richest counties in Iowa are Dallas County, Madison County, Warren County, Mills County, Sioux County, Benton County, Polk County, Winneshiek County, Plymouth County, and Bremer County.
Now you know the parts of the state where Goodwill will have the best goodies, and that’s what you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the poorest counties in Iowa according to the data:
- Appanoose County
- Pocahontas County
- Page County
For more Iowa reading, check out:
- Cheapest Places To Live In Iowa
- Best Places To Live In Iowa
- Richest Cities In Iowa
- Safest Places In Iowa
Detailed List Of The Richest Counties In Iowa
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas County | 107,968 | $102,379 | $349,910 |
| 2 | Madison County | 16,926 | $90,855 | $333,980 |
| 3 | Warren County | 54,409 | $94,588 | $320,410 |
| 4 | Mills County | 14,568 | $90,753 | $277,124 |
| 5 | Sioux County | 36,212 | $86,098 | $303,972 |
| 6 | Benton County | 25,724 | $86,962 | $276,829 |
| 7 | Polk County | 503,175 | $83,576 | $278,560 |
| 8 | Winneshiek County | 19,873 | $79,066 | $313,931 |
| 9 | Plymouth County | 25,747 | $83,251 | $286,326 |
| 10 | Bremer County | 25,204 | $86,784 | $252,839 |
| 11 | Dickinson County | 17,990 | $75,432 | $375,031 |
| 12 | Marion County | 33,642 | $78,680 | $266,823 |
| 13 | Cedar County | 18,349 | $80,602 | $247,380 |
| 14 | Guthrie County | 10,688 | $77,711 | $270,628 |
| 15 | Dubuque County | 99,030 | $77,630 | $272,845 |
| 16 | Johnson County | 156,639 | $74,935 | $305,263 |
| 17 | Boone County | 26,668 | $83,531 | $230,323 |
| 18 | Scott County | 174,608 | $78,277 | $241,812 |
| 19 | Grundy County | 12,384 | $87,205 | $214,672 |
| 20 | Lyon County | 12,162 | $76,746 | $259,057 |
| 21 | Linn County | 230,004 | $77,649 | $232,276 |
| 22 | Harrison County | 14,632 | $79,535 | $218,652 |
| 23 | Buchanan County | 20,694 | $78,236 | $220,036 |
| 24 | Davis County | 9,157 | $77,194 | $229,108 |
| 25 | Delaware County | 17,558 | $74,989 | $231,869 |
| 26 | Washington County | 22,561 | $75,647 | $226,573 |
| 27 | Jackson County | 19,390 | $74,186 | $230,726 |
| 28 | Pottawattamie County | 93,424 | $73,602 | $236,649 |
| 29 | Jones County | 20,896 | $73,531 | $236,011 |
| 30 | Chickasaw County | 11,807 | $75,675 | $212,356 |
| 31 | Worth County | 7,350 | $78,008 | $187,843 |
| 32 | Story County | 100,466 | $69,685 | $273,205 |
| 33 | Woodbury County | 106,247 | $73,658 | $203,074 |
| 34 | Allamakee County | 14,092 | $70,694 | $248,586 |
| 35 | Jasper County | 37,954 | $71,311 | $226,754 |
| 36 | Shelby County | 11,778 | $72,738 | $211,831 |
| 37 | Carroll County | 20,594 | $72,930 | $202,644 |
| 38 | Iowa County | 16,507 | $71,223 | $224,937 |
| 39 | Mitchell County | 10,575 | $71,365 | $206,630 |
| 40 | Butler County | 14,268 | $73,715 | $184,889 |
| 41 | Marshall County | 40,114 | $73,315 | $189,667 |
| 42 | Clayton County | 17,013 | $67,242 | $265,997 |
| 43 | Louisa County | 10,678 | $77,354 | $170,178 |
| 44 | Clarke County | 9,662 | $71,641 | $192,362 |
| 45 | Buena Vista County | 20,753 | $71,719 | $186,339 |
| 46 | Mahaska County | 22,021 | $70,940 | $194,979 |
| 47 | Ringgold County | 4,645 | $73,346 | $172,344 |
| 48 | Muscatine County | 42,559 | $69,396 | $195,873 |
| 49 | Sac County | 9,689 | $73,838 | $164,686 |
| 50 | Fremont County | 6,514 | $71,621 | $180,884 |
| 51 | Cerro Gordo County | 42,632 | $68,189 | $196,087 |
| 52 | Poweshiek County | 18,545 | $67,391 | $215,587 |
| 53 | Palo Alto County | 8,863 | $72,781 | $169,655 |
| 54 | O’brien County | 14,126 | $68,356 | $192,727 |
| 55 | Adair County | 7,460 | $68,092 | $190,466 |
| 56 | Howard County | 9,445 | $67,446 | $194,689 |
| 57 | Hamilton County | 14,886 | $72,432 | $163,453 |
| 58 | Hancock County | 10,671 | $70,601 | $180,647 |
| 59 | Humboldt County | 9,591 | $71,946 | $159,105 |
| 60 | Tama County | 16,868 | $70,781 | $171,357 |
| 61 | Monroe County | 7,513 | $70,996 | $168,654 |
| 62 | Adams County | 3,622 | $71,875 | $156,660 |
| 63 | Osceola County | 6,100 | $69,239 | $171,599 |
| 64 | Henry County | 20,004 | $67,436 | $186,274 |
| 65 | Cherokee County | 11,600 | $71,269 | $157,503 |
| 66 | Clay County | 16,461 | $65,428 | $189,271 |
| 67 | Black Hawk County | 131,049 | $66,417 | $182,638 |
| 68 | Crawford County | 16,277 | $67,027 | $176,452 |
| 69 | Clinton County | 46,268 | $66,981 | $173,140 |
| 70 | Kossuth County | 14,516 | $67,697 | $167,979 |
| 71 | Floyd County | 15,328 | $68,557 | $156,964 |
| 72 | Monona County | 8,557 | $68,377 | $156,607 |
| 73 | Jefferson County | 15,705 | $61,620 | $182,079 |
| 74 | Greene County | 8,688 | $63,409 | $170,550 |
| 75 | Van Buren County | 7,241 | $61,161 | $181,866 |
| 76 | Lucas County | 8,716 | $61,793 | $176,554 |
| 77 | Winnebago County | 10,583 | $67,642 | $150,841 |
| 78 | Webster County | 36,886 | $68,975 | $137,618 |
| 79 | Cass County | 13,096 | $63,013 | $160,246 |
| 80 | Taylor County | 5,868 | $67,740 | $135,815 |
| 81 | Emmet County | 9,262 | $63,730 | $151,541 |
| 82 | Calhoun County | 9,803 | $64,964 | $149,518 |
| 83 | Wright County | 12,791 | $67,190 | $136,478 |
| 84 | Ida County | 6,911 | $63,073 | $151,974 |
| 85 | Hardin County | 16,639 | $65,069 | $141,285 |
| 86 | Montgomery County | 10,214 | $63,666 | $142,130 |
| 87 | Des Moines County | 38,487 | $62,928 | $145,500 |
| 88 | Union County | 11,993 | $57,772 | $157,376 |
| 89 | Franklin County | 9,956 | $59,894 | $155,095 |
| 90 | Fayette County | 19,288 | $60,165 | $152,871 |
| 91 | Wapello County | 35,362 | $64,766 | $127,723 |
| 92 | Audubon County | 5,599 | $58,229 | $155,862 |
| 93 | Decatur County | 7,759 | $59,044 | $154,885 |
| 94 | Keokuk County | 9,924 | $62,329 | $144,715 |
| 95 | Wayne County | 6,532 | $61,964 | $140,436 |
| 96 | Lee County | 32,893 | $62,382 | $120,739 |
| 97 | Page County | 15,131 | $57,953 | $147,054 |
| 98 | Pocahontas County | 7,046 | $61,875 | $103,730 |
| 99 | Appanoose County | 12,184 | $54,934 | $111,976 |