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 $102,349, 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 2025
- Dallas County
- Warren County
- Madison County
- Mills County
- Polk County
- Sioux County
- Plymouth County
- Bremer County
- Benton County
- Johnson County
What is the richest county in Iowa? The richest county in Iowa is Dallas County. In contrast, the poorest county in state is Decatur 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 2025
1. Dallas County
Biggest Place: West Des Moines
Population: 104,136
Median Income: $102,349 (highest)
Median Home Price: $333,400 (highest)
More on Dallas County:
2. Warren County
Biggest Place: Des Moines
Population: 53,484
Median Income: $92,990 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $252,800 (3rd highest)
More on Warren County:
3. Madison County
Biggest Place: West Des Moines
Population: 16,760
Median Income: $89,542 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $236,900 (8th highest)
More on Madison County:
4. Mills County
Biggest Place: Glenwood
Population: 14,563
Median Income: $87,810 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $228,700 (10th highest)
More on Mills County:
5. Polk County
Biggest Place: Des Moines
Population: 497,441
Median Income: $81,621 (9th highest)
Median Home Price: $248,400 (5th highest)
More on Polk County:
6. Sioux County
Biggest Place: Sioux Center
Population: 35,984
Median Income: $84,736 (6th highest)
Median Home Price: $235,600 (9th highest)
More on Sioux County:
7. Plymouth County
Biggest Place: Sioux City
Population: 25,699
Median Income: $81,600 (10th highest)
Median Home Price: $218,600 (12th highest)
More on Plymouth County:
8. Bremer County
Biggest Place: Waverly
Population: 25,118
Median Income: $83,343 (8th highest)
Median Home Price: $207,200 (16th highest)
More on Bremer County:
9. Benton County
Biggest Place: Vinton
Population: 25,698
Median Income: $84,742 (5th highest)
Median Home Price: $198,400 (20th highest)
More on Benton County:
10. Johnson County
Biggest Place: Iowa City
Population: 154,881
Median Income: $74,721 (25th highest)
Median Home Price: $293,100 (2nd highest)
More on Johnson County:
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 2025. 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 2025
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, Warren County, Madison County, Mills County, Polk County, Sioux County, Plymouth County, Bremer County, Benton County, and Johnson 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:
- Decatur County
- Wayne County
- Audubon County
For more Iowa reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Iowa
- Best Counties To Live In Iowa
- Safest Places In Iowa
- Cheapest Places To Live In Iowa
Detailed List Of The Richest Counties In Iowa
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas County | 104,136 | $102,349 | $333,400 |
| 2 | Warren County | 53,484 | $92,990 | $252,800 |
| 3 | Madison County | 16,760 | $89,542 | $236,900 |
| 4 | Mills County | 14,563 | $87,810 | $228,700 |
| 5 | Polk County | 497,441 | $81,621 | $248,400 |
| 6 | Sioux County | 35,984 | $84,736 | $235,600 |
| 7 | Plymouth County | 25,699 | $81,600 | $218,600 |
| 8 | Bremer County | 25,118 | $83,343 | $207,200 |
| 9 | Benton County | 25,698 | $84,742 | $198,400 |
| 10 | Johnson County | 154,881 | $74,721 | $293,100 |
| 11 | Dickinson County | 17,844 | $74,570 | $251,600 |
| 12 | Winneshiek County | 19,972 | $75,652 | $239,000 |
| 13 | Marion County | 33,551 | $78,059 | $211,100 |
| 14 | Cedar County | 18,427 | $79,080 | $199,700 |
| 15 | Boone County | 26,669 | $79,741 | $191,200 |
| 16 | Grundy County | 12,352 | $83,617 | $180,500 |
| 17 | Dubuque County | 98,948 | $75,919 | $226,100 |
| 18 | Scott County | 174,302 | $76,363 | $212,500 |
| 19 | Linn County | 229,463 | $76,421 | $204,400 |
| 20 | Lyon County | 12,087 | $72,881 | $215,600 |
| 21 | Buchanan County | 20,645 | $78,430 | $171,400 |
| 22 | Guthrie County | 10,646 | $79,981 | $163,900 |
| 23 | Story County | 98,592 | $69,006 | $243,600 |
| 24 | Jones County | 20,799 | $73,071 | $183,400 |
| 25 | Iowa County | 16,547 | $72,185 | $189,800 |
| 26 | Harrison County | 14,645 | $77,027 | $165,300 |
| 27 | Washington County | 22,539 | $71,339 | $199,600 |
| 28 | Delaware County | 17,549 | $76,205 | $168,700 |
| 29 | Pottawattamie County | 93,407 | $71,446 | $183,600 |
| 30 | Chickasaw County | 11,868 | $73,421 | $164,400 |
| 31 | Davis County | 9,127 | $79,505 | $146,000 |
| 32 | Jasper County | 37,864 | $70,128 | $176,800 |
| 33 | Jackson County | 19,429 | $71,605 | $170,000 |
| 34 | Woodbury County | 105,760 | $70,147 | $172,000 |
| 35 | Muscatine County | 42,735 | $69,512 | $172,400 |
| 36 | Louisa County | 10,710 | $80,223 | $137,600 |
| 37 | Worth County | 7,380 | $76,875 | $142,300 |
| 38 | Fremont County | 6,570 | $73,750 | $147,500 |
| 39 | Carroll County | 20,677 | $68,528 | $175,700 |
| 40 | Butler County | 14,301 | $69,651 | $156,500 |
| 41 | Mitchell County | 10,548 | $68,704 | $164,100 |
| 42 | Ringgold County | 4,664 | $69,821 | $150,300 |
| 43 | Poweshiek County | 18,582 | $64,837 | $184,200 |
| 44 | O’brien County | 14,103 | $68,216 | $158,900 |
| 45 | Allamakee County | 14,038 | $66,000 | $171,900 |
| 46 | Monroe County | 7,546 | $72,518 | $135,900 |
| 47 | Marshall County | 39,971 | $72,785 | $134,100 |
| 48 | Black Hawk County | 130,693 | $64,581 | $182,400 |
| 49 | Sac County | 9,759 | $70,991 | $138,400 |
| 50 | Shelby County | 11,757 | $67,690 | $156,200 |
| 51 | Mahaska County | 22,045 | $69,019 | $140,900 |
| 52 | Clarke County | 9,690 | $66,821 | $160,200 |
| 53 | Hamilton County | 14,893 | $71,750 | $132,300 |
| 54 | Clay County | 16,446 | $64,082 | $171,500 |
| 55 | Humboldt County | 9,573 | $66,994 | $146,900 |
| 56 | Cerro Gordo County | 42,785 | $65,537 | $154,100 |
| 57 | Tama County | 16,982 | $67,955 | $139,900 |
| 58 | Webster County | 36,848 | $68,054 | $138,500 |
| 59 | Hancock County | 10,718 | $70,212 | $129,300 |
| 60 | Buena Vista County | 20,684 | $66,564 | $146,900 |
| 61 | Clinton County | 46,383 | $65,177 | $153,800 |
| 62 | Osceola County | 6,114 | $69,138 | $123,800 |
| 63 | Adair County | 7,471 | $66,176 | $140,600 |
| 64 | Henry County | 20,228 | $64,604 | $148,600 |
| 65 | Howard County | 9,459 | $67,336 | $133,900 |
| 66 | Palo Alto County | 8,902 | $68,963 | $119,300 |
| 67 | Cherokee County | 11,587 | $64,478 | $145,100 |
| 68 | Clayton County | 17,069 | $62,326 | $155,700 |
| 69 | Kossuth County | 14,610 | $65,656 | $135,100 |
| 70 | Crawford County | 16,289 | $65,039 | $136,300 |
| 71 | Adams County | 3,641 | $68,828 | $116,900 |
| 72 | Jefferson County | 15,676 | $56,824 | $161,200 |
| 73 | Lucas County | 8,685 | $67,921 | $117,000 |
| 74 | Floyd County | 15,502 | $64,500 | $133,300 |
| 75 | Calhoun County | 9,858 | $66,875 | $114,400 |
| 76 | Greene County | 8,722 | $59,159 | $140,500 |
| 77 | Winnebago County | 10,648 | $63,719 | $132,300 |
| 78 | Des Moines County | 38,597 | $60,662 | $137,000 |
| 79 | Taylor County | 5,901 | $67,279 | $109,700 |
| 80 | Cass County | 13,115 | $61,657 | $133,300 |
| 81 | Hardin County | 16,729 | $64,906 | $113,000 |
| 82 | Monona County | 8,619 | $62,944 | $122,600 |
| 83 | Franklin County | 9,977 | $63,648 | $118,500 |
| 84 | Emmet County | 9,316 | $65,181 | $106,200 |
| 85 | Lee County | 33,175 | $59,803 | $123,600 |
| 86 | Fayette County | 19,393 | $58,764 | $130,800 |
| 87 | Van Buren County | 7,236 | $60,183 | $118,800 |
| 88 | Wright County | 12,817 | $64,033 | $109,800 |
| 89 | Page County | 15,168 | $57,752 | $120,000 |
| 90 | Montgomery County | 10,254 | $63,190 | $109,900 |
| 91 | Keokuk County | 9,964 | $60,856 | $112,200 |
| 92 | Wapello County | 35,265 | $60,034 | $112,900 |
| 93 | Pocahontas County | 7,040 | $63,423 | $93,300 |
| 94 | Ida County | 6,944 | $62,841 | $108,800 |
| 95 | Appanoose County | 12,242 | $51,146 | $119,800 |
| 96 | Union County | 12,038 | $56,813 | $117,800 |
| 97 | Audubon County | 5,622 | $54,152 | $110,400 |
| 98 | Wayne County | 6,518 | $59,118 | $102,300 |
| 99 | Decatur County | 7,669 | $57,146 | $109,500 |