Story County, IA

County

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2021 Population

98,106

0.771% 1-year growth

US Senator

Chuck Grassley

Republican Party

US Senator

Joni Ernst

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

26.9

0.373% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

19.4%

2.89% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$62,578

7.33% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$205,300

5.17% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

51,331

0.144% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, Story County, IA had a population of 98.1k people with a median age of 26.9 and a median household income of $62,578. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Story County, IA grew from 97,355 to 98,106, a 0.771% increase and its median household income grew from $58,302 to $62,578, a 7.33% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Story County, IA are White (Non-Hispanic) (82.8%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (7.58%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.28%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (2.33%), and White (Hispanic) (1.73%).

None of the households in Story County, IA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

93.6% of the residents in Story County, IA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Story County, IA are Iowa State University (8,681 degrees awarded in 2021) and PCI Academy-Ames (94 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Story County, IA was $205,300, and the homeownership rate was 55.8%.

Most people in Story County, IA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Story County, IA was 2 cars per household.

Story County, IA borders Boone County, IA, Hamilton County, IA, Hardin County, IA, Jasper County, IA, Marshall County, IA, and Polk County, IA.

United States Iowa Ames, IA

Population & Diversity

Story County, IA is home to a population of 98.1k people, from which 93.6% are citizens. As of 2021, 9.24% of Story County, IA residents were born outside of the country (9.06k people).

In 2021, there were 10.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (81.2k people) in Story County, IA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 7.43k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 3.22k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

93.6%

2021 Citizenship

92.7%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 93.6% of Story County, IA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Story County, IA was 92.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Story County, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Story County, IA

White (Non-Hispanic)
81.2k ± 375
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
7.43k ± 363
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
3.22k ± 569

3.71%

Hispanic Population

3.64k people

3.71% of the people in Story County, IA are hispanic (3.64k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Story County, IA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Iowa.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
41,634 ± 4,977 people
India
10,950 ± 2,565 people
Vietnam
8,674 ± 2,283 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Iowa was Mexico, the natal country of 41,634 Iowa residents, followed by India with 10,950 and Vietnam with 8,674.

Foreign-Born Population

9.24%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

9.06k people

9.71%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

9.45k people

As of 2021, 9.24% of Story County, IA residents (9.06k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Story County, IA was 9.71%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Story County, IA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
1,218 ± 325
Vietnam
1,085 ± 236
Gulf War (1990s)
320 ± 131

Story County, IA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.12 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Story County, IA employs 51.3k people. The largest industries in Story County, IA are Educational Services (12,460 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (5,973 people), and Manufacturing (4,951 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($82,344), Public Administration ($64,256), and Utilities ($63,309).

Males in Iowa have an average income that is 1.35 times higher than the average income of females, which is $50,335. The income inequality in Iowa (measured using the Gini index) is 0.439, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

51.3k

2021 Value

± 1,722

−0.144%

1 Year decline

± 4.67%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Story County, IA declined at a rate of −0.144%, from 51.4k employees to 51.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Story County, IA, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (6,834 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (5,247 people), and Management Occupations (4,834 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Story County, IA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Iowa (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

51.3k

2021 Value

± 1,722

−0.144%

1 Year decline

± 4.67%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Story County, IA declined at a rate of −0.144%, from 51.4k employees to 51.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Story County, IA, are Educational Services (12,460 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (5,973 people), and Manufacturing (4,951 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Story County, IA, though some of these residents may live in Story County, IA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$42,255

Median earning men ± $2,169

$28,850

Median earning women ± $1,584

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($82,917), Public Administration ($72,513), and Manufacturing ($57,321).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Construction ($70,865), Public Administration ($57,321), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($47,506).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Iowa. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Iowa.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

648
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
524
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
468
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.08M
Manufacturing
$640k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$197k
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Iowa to other states, or from other states to Iowa.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Meat/seafood
$20.6B
Mixed freight
$19.9B
Machinery
$19.1B

In 2020, the top outbound Iowa product (by dollars) was Meat/seafood with $20.6B, followed by Mixed freight ($19.9B) and Machinery ($19.1B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Iowa products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Iowa.

$252B

2020 Value in Iowa

$518B

Projected 2050 Value in Iowa

105% growth

In 2020, total outbound Iowa trade was $252B. This is expected to increase 105% to $518B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Iowa trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Iowa to other states, or from other states to Iowa.

Most Common Trade Partners

Illinois
$21.2B
Minnesota
$16.2B
Texas
$10.8B

In 2020, the top outbound Iowa domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Illinois with $21.2B, followed by Minnesota with $16.2B and Texas and $10.8B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Iowa shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Story County, IA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 57.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (40.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.81%).

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing the state of Iowa. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (57.2%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (40.2%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.81%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Story County, IA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 57.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (40.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.81%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Story County, IA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Iowa

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Chuck Grassley

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 1981

Joni Ernst

Senator from Iowa

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are the senators currently representing Iowa.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Iowa over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Iowa

Iowa is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Iowa have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Story County, IA awarded 8,775 degrees. The student population of Story County, IA in 2021 is skewed towards men, with 16,950 male students and 13,891 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Story County, IA are White (6,317 and 79.4%), followed by Unknown (459 and 5.77%), Hispanic or Latino (451 and 5.67%), and Asian (297 and 3.73%).

The largest universities in Story County, IA by number of degrees awarded are Iowa State University (8,681 and 98.9%) and PCI Academy-Ames (94 and 1.07%).

The most popular majors in Story County, IA are Mechanical Engineering (451 and 5.14%), Information Technology (283 and 3.23%), and General Finance (282 and 3.21%).

The median tuition cost in Story County, IA for a public four year colleges is $8,324 for in-state students and $24,136 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Story County, IA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 91.1%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 29%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 30,841 (55% men and 45% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 30,841 students enrolled in Story County, IA, 55% men and 45% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 22,388 records, of which 45.6% were women and 54.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Mechanical Engineering
451 degrees awarded
General Marketing & Marketing Management
270 degrees awarded
General Finance
258 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Story County, IA was Mechanical Engineering with 451 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Story County, IA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Iowa State University
8,681 degrees awarded
PCI Academy-Ames
94 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Iowa State University with 8,681 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 4,633 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Story County, IA, which is 1.12 times more than the 4,142 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 6,317 degrees mean that there were 13.8 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 459 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($8,324) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,310) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,001) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Measure

In 2021, 0.63% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.621% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Iowa.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (742k), Some college (567k), and Bachelors Degree (459k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Story County, IA was $205,300 in 2021, which is 0.838 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $195,200 to $205,300, a 5.17% increase. The homeownership rate in Story County, IA is 55.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Story County, IA have an average commute time of 18.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Story County, IA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Story County, IA is $62,578. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Story County, IA was Census Tract 12 with a value of $129,000, followed by Census Tract 6 and Census Tract 102, with respective values of $78,938 and $77,389.

In 2022, 19.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Story County, IA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 1.95%.

Housing

Property

$205,300

Median Property Value 2021

±$6,072

$21,172

Median Property Taxes

±$943

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Story County, IA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Story County, IA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

55.8%

Homeownership

2021

63.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 55.8% of the housing units in Story County, IA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 54.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Story County, IA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 12
Census Tract 6
Census Tract 102

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Story County, IA was Census Tract 12 with a value of $129,000, followed by Census Tract 6 and Census Tract 102, with respective values of $78,938 and $77,389.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Story County, IA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$62,578

Median Household Income

± $2,294

37.9k

Number of Households

± 1,466

In 2021, the median household income of the 37.9k households in Story County, IA grew to $62,578 from the previous year's value of $58,302.

The following chart displays the households in Story County, IA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Story County, IA is from Iowa.

0.439

2021 Wage GINI in Iowa

0.438

2020 Wage GINI in Iowa

In 2021, the income inequality in Iowa was 0.439 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.221% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Iowa was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Iowa in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Iowa across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (70%)
Worked At Home (9.37%)
Carpooled (6.88%)

In 2021, 70% of workers in Story County, IA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.37%) and those who carpooled to work (6.88%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

18.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Story County, IA have a shorter commute time (18.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.05% of the workforce in Story County, IA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Story County, IA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Story County, IA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Story County, IA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 19.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Story County, IA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 1.95%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

19.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Story County, IA (16.8k out of 86.6k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Story County, IA is White, followed by Asian and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 7.2% of the children was living in poverty in Story County, IA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 4.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 142 in Story County, IA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 137 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

94.6% of the population of Story County, IA has health coverage, with 65.7% on employee plans, 7.25% on Medicaid, 9.14% on Medicare, 11.4% on non-group plans, and 1.19% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Story County, IA see 1517 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.62% increase from the previous year (1464 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1965 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 451 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.2% were men and 48.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,517 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Story County, IA

Primary care physicians in Story County, IA see an average of 1,517 patients per year. This represents a 3.62% increase from the previous year (1,464 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Story County, IA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.6% under 18 years, 40.4% between 18 and 34 years, 28% between 35 and 64 years, and 12% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.2% were men and 48.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.36%

Uninsured

65.7%

Employer Coverage

7.25%

Medicaid

9.14%

Medicare

11.4%

Non-Group

1.19%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Story County, IA grew by 4.6% from 5.13% to 5.36%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Story County, IA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 49.7 in Story County, IA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Story County, IA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 32.5% in Story County, IA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Story County, IA.

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