Buchanan County vs Mahaska County
A side-by-side comparison of Buchanan County and Mahaska County: population, income, housing, and more.
Buchanan County and Mahaska County are counties in Iowa. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Mahaska County has the higher population (22,045 vs 20,645 in Buchanan County). Buchanan County has the higher median household income ($78,430 vs $69,019 in Mahaska County). Buchanan County has the higher median home value ($171,400 vs $140,900 in Mahaska County).
Population, income & housing
| Buchanan County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,645 | 22,045 |
| Median age | 39.9 yrs | 39.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $78,430 | $69,019 |
| Median home value | $171,400 | $140,900 |
| Median gross rent | $802 | $821 |
| Housing units | 8,946 | 9,708 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.1% | 67.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.3% | 23.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 3.3% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Buchanan County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,118 → 20,645 (-2.2%) | 22,164 → 22,045 (-0.5%) |
| Median household income | $64,837 → $78,430 (+21.0%) | $54,825 → $69,019 (+25.9%) |
| Median home value | $142,500 → $171,400 (+20.3%) | $115,300 → $140,900 (+22.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $678 → $802 (+18.3%) | $652 → $821 (+25.9%) |
Buchanan County
21,11820,645
$64,837$78,430
$142,500$171,400
$678$802
Mahaska County
22,16422,045
$54,825$69,019
$115,300$140,900
$652$821
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Buchanan County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.6% | 6.1% |
| 5 to 17 | 19.1% | 17.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.1% | 9.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.9% | 11.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 11.9% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.5% | 11.1% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.9% | 13.1% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.9% | 10.9% |
| 75 and over | 7.4% | 8.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Buchanan County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 95.2% | 92.2% |
| Black or African American | 0.7% | 1.5% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races | 1.8% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.8% | 2.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Buchanan County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.4% | 6.0% |
| High school graduate | 36.1% | 38.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 36.2% | 32.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 15.9% | 17.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 6.4% | 6.0% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Buchanan County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 78.2% | 80.2% |
| Carpooled | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| Public transit | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 3.1% | 3.7% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 8.9% | 6.3% |
| Other means | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Buchanan County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 81.8% | 78.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.7% | 1.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.3% | 8.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.1% | 5.3% |
| 20 or more units | 1.6% | 1.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 5.5% | 5.3% |
Poverty & households
| Buchanan County | Mahaska County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.0% | 11.9% |
| Average household size | 2.51 | 2.40 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 23 | 18 |
| Median year structure built | 1971 | 1963 |
Full profiles
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