Cerro Gordo County vs Des Moines County
A side-by-side comparison of Cerro Gordo County and Des Moines County: population, income, housing, and more.
Cerro Gordo County and Des Moines County are counties in Iowa. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Cerro Gordo County has the higher population (42,785 vs 38,597 in Des Moines County). Cerro Gordo County has the higher median household income ($65,537 vs $60,662 in Des Moines County). Cerro Gordo County has the higher median home value ($154,100 vs $137,000 in Des Moines County).
Population, income & housing
| Cerro Gordo County | Des Moines County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,785 | 38,597 |
| Median age | 43.9 yrs | 42.2 yrs |
| Median household income | $65,537 | $60,662 |
| Median home value | $154,100 | $137,000 |
| Median gross rent | $840 | $908 |
| Housing units | 22,730 | 18,778 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.6% | 72.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.3% | 23.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% | 3.2% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Cerro Gordo County | Des Moines County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,834 → 42,785 (-0.1%) | 39,386 → 38,597 (-2.0%) |
| Median household income | $53,963 → $65,537 (+21.4%) | $51,267 → $60,662 (+18.3%) |
| Median home value | $128,600 → $154,100 (+19.8%) | $108,500 → $137,000 (+26.3%) |
| Median gross rent | $707 → $840 (+18.8%) | $778 → $908 (+16.7%) |
Cerro Gordo County
42,83442,785
$53,963$65,537
$128,600$154,100
$707$840
Des Moines County
39,38638,597
$51,267$60,662
$108,500$137,000
$778$908
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Cerro Gordo County | Des Moines County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.3% | 5.6% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.4% | 8.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.1% | 12.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.0% | 11.4% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.9% | 13.9% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.4% | 12.4% |
| 75 and over | 9.6% | 8.7% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Cerro Gordo County | Des Moines County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 88.9% | 85.2% |
| Black or African American | 1.9% | 4.2% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races | 1.9% | 5.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.4% | 3.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Cerro Gordo County | Des Moines County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.5% | 6.0% |
| High school graduate | 35.9% | 36.3% |
| Some college or associate's | 34.3% | 33.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 16.4% | 15.8% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 7.9% | 8.0% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Cerro Gordo County | Des Moines County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 78.8% | 81.9% |
| Carpooled | 9.2% | 10.0% |
| Public transit | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Walked | 2.3% | 1.8% |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 7.8% | 4.3% |
| Other means | 0.9% | 1.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Cerro Gordo County | Des Moines County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 75.2% | 78.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.5% | 6.6% |
| 5 to 19 units | 6.9% | 4.9% |
| 20 or more units | 5.8% | 3.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 3.7% | 3.8% |
Poverty & households
| Cerro Gordo County | Des Moines County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 14.1% |
| Average household size | 2.15 | 2.21 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 16 | 19 |
| Median year structure built | 1959 | 1958 |
Full profiles
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