2024 U.S. Census county population estimates

[Buster28]

I always find this kind of stuff interesting every spring when they release yearly population estimates. Figured that based on the popularity of the geography thread earlier this year, there might be interest in this as well. City and metro estimates usually follow in May.

Iowa now has eight counties with more than 100,000 residents (and one that's very close).

Polk 515,185
Linn 231,762
Scott 175,601
Johnson 160,080
Black Hawk 132,348
Dallas 115,343
Woodbury 107,257
Story 102,498
(Dubuque 99,242)

The link for all counties in all states (state by state) is here:

County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024

This page features county population estimates totals and components of change for years 2020-2024.

www.census.gov

By comparison, California has ten counties with over 1,000,000 residents each.

 

[Buster28]

Looks like the metropolitan and CSA estimates are up now also, leaving just the individual city/town estimates for later this spring.

The link that has both tables:

Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2020-2024

This page features metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area population estimates totals for years 2020-2024.

www.census.gov

The Des Moines CSA (combined statistical area), which includes Ames, is currently at 939,000 and has a good shot at reaching 1,000,000 by 2030 if the rate of growth continues.

There are 14 CSAs in the U.S. with over 5,000,000 people.

 

[dmclone]

I read yesterday that since 2020, Des Moines is the fastest growing city in the Midwest. Just barely behind powerhouses like Nashville.

Dallas County is killing it.

 

[Cytown12]

I read yesterday that since 2020, Des Moines is the fastest growing city in the Midwest. Just barely behind powerhouses like Nashville.

Dallas County is killing it.

Yeah killing all of that precious farm land we need

 

[JEFF420]

Yeah killing all of that precious farm land we need

meh, we already produce more than enough corn and soybeans

 

[dmclone]

Yeah killing all of that precious farm land we need

I assume you're being sarcastic?

 

[Cytown12]

I assume you're being sarcastic?

Maybe

 

[Sigmapolis]

Maybe

Maybe not burn 40% of it for nothin'.

 

[BCClone]

meh, we already produce more than enough corn and soybeans

You can say that about a lot of things, we already produce enough cars/vehicles, clothing, toys. Demand is what leads stuff.

 

[isucy86]

Maybe not burn 40% of it for nothin'.

What's worse? Ethanol or for our health seed oils and high fructose corn syrup?

 

[AuH2O]

I always find this kind of stuff interesting every spring when they release yearly population estimates. Figured that based on the popularity of the geography thread earlier this year, there might be interest in this as well. City and metro estimates usually follow in May.

Iowa now has eight counties with more than 100,000 residents (and one that's very close).

Polk 515,185
Linn 231,762
Scott 175,601
Johnson 160,080
Black Hawk 132,348
Dallas 115,343
Woodbury 107,257
Story 102,498
(Dubuque 99,242)

The link for all counties in all states (state by state) is here:

County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024

This page features county population estimates totals and components of change for years 2020-2024.

www.census.gov

By comparison, California has ten counties with over 1,000,000 residents each.

I’m a little surprised Story is that high. Dubuque Co seems a lot more populous just driving through it. I suppose it’s all about how ISU students get counted.

 

[JEFF420]

What's worse? Ethanol or for our health seed oils and high fructose corn syrup?

woah woah woah. corn syrup fights communism (sugar cane)!

 

[Al_4_State]

I’m a little surprised Story is that high. Dubuque Co seems a lot more populous just driving through it. I suppose it’s all about how ISU students get counted.

Ames is bigger than Dubuque proper.

Rural Dubuque County does seem more populated than a lot of rural Iowa.

 

[Al_4_State]

I'm pretty sure that much more Iowa corn gets fed to livestock and turned into pork, beef, or chicken than turned into HFCS.

 

[AuH2O]

Ames is bigger than Dubuque proper.

Rural Dubuque County does seem more populated than a lot of rural Iowa.

I'm sure it's due to living in Ames much of my life vs. only being in Dubuque a few times, but Dubuque seems bigger. I suppose it's also the difference in one of those old towns that was big in 1900 vs. one that had most of it's growth the last 50 years or so. The towns just look a lot different.

It always interesting to me when I lived in Colorado Springs in the 2000s. You have a downtown that was what you'd expect in a town of 50k, but the town was over 400k.

 

[Al_4_State]

I'm sure it's due to living in Ames much of my life vs. only being in Dubuque a few times, but Dubuque seems bigger. I suppose it's also the difference in one of those old towns that was big in 1900 vs. one that had most of it's growth the last 50 years or so. The towns just look a lot different.

It always interesting to me when I lived in Colorado Springs in the 2000s. You have a downtown that was what you'd expect in a town of 50k, but the town was over 400k.

I agree. It's much more urban and dense.

But it was 59K at the last census and Ames was 66K.

 

[BCClone]

I'm pretty sure that much more Iowa corn gets fed to livestock and turned into pork, beef, or chicken than turned into HFCS.

Most people don’t realize that only 1/3 of all corn used for ethanol is strictly ethanol usage. 1/3 is DDGS which goes to livestock and 1/3 is oil/something else.

 

[MJ271]

I'm sure it's due to living in Ames much of my life vs. only being in Dubuque a few times, but Dubuque seems bigger. I suppose it's also the difference in one of those old towns that was big in 1900 vs. one that had most of it's growth the last 50 years or so. The towns just look a lot different.

It always interesting to me when I lived in Colorado Springs in the 2000s. You have a downtown that was what you'd expect in a town of 50k, but the town was over 400k.

I agree. It's much more urban and dense.

But it was 59K at the last census and Ames was 66K.

Besides the age of the cities, I think Dubuque's topography also contributes to making the downtown feel a lot different. The hills there create a very defined border for downtown Dubuque, so there's higher density in the downtown from historically building up rather than out.

 

[VeloClone]

Most people don’t realize that only 1/3 of all corn used for ethanol is strictly ethanol usage. 1/3 is DDGS which goes to livestock and 1/3 is oil/something else.

And don't forget about corn stover ethanol production.

 

[Al_4_State]

Besides the age of the cities, I think Dubuque's topography also contributes to making the downtown feel a lot different. The hills there create a very defined border for downtown Dubuque, so there's higher density in the downtown from historically building up rather than out.

The age of the cities is important too. Dubuque is the oldest city in Iowa, by a wide margin. Ames was founded 20 years after statehood, and didn't really start it's major growth for at least another 100 years.

Dubuque has some actual adjacent suburbs too, like Asbury and Peosta. I'm sure those make it seem bigger.