Dek: New demographic data shows rapid growth in Iowa’s Black population, but income and poverty gaps remain stark.
Key Points
- African Americans now make up 4.4% of Iowa’s population, a dramatic increase of 238% since 1980.
- Median household income for Black Iowans is $38,071, far below the statewide median of $45,723.
- 30.5% of Black Iowans live in poverty—nearly triple the statewide rate of 11.1%.
- Des Moines, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Iowa City hold 67% of the state’s Black population.
Why It Matters The data underscores a widening racial wealth gap that shapes housing access, educational opportunity, and long‑term economic mobility for Black families.
What to Watch
- State and local policy responses to poverty and wage disparities.
- Whether economic‑development initiatives reach Black neighborhoods in Polk, Linn, Scott, Johnson, and Black Hawk counties.
- Shifts in migration patterns as Black Iowans move toward urban centers.