Census place 1950160

Mason City

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Mason City city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Mason City.

According to the 2025 estimate, Mason City has a population of 26,853 and 950 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 41 covered Iowa places are: population density is 950/sq mi, below the comparison median of 1,552/sq mi; median home value is $142,000, below the comparison median of $219,200; and typical commute is 13.5 minutes, below the comparison median of 18.6 minutes. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

population density
950/sq mi
Below the comparison median of 1,552/sq mi
median home value
$142,000
Below the comparison median of $219,200
typical commute
13.5 minutes
Below the comparison median of 18.6 minutes

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Mason City's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
26,853
2025 estimate
Annual change
0%
Population estimate
Density
950/sq mi
28.3 sq mi land area
Median age
42.5 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$64,804
Median home value
$142,000
Median gross rent
$882
Bachelor’s degree or higher
20.8%
Typical commute
13.5 min
Drive-alone commute
81%
Public transit commute
0.9%
Walked to work
4.2%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
34.5%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
37.2%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
61.7%
Unemployed residents 16+
1.8%
Working from home
4.3%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
89%
Homes built 2020+
0.7%
Households without a vehicle
5.5%
Households with children
24.6%
Residents with a disability
14.3%
Residents without insurance
5.6%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Cerro Gordo County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
5
Severe Storm declarations
3
Flood declarations
1
Hurricane declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: MASON CITY MUNI AP (7 mi from place center)
Average high
56°F
Average low
35.2°F
Annual rainfall
36.3"
Annual snowfall
44.4"

Month by month

A year in Mason City.

Typical high and low °F
0°F20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Burton, MI

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
29,313
Median home
$141,600

Marshalltown, IA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
27,536
Median home
$127,700

Bangor, ME

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
32,518
Median home
$219,600

Keep exploring

Compare Mason City with Burton