2025 Community Report

Data and Sources

 

ESSENTIAL NEEDS

• 35% of central Iowa households are ALICE.
  - Source: United for ALICE
  
  
• More than 43% of central Iowa renters are rent-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. This number has risen by nearly 1,500 households in a single year.
  - Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates, 2019-2023
  
  
• Many central Iowans struggle with housing costs due to a lack of affordable rentals – only 23 are available for every 100 needed by low-income residents.
  - Source: Polk County Housing Trust Fund
  
  
• 1 in 10 central Iowans are food insecure.
  - Source: Feeding America

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

• 88% of jobs in central Iowa require some additional education and/or training beyond high school.
   - Source: Iowa Workforce Development

• Among the 20 most common jobs in central Iowa, 40% pay less than $20 per hour, which is not enough to afford household essentials.
   - Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics & United for ALICE
  
  
• Although wages increased 4.8% in 2022, the cost of basics for a family of four increased 17% in central Iowa.
  - Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics & United for ALICE
  
  
• 36% of central Iowans do not have cash on hand to cover a $400 emergency expense.
  - Source: 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment
  

EARLY CHILDHOOD SUCCESS

• 76% of central Iowa children under the age of 6 have all parents/ caregivers in the workforce.
  - Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates, 2019-2023
  
  
• 1 in 3 central Iowa students are not ready for kindergarten.
  - Source: Iowa Department of Education 
  

EDUCATION SUCCESS

• 63% of central Iowa third graders are proficient in reading, down 2.5% from last year.
  - Source: Iowa Department of Education 
  
  
• In central Iowa, 66% of high school students from lower-income households have a post-graduate education or training plan, compared to 85% of their higher-income peers.
  - Source: Iowa Department of Education
  
  
• 24% of central Iowa students are chronically absent from school – an increase of 14,000 students from pre-pandemic levels.
  - Source: Iowa Department of Education
  

HEALTH & WELL-BEING

• 1 in 4 Iowa adults suffer from a mental illness.
  - Source: Mental Health America 
  
  
• 18% of central Iowa adults report that their overall health is “fair” or “poor”.
  - Source: BRFSS
  

FOOD SECURITY

• 37% of central Iowans say that they have run out of food or been worried about running out of food in the past year.
  - Source: 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment
  
  

YOUTH VIOLENCE & DISENGAGEMENT

• In central Iowa, 6.1% of youth ages 16-19 are disengaged from school or work.
  - Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates, 2019-2023
  
  

 CHILDCARE

• The average hourly wage for a childcare employee in central Iowa is only $13.89.
  - Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
  

 

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