Americans on the whole were doing well financially heading into 2020, with major markers like unemployment reaching 50-year lows. The pandemic changed all that: During the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year, our nation's real GDP fell by a whopping 31.4%, a number that hasn't been seen since the Great Depression. Since then the GDP has recovered, the first quarter of 2022 was 11% above the fourth quarter of 2019.
While GDP has recovered since the height of the pandemic, wage growth has not kept pace with inflation. In 2021 average hourly wages increased 4.7% while there was 7% inflation, meaning the worker's purchasing power dropped by 2.4%.
Where you live can make a big impact on your financial situation. The highest earning county in the U.S. earns $147,111, while the lowest earns $22,292. Stacker compiled a list of the lowest-earning counties in Iowa using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the Census' 2020 5-year estimate median household income.
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#50. Howard County
- Median household income: $56,709
--- 8.3% below state average, 12.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.6%
--- #1,683 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.5%
--- #1,954 highest among all counties nationwide
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#49. Emmet County
- Median household income: $56,708
--- 8.3% below state average, 12.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.2%
--- #1,756 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.7%
--- #1,953 highest among all counties nationwide
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#48. Butler County
- Median household income: $56,473
--- 8.7% below state average, 13.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.3%
--- #1,558 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.8%
--- #1,935 highest among all counties nationwide
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#47. Clayton County
- Median household income: $56,456
--- 8.7% below state average, 13.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.7%
--- #1,656 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.9%
--- #1,934 highest among all counties nationwide
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#46. Palo Alto County
- Median household income: $56,437
--- 8.7% below state average, 13.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.6%
--- #1,333 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.5%
--- #1,932 highest among all counties nationwide
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#45. Mahaska County
- Median household income: $56,417
--- 8.8% below state average, 13.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.4%
--- #1,536 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.7%
--- #1,929 highest among all counties nationwide
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#44. Cherokee County
- Median household income: $56,302
--- 8.9% below state average, 13.4% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 23.6%
--- #1,039 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.0%
--- #1,921 highest among all counties nationwide
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#43. Kossuth County
- Median household income: $56,156
--- 9.2% below state average, 13.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.9%
--- #1,626 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.1%
--- #1,910 highest among all counties nationwide
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#42. Cerro Gordo County
- Median household income: $56,082
--- 9.3% below state average, 13.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.6%
--- #1,333 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.5%
--- #1,905 highest among all counties nationwide
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#41. Ringgold County
- Median household income: $55,970
--- 9.5% below state average, 13.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.8%
--- #1,475 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.0%
--- #1,893 highest among all counties nationwide
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#40. Montgomery County
- Median household income: $55,761
--- 9.8% below state average, 14.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 22.7%
--- #1,169 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.5%
--- #1,876 highest among all counties nationwide
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#39. Humboldt County
- Median household income: $55,707
--- 9.9% below state average, 14.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 22.7%
--- #1,169 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.5%
--- #1,870 highest among all counties nationwide
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#38. Adair County
- Median household income: $55,700
--- 9.9% below state average, 14.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.8%
--- #1,637 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.4%
--- #1,869 highest among all counties nationwide
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#37. Franklin County
- Median household income: $55,630
--- 10.0% below state average, 14.4% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.8%
--- #1,986 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.7%
--- #1,865 highest among all counties nationwide
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#36. Allamakee County
- Median household income: $55,523
--- 10.2% below state average, 14.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.7%
--- #1,492 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.2%
--- #1,855 highest among all counties nationwide
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#35. Calhoun County
- Median household income: $55,285
--- 10.6% below state average, 14.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.7%
--- #1,492 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.9%
--- #1,827 highest among all counties nationwide
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#34. Clarke County
- Median household income: $55,078
--- 10.9% below state average, 15.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.9%
--- #1,626 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.4%
--- #1,811 highest among all counties nationwide
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#33. Hardin County
- Median household income: $54,930
--- 11.2% below state average, 15.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.5%
--- #1,874 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.8%
--- #1,793 highest among all counties nationwide
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#32. Crawford County
- Median household income: $54,849
--- 11.3% below state average, 15.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 22.1%
--- #1,259 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.8%
--- #1,781 highest among all counties nationwide
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#31. Black Hawk County
- Median household income: $54,774
--- 11.4% below state average, 15.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 23.0%
--- #1,126 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.0%
--- #1,777 highest among all counties nationwide
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#30. Tama County
- Median household income: $54,749
--- 11.5% below state average, 15.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.1%
--- #1,587 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.2%
--- #1,775 highest among all counties nationwide
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#29. Henry County
- Median household income: $54,490
--- 11.9% below state average, 16.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.9%
--- #1,626 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.7%
--- #1,749 highest among all counties nationwide
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#28. Ida County
- Median household income: $54,219
--- 12.3% below state average, 16.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.3%
--- #1,570 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.5%
--- #1,718 highest among all counties nationwide
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#27. Buena Vista County
- Median household income: $54,014
--- 12.6% below state average, 16.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.9%
--- #1,466 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.1%
--- #1,700 highest among all counties nationwide
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#26. Lucas County
- Median household income: $53,967
--- 12.7% below state average, 17.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.9%
--- #1,804 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.8%
--- #1,697 highest among all counties nationwide
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#25. Poweshiek County
- Median household income: $53,925
--- 12.8% below state average, 17.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 24.6%
--- #921 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.4%
--- #1,690 highest among all counties nationwide
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#24. Pocahontas County
- Median household income: $53,573
--- 13.4% below state average, 17.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.9%
--- #1,804 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.9%
--- #1,648 highest among all counties nationwide
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#23. Adams County
- Median household income: $52,287
--- 15.4% below state average, 19.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.8%
--- #2,366 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.5%
--- #1,514 highest among all counties nationwide
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#22. Clinton County
- Median household income: $52,221
--- 15.5% below state average, 19.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.7%
--- #1,656 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.9%
--- #1,504 highest among all counties nationwide
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#21. Lee County
- Median household income: $52,072
--- 15.8% below state average, 19.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.5%
--- #2,042 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.8%
--- #1,480 highest among all counties nationwide
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#20. Keokuk County
- Median household income: $52,012
--- 15.9% below state average, 20.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.1%
--- #1,587 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.9%
--- #1,468 highest among all counties nationwide
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#19. Cass County
- Median household income: $52,005
--- 15.9% below state average, 20.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.0%
--- #1,961 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.4%
--- #1,467 highest among all counties nationwide
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#18. Webster County
- Median household income: $51,909
--- 16.1% below state average, 20.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.6%
--- #1,868 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.7%
--- #1,454 highest among all counties nationwide
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#17. Monona County
- Median household income: $51,866
--- 16.1% below state average, 20.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.7%
--- #1,651 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.4%
--- #1,447 highest among all counties nationwide
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#16. Des Moines County
- Median household income: $51,784
--- 16.3% below state average, 20.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.4%
--- #1,371 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.6%
--- #1,437 highest among all counties nationwide
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#15. Floyd County
- Median household income: $51,768
--- 16.3% below state average, 20.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.9%
--- #1,626 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.7%
--- #1,434 highest among all counties nationwide
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#14. Winnebago County
- Median household income: $51,581
--- 16.6% below state average, 20.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.7%
--- #1,656 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.2%
--- #1,403 highest among all counties nationwide
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#13. Clay County
- Median household income: $51,259
--- 17.1% below state average, 21.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.6%
--- #1,855 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.6%
--- #1,360 highest among all counties nationwide
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#12. Wright County
- Median household income: $51,221
--- 17.2% below state average, 21.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.3%
--- #2,087 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.8%
--- #1,353 highest among all counties nationwide
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#10. Greene County
- Median household income: $51,098
--- 17.4% below state average, 21.4% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.8%
--- #1,821 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.7%
--- #1,329 highest among all counties nationwide
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#9. Union County
- Median household income: $50,375
--- 18.5% below state average, 22.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.9%
--- #1,804 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.6%
--- #1,257 highest among all counties nationwide
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#8. Van Buren County
- Median household income: $49,898
--- 19.3% below state average, 23.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.4%
--- #2,445 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.7%
--- #1,196 highest among all counties nationwide
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#7. Fayette County
- Median household income: $49,834
--- 19.4% below state average, 23.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.1%
--- #2,120 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.2%
--- #1,192 highest among all counties nationwide
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#6. Audubon County
- Median household income: $49,245
--- 20.4% below state average, 24.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 14.4%
--- #2,589 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.4%
--- #1,125 highest among all counties nationwide
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#5. Decatur County
- Median household income: $48,154
--- 22.1% below state average, 25.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 14.9%
--- #2,521 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.4%
--- #1,015 highest among all counties nationwide
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#4. Wayne County
- Median household income: $47,543
--- 23.1% below state average, 26.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.1%
--- #2,499 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.2%
--- #961 highest among all counties nationwide
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#3. Jefferson County
- Median household income: $47,401
--- 23.3% below state average, 27.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.6%
--- #2,023 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.3%
--- #946 highest among all counties nationwide
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#2. Wapello County
- Median household income: $46,433
--- 24.9% below state average, 28.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.3%
--- #2,087 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.0%
--- #858 highest among all counties nationwide
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#1. Appanoose County
- Median household income: $39,693
--- 35.8% below state average, 38.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 12.4%
--- #2,818 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.1%
--- #336 highest among all counties nationwide
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