Best Counties for Families in Iowa 2026

99 counties ranked with the Family lens of the County Fit Score.

Top 5 Family Counties in Iowa

1Chickasaw County

All 99 Family-Ranked Counties in Iowa

Rank	County	County Fit Score	baseline CountyScore	Delta
1	Chickasaw County, IA	74.7	68.7	+6
2	Shelby County, IA	74.7	68	+6.7
3	Grundy County, IA	74	68.1	+5.9
4	Winneshiek County, IA	74	67.2	+6.8
5	Howard County, IA	73.3	68.2	+5.1
6	Worth County, IA	73.1	69.2	+3.9
7	Winnebago County, IA	73	69.2	+3.8
8	Ida County, IA	72.4	69.7	+2.7
9	Mitchell County, IA	71.6	67.3	+4.3
10	Kossuth County, IA	70.6	66.9	+3.7
11	Calhoun County, IA	69.7	64.6	+5.1
12	Cherokee County, IA	69.2	67.1	+2.1
13	Guthrie County, IA	67.7	60.5	+7.2
14	Osceola County, IA	67.5	64.3	+3.2
15	Franklin County, IA	67.4	63.9	+3.5
16	Louisa County, IA	67.4	63.1	+4.3
17	Lyon County, IA	67.4	64.5	+2.9
18	Butler County, IA	67.3	62.2	+5.1
19	Pocahontas County, IA	67.2	63	+4.2
20	Carroll County, IA	67	61.3	+5.7
21	Humboldt County, IA	67	63.8	+3.2
22	Sac County, IA	66.9	62.1	+4.8
23	Buchanan County, IA	66.6	61.1	+5.5
24	Ringgold County, IA	66.6	61.2	+5.4
25	Hancock County, IA	66.5	62.2	+4.3
26	Palo Alto County, IA	66.3	62.7	+3.6
27	Taylor County, IA	65.8	62.1	+3.7
28	Boone County, IA	65.7	57.7	+8
29	Madison County, IA	65.7	58.3	+7.4
30	Harrison County, IA	65.5	59.1	+6.4
31	Wayne County, IA	65.5	62.5	+3
32	Decatur County, IA	65.3	60.8	+4.5
33	Marion County, IA	65.3	59.9	+5.4
34	Adair County, IA	64.9	61.4	+3.5
35	Davis County, IA	64.9	56.7	+8.2
36	Delaware County, IA	64.7	59.6	+5.1
37	Emmet County, IA	64.7	59.9	+4.8
38	Jones County, IA	64.5	59.7	+4.8
39	Dickinson County, IA	64.2	59.6	+4.6
40	Adams County, IA	64.1	61.9	+2.2
41	Monroe County, IA	63.8	59.1	+4.7
42	Bremer County, IA	63.7	57.7	+6
43	Clay County, IA	63.2	59.7	+3.5
44	Iowa County, IA	63.2	57.2	+6
45	Sioux County, IA	63.2	59.5	+3.7
46	Monona County, IA	63.1	59.5	+3.6
47	Wright County, IA	63	59.7	+3.3
48	Fremont County, IA	62.6	59.5	+3.1
49	Keokuk County, IA	62.6	59.5	+3.1
50	Cedar County, IA	62.4	57.7	+4.7
51	O'Brien County, IA	62.1	59.3	+2.8
52	Allamakee County, IA	61.9	57.7	+4.2
53	Tama County, IA	61.9	57	+4.9
54	Clayton County, IA	61.7	60.5	+1.2
55	Hamilton County, IA	61.5	57.1	+4.4
56	Benton County, IA	61.3	56.3	+5
57	Van Buren County, IA	60.7	61.5	-0.8
58	Greene County, IA	59.8	58.7	+1.1
59	Fayette County, IA	59.3	56.2	+3.1
60	Jackson County, IA	59.2	55.6	+3.6
61	Lucas County, IA	58.3	55.8	+2.5
62	Warren County, IA	58.1	52.2	+5.9
63	Crawford County, IA	57.7	55.2	+2.5
64	Woodbury County, IA	57.6	51.1	+6.5
65	Jasper County, IA	57.4	54	+3.4
66	Floyd County, IA	57.1	56.3	+0.8
67	Washington County, IA	57	51.5	+5.5
68	Union County, IA	56.8	52.5	+4.3
69	Audubon County, IA	56.5	57.6	-1.1
70	Montgomery County, IA	56.1	52.7	+3.4
71	Henry County, IA	55.1	52	+3.1
72	Page County, IA	54.4	53	+1.4
73	Mahaska County, IA	54.1	52.6	+1.5
74	Jefferson County, IA	53.1	49.8	+3.3
75	Story County, IA	52.3	47.3	+5
76	Mills County, IA	52	45.7	+6.3
77	Poweshiek County, IA	51.3	46.9	+4.4
78	Hardin County, IA	50.3	48.6	+1.7
79	Plymouth County, IA	49.2	47.1	+2.1
80	Clarke County, IA	48.8	42	+6.8
81	Dubuque County, IA	48.6	45.5	+3.1
82	Appanoose County, IA	48	47.8	+0.2
83	Johnson County, IA	47.7	41.1	+6.6
84	Dallas County, IA	47.3	42	+5.3
85	Buena Vista County, IA	45.2	46.2	-1
86	Linn County, IA	45	40.4	+4.6
87	Marshall County, IA	44.5	42.1	+2.4
88	Lee County, IA	43.9	43.6	+0.3
89	Cerro Gordo County, IA	43.8	42.6	+1.2
90	Black Hawk County, IA	43.4	40.7	+2.7
91	Cass County, IA	43.2	42.6	+0.6
92	Webster County, IA	42.5	41.6	+0.9
93	Muscatine County, IA	41.6	41.6	0
94	Polk County, IA	41.3	36.8	+4.5
95	Scott County, IA	40	37	+3
96	Pottawattamie County, IA	39.4	36	+3.4
97	Clinton County, IA	39	38.7	+0.3
98	Des Moines County, IA	34.6	36	-1.4
99	Wapello County, IA	34.2	34.3	-0.1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for families in Iowa?

Based on the Family lens, Chickasaw County ranks as the top family county in Iowa with a County Fit Score of 74.7. The baseline CountyScore remains visible for context.

How many counties in Iowa are ranked for families?

We rank 99 counties in Iowa with the Family lens, using independent importance values for schools, safety, affordability, health, income, taxes, and disaster risk.

Also Browse Iowa Counties For

Retirement Remote Workers Best Overall

Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.