Small-town market profile · Iowa
Ottumwa, IA area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Ottumwa area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 35,210
- −0.3% since 2020
- Households
- 13,997
- Median household income
- $64,766
- +40.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $125,100
- Jobs located here
- 15,175
- Highest market score
- 68
- Grocery and convenience stores, #98 of 538 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Ottumwa area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Ottumwa area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 35,210 people live in the Ottumwa area, in 13,997 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Ottumwa area declined 0.3%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Ottumwa area is $64,766 a year, 20% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 40.1% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Ottumwa area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 113, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (57).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Ottumwa area are for grocery and convenience stores (68), spas and skin care studios (67) and real estate businesses (63). The Ottumwa area ranks #98 of 538 scored small-town markets for grocery and convenience stores.
The Ottumwa area is made up of one county, Wapello County. For its number of households, the Ottumwa area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for pizza places (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (67% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Ottumwa area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Ottumwa area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grocery and convenience stores | 68 | #98 of 538 | 23 | 16.4 | $3.5M | 102 | 6 |
| Spas and skin care | 67 | #78 of 504 | 6 | 4.3 | $2.1M | 238 | Under 3 |
| Real estate | 63 | #101 of 536 | 19 | 13.6 | Index only | 221 | 5 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 62 | #110 of 400 | 5 | 3.6 | $3.6M | 114 | Under 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 60 | #130 of 533 | 14 | 10.0 | Index only | 238 | 5 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 58 | #196 of 538 | 97 | 69.3 | $183K | 120 | 28 |
| Convenience stores | 57 | #209 of 529 | 11 | 7.9 | $7.2M | 92 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 55 | #153 of 387 | 6 | 4.3 | $2.5M | 82 | 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 55 | #203 of 458 | 14 | 10.0 | $1.3M | 71 | 6 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 55 | #210 of 535 | 16 | 11.4 | $627K | 95 | 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 55 | #220 of 526 | 12 | 8.6 | $1.5M | 151 | 10 |
| Grocery stores | 54 | #230 of 506 | 9 | 6.4 | $8.8M | 95 | 5 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 52 | #172 of 378 | 5 | 3.6 | $2M | 99 | Under 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 52 | #243 of 538 | 48 | 34.3 | $261K | 123 | 9 |
| Pet businesses | 52 | #258 of 527 | 18 | 12.9 | $583K | 66 | 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 50 | #192 of 387 | 5 | 3.6 | $2.1M | 82 | 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 50 | #272 of 536 | 35 | 25.0 | $711K | 81 | 4 |
| Gas stations | 50 | #274 of 536 | 17 | 12.1 | $2.3M | 96 | 21 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 50 | #278 of 536 | 25 | 17.9 | $995K | 78 | 4 |
| Auto repair shops | 50 | #288 of 538 | 44 | 31.4 | $343K | 77 | 11 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 49 | #284 of 537 | 20 | 14.3 | $2.4M | 79 | 24 |
| Child care and preschools | 48 | #246 of 454 | 7 | 5.0 | $661K | 66 | 4 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 47 | #294 of 538 | 140 | 100.0 | $346K | 93 | 57 |
| Auto repair and car care | 47 | #310 of 538 | 79 | 56.4 | $191K | 71 | 16 |
| Nail salons | 45 | #231 of 387 | 7 | 5.0 | $1.8M | 107 | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 44 | #243 of 399 | 7 | 5.0 | $2.2M | 76 | 8 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 44 | #313 of 507 | 11 | 7.9 | $4.4M | 106 | 9 |
| Gyms | 44 | #324 of 506 | 11 | 7.9 | $912K | 70 | 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 42 | #353 of 538 | 85 | 60.7 | $570K | 86 | 23 |
| Tire shops | 39 | #304 of 431 | 9 | 6.4 | $1.7M | 67 | 4 |
| Hair salons | 39 | #391 of 538 | 33 | 23.6 | $379K | 88 | 7 |
| Home repair trades | 38 | #401 of 526 | 20 | 14.3 | $1.7M | 71 | 18 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 35 | #385 of 481 | 10 | 7.1 | $1.6M | 93 | 19 |
| Roofing and gutters | 34 | #230 of 288 | 5 | 3.6 | $6.9M | 81 | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 34 | #347 of 441 | 10 | 7.1 | $1.5M | 60 | Under 3 |
| Pizza | 34 | #422 of 520 | 23 | 16.4 | $2.1M | 41 | 24 |
| Insurance agencies | 33 | #416 of 537 | 18 | 12.9 | $1.3M | 105 | 17 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 33 | #446 of 529 | 17 | 12.1 | $2.9M | 77 | 9 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 32 | #411 of 476 | 12 | 8.6 | $2.9M | 60 | 11 |
| Chiropractors | 29 | #390 of 426 | 12 | 8.6 | $1.5M | 62 | 8 |
| Veterinarians | 21 | #377 of 398 | 9 | 6.4 | $1.2M | 43 | Under 3 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.9 | $555K | 82 | 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.9 | $6.2M | 50 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.1 | $11.5M | 96 | 7 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.1 | $5.2M | 82 | 8 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.1 | $3.5M | 77 | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.1 | Index only | 109 | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $6.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $12.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $7.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $8.9M | Too few | 4 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
Household spending in the Ottumwa area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $15.1M | $1,078 | 113 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $39M | $2,786 | 107 |
| Food away from home | $48.5M | $3,464 | 85 |
| Groceries | $79.6M | $5,684 | 90 |
| Personal care products and services | $12.5M | $894 | 89 |
| Child care and other personal services | $4.6M | $330 | 57 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $10M | $717 | 73 |
| Medical and dental services | $17.8M | $1,271 | 99 |
| Pets | $10.5M | $750 | 82 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $24.9M | $1,778 | 87 |
| Vehicle insurance | $23.6M | $1,688 | 86 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $34.4M | $2,459 | 81 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $15.7M | $1,118 | 79 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $181.6M | $12,972 | 78 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Ottumwa area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 35,210−0.3% since 2020
- Households
- 13,997
- Median age
- 40.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 68%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 432 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 82
- Median household income
- $64,766+40.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $82,469
- Median home value
- $125,100
- Jobs located here
- 15,175
- Daytime population
- 34,077Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Ottumwa area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Ottumwa area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Ottumwa area 1
- Wapello County, IA35,362 people
Other markets based in Iowa 12
- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area731,120 people
- Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area381,503 people
- Cedar Rapids, IA metro area276,624 people
- Iowa City, IA metro area179,200 people
- Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area168,637 people
- Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metro area144,682 people
- Ames, IA metro area127,134 people
- Dubuque, IA metro area99,030 people
- Mason City, IA area49,982 people
- Clinton, IA area46,268 people
- Burlington, IA-IL area44,680 people
- Muscatine, IA area42,559 people
Questions
How fast is the Ottumwa, IA area growing?
Population estimates put the Ottumwa area at 35,210 people in 2025, down 0.3% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 13,997 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 40.1%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Ottumwa, IA area spend?
Households in the Ottumwa area spend about $181.6M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $79.6M on groceries and $48.5M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Ottumwa area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 113, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (57).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Ottumwa, IA area?
Of the business types scored in the Ottumwa area, grocery and convenience stores (68), spas and skin care studios (67) and real estate businesses (63) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For grocery and convenience stores, that ranks #98 of 538 scored small-town markets.
How does the Ottumwa, IA area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Ottumwa area is $64,766, 20% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 0.3% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $125,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for pizza places (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (67% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 41 of the 56 business types have a score in the Ottumwa area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Ottumwa area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Ottumwa area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Ottumwa area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
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Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.