All Countries
Harlan, IA
Full City Profile · Iowa · Shelby County County
3.1
/5.0
B
Good
4,896
Population
1,108/sq mi density
$54,923
Median Income
$36,327 per capita
$137,500
Home Value
$197,350 Zillow
$856
Median Rent
30.1% income on rent
50°F
Avg Temperature
275 sunny days/yr
146
Violent Crime/100K
188 property/100K
B
Overall
3.1 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B+
Economy
3.5 / 5.0
$54,923 median income, 3.6% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$137,500 home value, $856/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
146 violent crimes/100K
C+
Education
2.7 / 5.0
21.6% bachelor's degree or higher
Change Over Time (2013–2023)
Population Change
-1.8%
4,985 → 4,896
over 10 years
Annual Pop. Growth
-0.18%
Compound annual growth rate
Median Income Change
+27.6%
$43,047 → $54,923
nominal, not inflation-adjusted
Annual Income Growth
+2.47%
Compound annual growth rate
Population Over Time
Total population for Harlan across each available Census ACS release.
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income reported by U.S. Census ACS. Values are nominal (not adjusted for inflation).
Projected 2030
Simple projections extrapolating the 2013–2023 compound annual growth rate forward. These are mathematical extensions of recent trends, not forecasts — real outcomes depend on migration, policy and economic shifts.
Projected Population 2030
4,835
-61 from 2023 (4,896)
Projected Median Income 2030
$65,153
+$10,230 from 2023 ($54,923)
Year-by-Year Detail
| Year | Population | YoY % | Median Income | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 4,985 | — | $43,047 | — |
| 2015 | 4,925 | -1.2% | $42,378 | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 4,832 | -1.9% | $50,208 | +18.5% |
| 2019 | 4,769 | -1.3% | $52,063 | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 4,912 | +3% | $50,294 | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 4,896 | -0.3% | $54,923 | +9.2% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates (Data Commons). Home value and rent are not yet available historically.