Luther, Iowa

Population

Down 2.0% since 2020.

146

people, the 736th-largest of Iowa's cities and towns.

Census Population Estimates, 2025. Rank among Iowa's cities and towns computed by the Almanac. Sources: Census Population Estimates

The workday

Every job here goes to someone who lives somewhere else.

100.0%

of 66 jobs located in Luther are filled by in-commuters.

Census LEHD LODES, 2023. Sources: Census LEHD LODES

The seam

Cross one tract line and median rent jumps $383.

A $383 gap between neighbors, the sharpest rent edge between adjacent tracts in Boone County.

• $784 Tract 203
• $1,167 Tract 204

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024, adjacent tracts compared by the Almanac. Tract estimates carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

Building

Most of the housing here is older than 2000.

• 0 homes permitted, 2022–2025
• 100% of all homes were built before 2000

Census Building Permits Survey, 2022–2025; Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census Building Permits Survey, Census ACS 5-year

Units needed

Closing the gap would add 0–2% to the 63 homes here.

0–1

is the estimated number of missing housing units, from the lowest to the highest of three estimates.

Range computed by the Almanac from 2023 jobs and household data, using three demand models: 1% of jobs located here, 1% of renter households, and a rate by town size applied to renters. The low end is the lowest of the three and the high end the highest. It is an estimate, not a count. Sources: Computed by the Almanac

Home value

A median home costs 8% less than Iowa's.

$191,700

median home value in Luther.

• $191,700 Luther
• $208,000 Iowa
• $332,700 U.S.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year