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Pottawattamie County, Iowa: crime rate, income and local data
FBI reports put Pottawattamie County at 3.8 violent crimes per 1,000 people a year over 2021-2025, 42% higher than the rate for Iowa (2.7). Median household income is $73,602 and the unemployment rate was 3.9% in August 2026. Population: about 93,424 (Census, 2020-2024).
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Pottawattamie County?
From 2021 through 2025, Pottawattamie County averaged 354 reported violent crimes a year, along with 2,067 property crimes. That is 3.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 42% higher than the Iowa rate (2.7), and close to the U.S. rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 22.1 per 1,000 residents, compared with 13.6 across Iowa. Most violent crimes here are aggravated assaults (69%). CDC death records show about 3 homicide deaths a year in the county (3.7 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Pottawattamie County | Per 1,000 | Iowa per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 354 | 3.8 | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 2 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 62 | 0.66 | 0.42 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 45 | 0.48 | 0.20 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 246 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 2,067 | 22.1 | 13.6 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 382 | 4.1 | 2.2 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 1,363 | 14.6 | 9.9 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 322 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (3 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Pottawattamie County?
Half of households in Pottawattamie County make more than $73,602 and half make less; across Iowa the midpoint is $75,059. The typical owner-occupied home is valued at $195,700 by its owners; renters pay a median $1,018. 9.8% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 8.8%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.9% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 1,849 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Pottawattamie County | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 93,424 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $73,602 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $195,700 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,018 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 3.8% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 12.1% | 11.1% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 9.8% | 8.8% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 23.6% | 31.4% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 69.9% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 40.1 | 38.6 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 86.2% | 88.9% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 5.0% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Pottawattamie County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Pottawattamie County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Low”. The hazards rated highest here are tornadoes (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists no Superfund site in Pottawattamie County, active or completed (October 2026).
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 2 high-hazard dams in Pottawattamie County. None is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory; 2 are rated Satisfactory or Fair. Tallest on the list: Indian Creek Watershed Site 2 (65 ft) and Monument Road Dam (32 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
11 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 1,416,587 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Pottawattamie County was covered by 4 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 2, Tornado 1, Flood 1), not counting COVID-19. EPA air monitors logged 0 days in 2024 when the air quality index reached “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse. Of 16 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest). NHTSA counted 9 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 4 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Pottawattamie County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 24 highway work zones in Pottawattamie County (5 active that day). Where crews are working: I-80, I-880 and US-59. 22 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Pottawattamie County?
Pottawattamie County has 33 public schools (2024-25) and 3 private schools (2023-24) in federal school lists. 6 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 20 fire or EMS stations and 2 police or sheriff stations. 1 state park or recreation area: Lake Manawa State Park.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Pottawattamie County
Gun shops
5 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Pottawattamie County, plus 17 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). 2 of them are pawnshops licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World 030 (Council Bluffs), Ezpawn (Council Bluffs), Metro Pawn & Loan (Council Bluffs), Sieh Guns (Avoca) and Walmart #1965 (Council Bluffs).
Liquor stores
2 liquor stores are on the map in Pottawattamie County: I 80 Liquor (Council Bluffs) and West Broadway Wine and Spirits (Council Bluffs). Iowa has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Pottawattamie County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Pottawattamie County?
Pottawattamie County averaged 354 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 3.8 per 1,000 residents, 42% higher than the Iowa rate (2.7). The property-crime rate was 22.1 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Pottawattamie County?
$73,602 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $75,059 for Iowa and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Pottawattamie County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.9% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 1,849 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Pottawattamie County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Pottawattamie County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Low”. The hazards rated highest here are tornadoes (Relatively High).
Is there road construction in Pottawattamie County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 24 highway work zones in Pottawattamie County (5 active that day). Where crews are working: I-80, I-880 and US-59. 22 are on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in Pottawattamie County?
6 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Pottawattamie County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County | 13,096 | 2.4 | $63,013 |
| Douglas County, NE | 590,736 | 3.6 | $80,391 |
| Harrison County | 14,632 | 0.97 | $79,535 |
| Mills County | 14,568 | 1.2 | $90,753 |
| Montgomery County | 10,214 | 3.5 | $63,666 |
| Sarpy County, NE | 197,389 | 0.71 | $103,321 |
| Shelby County | 11,778 | 0.69 | $72,738 |
| Washington County, NE | 21,106 | 0.81 | $94,396 |
Cities in Pottawattamie County with their own page: Council Bluffs.
More: Iowa statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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