What is the largest city in Webster County, IA?

Fort Dodge is the largest city or town in Webster County, with about 24,827 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in Webster County?

Webster County includes 14 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 50501, 50516, 50518, 50521, 50523.

What is the population of Webster County, IA?

About 36,886 people live in Webster County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border Webster County?

Webster County borders Boone County, Hamilton County, Wright County, Calhoun County, Humboldt County, Greene County, Pocahontas County.

Webster County, IA: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

36,886

Land area

716sq mi

People per sq mi

52

ZIP codes

14

Webster County at a glance

By population, it ranks 18th among 99 counties in Iowa.
The median household income is $68,975, 8% below the Iowa median of $75,059.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $153,800 (26% below Iowa) and median rent is $785 a month.
Its largest cities are Fort Dodge (24,827), Gowrie (932) and Dayton (689).

Local data for Webster County, IA

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Webster County, IA, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$68,975

Poverty rate

12.9%

Median home value

$153,800

Prices +3.5% in a year

Median rent

$785/mo

Homeownership

70.3%

Bachelor's or higher

22.0%

Median age

39.7

Average commute

20.2 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (10,016), Irish Americans (4,254), Norwegian Americans (2,740).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

3.3%

Sep 2026, +0.2 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$58,614

17,328 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$55,465

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$250M

FY 2026, $6,766 per person

PPP loans

$82.9M

1,797 loans, 9,355 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$100K

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

Webster County, IA, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone82.7%
Carpooled7.5%
Public transit0.3%
Walked2.4%
Bicycle0.5%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other2.1%
Worked from home4.6%

Average one-way commute: 20.2 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Webster County, IA, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Low

Top: drought

Storm events since 1996

911

Most often hail

Flood insurance policies

23

0.1% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

83° / 7°F

35.1 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 10 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Webster County, IA, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

41.2%

U.S. 33.3% +7.9 pts

Diabetes

11.8%

U.S. 12.1% about the same

Smoking

16.0%

U.S. 12.8% +3.2 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

8.0%

U.S. 11.1% -3.1 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Webster County

Population shown

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Webster County, IA?: Fort Dodge is the largest city or town in Webster County, with about 24,827 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Webster County?: Webster County includes 14 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 50501, 50516, 50518, 50521, 50523.
What is the population of Webster County, IA?: About 36,886 people live in Webster County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Webster County?: Webster County borders Boone County, Hamilton County, Wright County, Calhoun County, Humboldt County, Greene County, Pocahontas County.