Jobs, pay and daily life in Charles City, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Charles City is a city in Iowa with 7,232 residents. The median household earns $59,180 a year and the median rent is $735 a month, which is 14.9% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (84,260 jobs), about 26 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Charles City compares. Among the 60 largest places in Iowa, Charles City is #57 by population, #60 for college degrees (#1 = most), #4 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #50 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Floyd County, is #26 of 99 counties for average pay ($54,987).
Charles City has 7,232 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Iowa. It covers 6 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,181 people per square mile. The median age is 42.0, 9% older than the state median (42.0 against 38.6).
The median gross rent is $735 a month (rent plus utilities), 24% below the state median ($735 against $972). Over a year that is 14.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $115,400, which is 1.9 times the median household income ($59,180); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 67.9% of households own their home, 5% below the state average (67.9% against 71.7%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, metropolitan area has 84,260 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,430 a year, 7% below the national median ($47,430 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (9,740 jobs, median $50,030); transportation and material moving (8,740 jobs, median $44,790); office and administrative support (8,480 jobs, median $45,370). The area is most specialised in production (2.1 times) and educational instruction and library (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($76,200) and production ($50,030). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Floyd County was 3.2%. 60.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Floyd County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 81.2% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.2% walk, 5.1% work from home. 5.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 39% below the state average (5.0% against 8.2%).
12.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 59% below the state share (12.8% against 31.4%). 3.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 33% below the state share (3.9% against 5.9%). The poverty rate is 13.3%, 20% above the state rate (13.3% against 11.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 17°F (-8.3°C). About 942 mm (37 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (145 mm) and Jan the driest (25 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Waverly (26 miles, rent 44% higher); Mason City (27 miles, rent 20% higher); Clear Lake (36 miles, rent 10% higher); Cedar Falls (39 miles, rent 64% higher). Rent differences are against Charles City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Iowa (226) →State guide: IowaCountry guideFloyd CountyIowa rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 226 federal postings open in Iowa (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,920 | 1.83 | $47,440 | $35,530 | $48,440 | +18% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,500 | 1.20 | $27,820 | $21,720 | $35,870 | -11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,460 | 1.16 | $31,270 | $26,380 | $45,890 | -12% |
| Cashiers | 2,340 | 1.40 | $29,320 | $23,300 | $36,650 | -11% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,890 | 1.03 | $76,920 | $63,100 | $97,310 | -21% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,610 | 2.11 | $50,310 | $40,160 | $61,680 | +13% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,600 | 1.43 | $58,730 | $37,780 | $79,220 | +0% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,560 | 1.02 | $36,990 | $27,780 | $49,040 | -1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,540 | 1.10 | $39,530 | $28,740 | $61,230 | -12% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,510 | 0.79 | $82,400 | $41,870 | $170,250 | -22% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,440 | 1.20 | $34,510 | $28,430 | $46,810 | -6% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,440 | 1.83 | $38,930 | $35,790 | $46,560 | -8% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,350 | 1.75 | $29,900 | $22,570 | $37,480 | -19% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,320 | 0.56 | $36,510 | $27,360 | $46,380 | +2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,280 | 1.04 | $21,490 | $15,080 | $48,840 | -39% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,220 | 0.91 | $43,980 | $29,000 | $61,200 | -2% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 890 | 1.18 | $60,780 | $47,220 | $77,500 | -5% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 870 | 1.04 | $50,940 | $36,290 | $74,450 | +3% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 780 | 1.16 | $67,040 | $37,380 | $127,570 | -7% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 720 | 0.78 | $46,230 | $35,270 | $62,100 | -3% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, about 26 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,430 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.5% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.5% |
| Manufacturing | 18.9% |
| Retail trade | 12.5% |
| Construction | 10.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.8% |
| Other services | 7.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 4.9% |
| Public administration | 4.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 0.9% |
| Information | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Charles City lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd County | 15,328 | $1,165 million | $76,031 | 5,716 | 478 | $54,987 | -1.4% | 3.2% | 7,754 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,526 | 39.3% | $76,167 | 3.25 |
| Retail trade | 728 | 18.8% | $33,392 | 1.28 |
| Accommodation and food services | 284 | 7.3% | $15,578 | 0.55 |
| Wholesale trade | 237 | 6.1% | $73,661 | 1.05 |
| Finance and insurance | 212 | 5.5% | $69,831 | 0.91 |
| Construction | 186 | 4.8% | $68,460 | 0.62 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 146 | 3.8% | $41,810 | 0.85 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 120 | 3.1% | $50,182 | 2.59 |
| Administrative and waste services | 94 | 2.4% | $41,442 | 0.28 |
| Professional and technical services | 84 | 2.2% | $63,278 | 0.21 |
| Management of companies | 79 | 2.0% | $85,126 | 0.82 |
| Information | 77 | 2.0% | $41,039 | 0.72 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 66 | 1.7% | $11,950 | 0.69 |
| Real estate and rental | 40 | 1.0% | $33,419 | 0.45 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 81.2% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.2% |
| Work from home | 5.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,180 |
| Income per person | $30,770 |
| Median gross rent per month | $735 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 14.9% |
| Median home value | $115,400 |
| Homeowners | 67.9% |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 87.1 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $47,430 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.80%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 12.8% |
| Born abroad | 3.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 60.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -8.3 | 17 | 25 |
| Feb | -6.6 | 20 | 32 |
| Mar | 1.0 | 34 | 50 |
| Apr | 8.1 | 47 | 99 |
| May | 14.7 | 58 | 122 |
| Jun | 20.4 | 69 | 145 |
| Jul | 22.7 | 73 | 107 |
| Aug | 21.3 | 70 | 104 |
| Sep | 17.1 | 63 | 97 |
| Oct | 9.0 | 48 | 73 |
| Nov | 1.8 | 35 | 45 |
| Dec | -5.2 | 23 | 43 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waverly | IA | 26 mi | 10,494 | $80,284 | $1,057 |
| Mason City | IA | 27 mi | 27,050 | $64,804 | $882 |
| Clear Lake | IA | 36 mi | 7,607 | $79,415 | $808 |
| Cedar Falls | IA | 39 mi | 40,888 | $76,987 | $1,203 |
| Waterloo | IA | 43 mi | 67,008 | $57,480 | $923 |
| Austin | MN | 45 mi | 26,358 | $68,057 | $953 |
| Decorah | IA | 48 mi | 7,535 | $64,366 | $853 |
| Albert Lea | MN | 53 mi | 18,330 | $64,603 | $857 |
| Rochester | MN | 66 mi | 122,330 | $89,389 | $1,399 |
| Webster City | IA | 71 mi | 7,769 | $63,430 | $907 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
7,232 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$735 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 14.9% of the median household income.
$59,180 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.2% (BLS county, Floyd County (latest month 2026M09)).
Iowa. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.