Jobs, pay and daily life in Mason 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.
Mason City is a city in Iowa with 27,050 residents. The median household earns $64,804 a year and the median rent is $882 a month, which is 16.3% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Mason City compares. Among the 60 largest places in Iowa, Mason City is #18 by population, #57 for remote work (#1 = most), #7 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #52 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Cerro Gordo County, is #27 of 99 counties for average pay ($54,949).
Mason City has 27,050 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Iowa. It covers 28 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 959 people per square mile. The median age is 42.5, 10% older than the state median (42.5 against 38.6).
The median gross rent is $882 a month (rent plus utilities), 9% below the state median ($882 against $972). Over a year that is 16.3% 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 $142,000, which is 2.2 times the median household income ($64,804); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 65.5% of households own their home, 9% below the state average (65.5% against 71.7%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Cerro Gordo County was 3.0%. 63.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Cerro Gordo County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 81.0% drive alone, 0.9% use public transit, 4.2% walk, 4.3% work from home. 3.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 60% below the state average (3.3% against 8.2%).
20.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 34% below the state share (20.8% against 31.4%). 3.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 44% below the state share (3.3% against 5.9%). The poverty rate is 12.0%, 8% above the state rate (12.0% against 11.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 17°F (-8.2°C). About 937 mm (37 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (146 mm) and Jan the driest (24 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: Clear Lake (9 miles, rent 8% lower); Charles City (27 miles, rent 17% lower); Albert Lea (36 miles, similar rent); Austin (38 miles, rent 8% higher). Rent differences are against Mason City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Iowa (226) →State guide: IowaCountry guideCerro Gordo 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.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.3% |
| Manufacturing | 16.4% |
| Retail trade | 16.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.8% |
| Construction | 4.5% |
| Other services | 4.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.2% |
| Public administration | 2.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.2% |
| Information | 2.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Mason 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerro Gordo County | 42,632 | $3,729 million | $87,481 | 23,531 | 1,681 | $54,949 | +1.5% | 3.0% | 22,018 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 5,113 | 25.9% | $67,068 | 1.52 |
| Retail trade | 3,329 | 16.9% | $34,769 | 1.42 |
| Manufacturing | 2,718 | 13.8% | $61,154 | 1.41 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,043 | 10.3% | $21,242 | 0.95 |
| Construction | 1,254 | 6.3% | $75,620 | 1.02 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,059 | 5.4% | $74,227 | 1.14 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,013 | 5.1% | $40,237 | 0.73 |
| Professional and technical services | 805 | 4.1% | $78,533 | 0.49 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 697 | 3.5% | $38,176 | 0.98 |
| Finance and insurance | 565 | 2.9% | $79,575 | 0.59 |
| Management of companies | 280 | 1.4% | $94,994 | 0.71 |
| Information | 264 | 1.3% | $65,842 | 0.60 |
| Educational services | 226 | 1.1% | $30,286 | 0.46 |
| Real estate and rental | 202 | 1.0% | $46,460 | 0.55 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 183 | 0.9% | $22,173 | 0.46 |
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 | 81.0% |
| Public transit | 0.9% |
| Walk | 4.2% |
| Work from home | 4.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,804 |
| Income per person | $37,494 |
| Median gross rent per month | $882 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 16.3% |
| Median home value | $142,000 |
| Homeowners | 65.5% |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
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 | 42.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 20.8% |
| Born abroad | 3.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 63.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -8.2 | 17 | 24 |
| Feb | -6.5 | 20 | 32 |
| Mar | 1.1 | 34 | 51 |
| Apr | 8.2 | 47 | 98 |
| May | 14.8 | 59 | 124 |
| Jun | 20.5 | 69 | 146 |
| Jul | 22.8 | 73 | 106 |
| Aug | 21.2 | 70 | 102 |
| Sep | 17.2 | 63 | 98 |
| Oct | 9.0 | 48 | 73 |
| Nov | 1.9 | 35 | 42 |
| Dec | -5.2 | 23 | 41 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Lake | IA | 9 mi | 7,607 | $79,415 | $808 |
| Charles City | IA | 27 mi | 7,232 | $59,180 | $735 |
| Albert Lea | MN | 36 mi | 18,330 | $64,603 | $857 |
| Austin | MN | 38 mi | 26,358 | $68,057 | $953 |
| Waverly | IA | 47 mi | 10,494 | $80,284 | $1,057 |
| Webster City | IA | 57 mi | 7,769 | $63,430 | $907 |
| Cedar Falls | IA | 58 mi | 40,888 | $76,987 | $1,203 |
| Waterloo | IA | 62 mi | 67,008 | $57,480 | $923 |
| Owatonna | MN | 65 mi | 26,498 | $80,750 | $1,067 |
| Fort Dodge | IA | 66 mi | 24,827 | $60,649 | $785 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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27,050 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$882 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 16.3% of the median household income.
$64,804 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.0% (BLS county, Cerro Gordo County (latest month 2026M09)).
Iowa. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.