Bordering states
Iowa vs Minnesota
Short answer
- IA
- 3,241,488
- MN
- 5,793,151
The two states, county by county
Both maps share one density scale, so the same shade means the same number of people per square mile on either side of the border. Darker counties are denser. Select a county to open its page.
Iowa
Minnesota
- < 15
- < 23
- < 32
- < 66
- ≥ 66
Side by side
| Measure | Iowa | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Residents, 2024 | 3,241,488 | 5,793,151 |
| Rank by population | 32nd | 22nd |
| Land, sq mi | 55,854 | 79,632 |
| People per sq mi | 58.0 | 72.7 |
| County-equivalents | 99 | 87 |
| Median county residents | 15,008 | 22,050 |
| Median county income | $68,654 | $71,573 |
| Most populous county | Polk County | Hennepin County |
| Largest county by land | Kossuth County | St. Louis County |
| Capital | Des Moines | Saint Paul |
| Daylight at capital, June 21 | 15 h 12 min | 15 h 37 min |
| Census division | West North Central | West North Central |
Population and density
Minnesota has 5,793,151 residents, 79% more than Iowa's 3,241,488. Iowa ranks 32nd and Minnesota 22nd of the 50 states and DC. Minnesota is the more crowded, with 72.7 people per square mile against 58.0, 25% more.
Land area
Minnesota has 79,632 square miles of land, 43% more than Iowa's 55,854. The largest county-equivalent in Iowa is Kossuth County at 973 square miles; in Minnesota it is St. Louis County at 6,248.
Counties
Iowa is divided into 99 county-equivalents and Minnesota into 87, so an average Iowa county covers 564 square miles against 915. The typical county in Iowa has 15,008 residents, against 22,050 in Minnesota. The most populous are Polk County (516,185) and Hennepin County (1,273,334).
10 county names appear on both sides of the border: Benton, Cass, Clay, Jackson, Lyon, Marshall, Polk, Scott, Washington, Wright. Use the FIPS code, not the name, when joining data across the two states.
Household income
The median county in Minnesota has a household income of $71,573, 4% above Iowa's $68,654. The highest county incomes are Dallas County ($102,189) in Iowa and Carver County ($129,437) in Minnesota, from SAIPE 2023.
Capitals and daylight
Des Moines and Saint Paul are 234 miles apart in a straight line; from Des Moines the initial bearing is 6°, N. On June 21, 2026, Des Moines gets 15 h 12 min of daylight and Saint Paul 15 h 37 min; on December 21 the figures are 9 h 10 min and 8 h 46 min. Month by month tables are on the Des Moines and Saint Paul daylight pages.
Where they sit
Both are in the Census West North Central division of the Midwest region. By county internal points, Iowa spans 2 UTM zones and Minnesota 2.
Questions people ask
Which is bigger, Iowa or Minnesota?
Minnesota, with 79,632 square miles of land against 55,854, 1.43 times as large.
Which has more people, Iowa or Minnesota?
Minnesota has 5,793,151 residents, 79% more than Iowa's 3,241,488.
How far is Des Moines from Saint Paul?
234 miles in a straight line, heading N (6°) from Des Moines.
Do Iowa and Minnesota have counties with the same name?
Yes, 10: Benton, Cass, Clay, Jackson, Lyon, Marshall, Polk, Scott, Washington, Wright.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
- 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
- 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
- 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
- 04Census Bureau regions and divisions of the United States (last verified 2026-09-30)
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.