Can households afford energy in Iowa?
26th of 51. All Iowa households: 2.8% ($2,445 of $86,754). Same income group, U.S.: 8.3%. Under 30% of median: 18.3% on $8,961. Renters 3.1%, owners 2.8%.
Iowa burden by income bracket
At or above 6% in Iowa: under 30%, 30% to 60%. Together 26% of homes (341,387 of 1,290,139).
Iowa burden, % of income
- 18.3Under 30%
- 7.130% to 60%
- 4.960% to 80%
- 4.080% to 100%
- 2.0Over 100%
Getting the average under-30% household in Iowa down to 6% takes $1,101 off its $1,639 energy cost, or $18,356 more income.
Iowa income, cost and burden
| Bracket | Iowa homes | Share | Iowa income | Electric | All energy | Iowa burden | U.S. burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30% | 131,810 | 10% | $8,961 | $1,001 | $1,639 | 18.3% | 17.0% |
| 30% to 60% | 209,577 | 16% | $29,061 | $1,224 | $2,073 | 7.1% | 6.3% |
| 60% to 80% | 150,851 | 12% | $47,783 | $1,354 | $2,344 | 4.9% | 4.3% |
| 80% to 100% | 146,165 | 11% | $61,336 | $1,388 | $2,450 | 4.0% | 3.4% |
| Over 100% | 651,735 | 51% | $135,761 | $1,541 | $2,750 | 2.0% | 1.6% |
| All | 1,290,139 | 100% | $86,754 | $1,395 | $2,445 | 2.8% | 2.2% |
Renters, owners and fuel in Iowa
Renters pay $1,262 on $40,458 (3.1%); owners $2,917 on $105,192 (2.8%); U.S. 2.4% and 2.2%. Most common fuel: utility gas, 61% of homes. Heaviest burden: fuel oil, 8.2%.
| Iowa heating fuel | Homes | Share | Iowa income | All energy | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 307,246 | 23.8% | $73,836 | $1,552 | 2.1% |
| Utility gas | 781,670 | 60.6% | $90,491 | $2,272 | 2.5% |
| Bottled gas (propane) | 165,273 | 12.8% | $95,770 | $4,860 | 5.1% |
| Fuel oil | 5,073 | 0.4% | $65,969 | $5,396 | 8.2% |
| Wood, coal, solar and other | 30,878 | 2.4% | $75,859 | $2,323 | 3.1% |
Your burden against Iowa
Help and shutoff rules in Iowa
FY2024 LIHEAP heating help: 82,693 homes, 24 per 100 under 60% of median.
FY2026 funding snapshot $58,805,299, $172 per such home.
Eligibility listed: Heating: 200% Federal Poverty Level Crisis: 150% Federal Poverty Level Weatherization: 200% Federal Poverty Level.
Benefits listed: Heating: $80 minimum, $800 maximum Crisis: $5,200 maximum.
- LIHEAP phone 1-800-972-2017
- Clearinghouse snapshot, Iowa
- Iowa help with your bill
Iowa has a cold-weather clause; wording on the help page.
Read: Iowa Admin. Code r. 199-20.4(14)-(15) (electric customer relations: disconnection, special circumstances) and 199-20.4(8) payment agreements, checked 2026-10-02; some utilities only.
Not legal advice. Ask your Iowa utility.
Highest-burden Iowa counties
99 counties with 1,000+ homes; top: Adair County at 5.6%, lowest of the 99: Dallas County at 1.6%.
| Iowa county | Homes | Income | All energy | Burden | Under 60% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County | 3,224 | $75,295 | $4,230 | 5.6% | 15.7% |
| Osceola County | 2,631 | $81,786 | $4,584 | 5.6% | 17.2% |
| Van Buren County | 2,842 | $70,819 | $3,902 | 5.5% | 16.3% |
| Kossuth County | 6,421 | $71,942 | $3,868 | 5.4% | 14.4% |
| Decatur County | 3,058 | $63,105 | $3,382 | 5.4% | 12.9% |
| Audubon County | 2,535 | $71,355 | $3,776 | 5.3% | 14.7% |
| Lyon County | 4,412 | $90,268 | $4,647 | 5.2% | 15.8% |
| Howard County | 3,636 | $75,910 | $3,844 | 5.1% | 16.3% |
Next to Iowa in the ranking
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Sources
DOE LEAD 2022; LIHEAP Clearinghouse; CSV.
Questions
How much of income do Iowa households spend on energy?
2.8% for all households ($2,445 of $86,754) and 8.9% under 60% of median income. U.S.: 2.2%, 8.3%.
Who is hit hardest in Iowa?
Households under 30% of median income: 18.3%, 131,810 homes spending $1,639 on $8,961.
How many Iowa homes get LIHEAP heating help?
82,693 in FY2024, 24 per 100 homes under 60% of median; not a take-up rate.
Is electricity the whole Iowa energy burden?
No: electricity is 1.6% of 2.8%; gas and other fuel are the rest.