Northwood is a city in Worth County, Iowa, United States, along the Shell Rock River. The population was 1,989 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Worth County. Northwood is part of the Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area. Local events can be found on the chamber website here.
As of 2026 the population of Northwood is 1,976. The population is expected to shrink to 1,946 by 2031 - a growth rate of -0.31%.
The median age of Northwood residents is 42.
The diversity index of Northwood is 19.3, meaning that there is a 19% chance that any two people selected out of 100 residents will be of different race or ethnicity from one another.
The average household income in Northwood is $85,040 and projected to be $93,176 in 2031. Per capita income is $38,995, projected to be $42,989 in 2031. 1.21% of households – 24 – have an income of $200,000 or higher. Average net worth is $815,677 and the average disposable income is $66,011.
There are 979 housing units in Northwood; 707 are owner-occupied, 195 are rented, and 77 are vacant. The average home value is $199,137, with 19 homes built in 2010 or later, and 390 built in 1939 or earlier.
There are 148 businesses in Northwood, employing 1,232 workers and pulling from a labor force of 984 age 16 and above. 181 workers commute into Northwood from outside the county or state. Key industries for the area include:
592 residents both live and work in/around Northwood. The average travel time is 0.0 minutes. 19.43% people have a commute of less than 5 minutes while 2.2% commute 90 minutes or more each way. Of commuters, 736 drive alone, 150 carpool, and 0 take public transportation. 41 use other modes of transport such as motorcycle, bicycle, walking, etc. 57 residents work from home.
500 members of the workforce hold a high school diploma or GED. 157 have associates degrees, 228 have bachelor’s degrees, and 44 hold a graduate or professional degree.
Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09
