What kinds of homes are in Harlan, IA?

Name: Types of homes in Harlan, IA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Harlan, IA has 2,229 (±135) homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is about 504 homes per square mile of land.

78.0% are detached single-family houses.

6.1% are in buildings of two to four units.

6.5% are in buildings of five or more units.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Housing units: 2,229 (±135)
Detached houses: 78.0%
2–4 unit buildings: 6.1%
5+ unit buildings: 6.5%

Homes in Harlan by building size

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building type	Harlan	Shelby County	Iowa	United States
Single-family, detached	78.0% (±4.6 points)	87.1%	72.2%	61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)	0.7% (±0.7 points)	0.9%	4.5%	6.2%
2 units	2.1% (±1.3 points)	1.1%	2.1%	3.4%
3 or 4 units	4.0% (±3.1 points)	3.2%	3.5%	4.3%
5 to 9 units	1.3% (±1.2 points)	0.6%	3.6%	4.5%
10 to 19 units	0.5% (±0.8 points)	0.3%	4.0%	4.3%
20 or more units	4.7% (±2.4 points)	2.7%	6.9%	10.3%
Mobile home	8.7% (±4.0 points)	4.3%	3.2%	5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.	0.0% (±1.1 points)	0.0%	0.1%	0.1%

In Harlan, the share of homes in buildings of five or more units is not measurably different from Shelby County (3.6%).

It is also lower than in Iowa (14.5%).

It is lower than the national figure (19.1%).

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units in places near Harlan

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Harlan
Place	Distance	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units	Compared with this place
Harlan	—	6.5% (±2.8 points)	—
Westphalia	5.9 mi	0.0% (±50.1 points)	Not measurably different
Kirkman	6.3 mi	0.0% (±82.3 points)	Not measurably different
Tennant	7.2 mi	0.0% (±62.0 points)	Not measurably different
Panama	9.3 mi	0.0% (±32.4 points)	Not measurably different
Portsmouth	9.9 mi	1.9% (±29.4 points)	Not measurably different
Earling	10.0 mi	0.0% (±18.0 points)	Not measurably different
Irwin	12 mi	0.0% (±21.8 points)	Not measurably different
Avoca	12 mi	7.5% (±4.2 points)	Not measurably different

None of the nearby places differs measurably from this one on this figure.

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units across Shelby County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units
1	Shelby	17.1% (±8.6 points)
2	Harlan	6.5% (±2.8 points)
3	Portsmouth	1.9% (±29.4 points)
4	Defiance	0.8% (±25.9 points)
5 (tie)	Earling	0.0% (±18.0 points)
5 (tie)	Elk Horn	0.0% (±12.3 points)
5 (tie)	Irwin	0.0% (±21.8 points)
5 (tie)	Kirkman	0.0% (±82.3 points)

Showing 8 of 11 places in Shelby County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Harlan

How many homes are in Harlan?

Harlan, IA has an estimated 2,229 (±135) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Are most homes in Harlan houses or apartments?

78.0% are detached houses and 0.7% attached houses, while 12.6% are in buildings of two or more units.

How many two-family and small multifamily homes are in Harlan?

6.1% of homes in Harlan are in buildings of two to four units, the small rental buildings that are often owner-occupied.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Harlan city, Iowa

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Harlan city, Iowa (place:34500, in state:19).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0007PE, DP04_0007PM, DP04_0008PE, DP04_0008PM, DP04_0009PE, DP04_0009PM, DP04_0010PE, DP04_0010PM, DP04_0011PE, DP04_0011PM, DP04_0012PE, DP04_0012PM, DP04_0013PE, DP04_0013PM, DP04_0014PE, DP04_0014PM, DP04_0015PE, DP04_0015PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.