Table 55. Selected Operator Characteristics for Principal, Second, and Third Operator: 2012 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All operators 1 
Principal operator 
Second operator 
Third operator 
Operators number 
129,644 
88,637 
35,435 
5,572 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
97,477 
81,529 
12,200 
3,748 
Spouse of principal operator 
1,920 
(X) 
1,863 
57 
Female 
32,167 
7,108 
23,235 
1,824 
Spouse of principal operator 
22,350 
(X) 
21,593 
757 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
64,725 
47,949 
14,061 
2,715 
Other 
64,919 
40,688 
21,374 
2,857 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
91,329 
63,911 
25,001 
2,417 
Not on farm operated 
38,315 
24,726 
10,434 
3,155 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
52,458 
37,692 
12,535 
2,231 
Any 
77,186 
50,945 
22,900 
3,341 
1 to 49 days 
11,216 
7,535 
3,075 
606 
50 to 99 days 
5,192 
3,331 
1,575 
286 
100 to 199 days 
10,228 
6,469 
3,365 
394 
200 days or more 
50,550 
33,610 
14,885 
2,055 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
4,292 
2,285 
1,459 
548 
3 or 4 years 
6,329 
3,616 
2,143 
570 
5 to 9 years 
16,440 
10,048 
5,358 
1,034 
10 years or more 
102,583 
72,688 
26,475 
3,420 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
3,295 
1,671 
1,152 
472 
3 or 4 years 
5,081 
2,807 
1,771 
503 
5 to 9 years 
14,092 
8,373 
4,793 
926 
10 years or more 
107,176 
75,786 
27,719 
3,671 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
1,719 
595 
591 
533 
25 to 34 years 
9,967 
5,647 
3,383 
937 
35 to 44 years 
15,795 
9,824 
5,097 
874 
45 to 54 years 
31,657 
20,765 
9,736 
1,156 
55 to 64 years 
36,359 
25,701 
9,602 
1,056 
65 to 74 years 
21,885 
16,171 
5,058 
656 
75 years and over 
12,262 
9,934 
1,968 
360 
Average age 
55.6 
57.1 
53.0 
48.1 
Number of persons living in household 
276,530 
231,472 
34,744 
10,314 
1 Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
42 Iowa 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
