Poweshiek County
County
Poweshiek County Courthouse
Poweshiek County Courthouse
Map of Iowa highlighting Poweshiek County
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Map of the United States highlighting Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°41′03″N 92°31′48″W / 41.6842°N 92.53°W / 41.6842; -92.53
Country United States
State Iowa
Founded1843
Named forPoweshiek, Meskwaki chief
SeatMontezuma
Largest cityGrinnell
Area
 • Total586 sq mi (1,520 km2)
 • Land585 sq mi (1,520 km2)
 • Water1.1 sq mi (3 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total18,662
 • Density32/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitepoweshiekcounty.org

Poweshiek County is a county in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,662.[1] The county seat is Montezuma.[2] The county is named for the chief of the Fox tribe who signed the treaty ending the Black Hawk War. It lies along Interstate 80 between Des Moines and Iowa City. Poweshiek County's largest city is Grinnell.

History

Poweshiek County was formed in 1843. It was named for Meskwaki Chief Poweshiek (1791–1854),[3] a chief of the Fox Indian people.[4] The Poweshiek County Courthouse, completed in 1859, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]

Government and infrastructure

County business is overseen by three elected county supervisors. The county website provides names and contact information for the current supervisors.[6]

Poweshiek County Elected Officials

  • County Supervisors: Diana Dawley (D), Jason Roudabush (D), Jeff Tindle (R)
  • County Attorney: Bart Klaver (R)
  • County Auditor: Missy Eilander (R)
  • County Recorder: Dianna Longhenry (R)
  • County Sheriff: Tom Kriegel (D)
  • County Treasurer: Sandy Ross (R)
United States presidential election results for Poweshiek County, Iowa[7]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 5,657 55.79% 4,306 42.47% 177 1.75%
2016 4,946 50.30% 4,304 43.77% 583 5.93%
2012 4,424 44.35% 5,357 53.70% 194 1.94%
2008 4,340 43.26% 5,519 55.01% 174 1.73%
2004 4,965 49.20% 5,043 49.98% 83 0.82%
2000 4,396 48.95% 4,222 47.02% 362 4.03%
1996 3,221 39.21% 4,183 50.93% 810 9.86%
1992 3,245 35.87% 4,056 44.83% 1,746 19.30%
1988 3,683 42.70% 4,876 56.53% 66 0.77%
1984 4,715 53.04% 4,103 46.16% 71 0.80%
1980 4,598 50.52% 3,529 38.77% 975 10.71%
1976 4,194 48.01% 4,360 49.91% 181 2.07%
1972 4,785 55.33% 3,718 42.99% 145 1.68%
1968 4,470 55.10% 3,250 40.06% 392 4.83%
1964 3,109 37.31% 5,213 62.55% 12 0.14%
1960 5,232 58.76% 3,671 41.23% 1 0.01%
1956 5,145 58.81% 3,602 41.17% 2 0.02%
1952 6,105 64.28% 3,318 34.93% 75 0.79%
1948 3,888 46.37% 4,324 51.57% 173 2.06%
1944 4,186 49.47% 4,234 50.04% 41 0.48%
1940 4,773 49.66% 4,794 49.88% 44 0.46%
1936 4,037 44.88% 4,745 52.75% 214 2.38%
1932 3,490 41.77% 4,649 55.64% 216 2.59%
1928 5,212 63.95% 2,787 34.20% 151 1.85%
1924 4,414 53.57% 1,428 17.33% 2,397 29.09%
1920 5,806 71.41% 2,125 26.14% 199 2.45%
1916 2,748 57.39% 1,880 39.26% 160 3.34%
1912 902 19.85% 1,631 35.89% 2,012 44.27%
1908 2,794 59.73% 1,661 35.51% 223 4.77%
1904 3,137 67.48% 1,212 26.07% 300 6.45%
1900 3,199 63.05% 1,765 34.79% 110 2.17%
1896 2,969 58.49% 2,013 39.66% 94 1.85%

Healthcare

Poweshiek County is served by Grinnell Regional Medical Center, an acute care hospital licensed for 81 beds. GRMC was established in 1967 after the merger of two hospitals.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 586 square miles (1,520 km2), of which 585 square miles (1,520 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) (0.2%) is water.[8] It is drained by the north fork of Skunk River, which crosses the southwest corner, and by English River and other streams.[9]

Major highways

Transit

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850615—
18605,668821.6%
187015,581174.9%
188018,93621.5%
189018,394−2.9%
190019,4145.5%
191019,5890.9%
192019,9101.6%
193018,727−5.9%
194018,7580.2%
195019,3443.1%
196019,300−0.2%
197018,803−2.6%
198019,3062.7%
199019,033−1.4%
200018,815−1.1%
201018,9140.5%
202018,662−1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2018[14]
Population of Poweshiek County from US census data

2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 18,662 in the county, with a population density of 31.7989/sq mi (12.2776/km2). 96.55% of the population reported being of one race. There were 8,906 housing units, of which 7,536 were occupied.[1]

Poweshiek County Racial Composition[15]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 17,004 91.11%
Black or African American (NH) 320 1.7%
Native American (NH) 53 0.3%
Asian (NH) 221 1.2%
Pacific Islander (NH) 21 0.11%
Other/Mixed (NH) 514 2.8%
Hispanic or Latino 529 2.83%

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 18,914 in the county, with a population density of 32.3300/sq mi (12.4827/km2). There were 8,949 housing units, of which 7,555 were occupied.[16]

2000 census

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Poweshiek County

As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 18,815 people, 7,398 households, and 4,882 families in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile (12 people/km2). There were 8,556 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (5.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.74% White, 0.55% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. 1.20% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 7,398 households 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 29.2% of households were one person and 13.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.88.

The age distribution was 22.7% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.

The median household income was $37,836 and the median family income was $46,599. Males had a median income of $32,781 versus $22,465 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,629. About 6.2% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Poweshiek County is served by three community school districts: [18]

DistrictLocationNum of
campuses

(inc. parochial)

Num of
students		Student–
teacher
ratio		High schoolDistrict
web site
BGM Community School District
(Brooklyn–Guernsey–Malcom)		Brooklyn1532-BGMBGM
Grinnell–Newburg Community School DistrictGrinnell61,475-GrinnellGrinnell
Montezuma Community School DistrictMontezuma1537-MontezumaMontezuma

Poweshiek County is home to Grinnell College, a small liberal arts college founded in 1846.

There is one private school in the county, Central Iowa Christian School, in Grinnell.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

  • Ewart

Population

Political Townships

Census-designated places

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Poweshiek County.[1]

† county seat

Rank City/town/etc. Municipal type Population (2020 Census)
1 Grinnell City 9,564
2 Brooklyn City 1,502
3 † Montezuma City 1,442
4 Victor (mostly in Iowa County) City 875
5 Holiday Lake CDP 473
6 Malcom City 270
7 Deep River City 249
8 Barnes City (partially in Mahaska County) City 156
9 Searsboro City 129
10 Hartwick City 92
11 Guernsey City 63

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "2020 Census State Redistricting Data". census.gov. United states Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Colbert, Thomas Burnell (November–December 2014). "Poweshiek: His power, politics and people" (PDF). Iowa History Journal: 12–16.
  4. ↑ "Details Page - The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa - The University of Iowa Libraries". uipress.lib.uiowa.edu.
  5. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Supervisors - Poweshiek County Iowa". Poweshiek County Iowa. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  7. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  8. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  9. ↑ Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Poweshiek" . The American Cyclopædia.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  14. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  15. ↑ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Poweshiek County, Iowa".
  16. ↑ "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010" (PDF). United States Census Bureau – American FactFinder. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  17. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  18. ↑ "Poweshiek County Schools | FindOurSchool.com". Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
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