Avoca, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Avoca, Iowa
|
|
|---|---|
Downtown Avoca, Iowa
|
|
Location of Avoca, Iowa
|
|
 Avoca, Iowa
Location in Iowa
Avoca, Iowa
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Pottawattamie |
| Township | Knox |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.38 sq mi (6.17 km2) |
| • Land | 2.38 sq mi (6.17 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,155 ft (352 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 1,683 |
| • Density | 707.1/sq mi (272.77/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
51521
|
| Area code(s) | 712 |
| FIPS code | 19-03970 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394042 |
| Website | City of Avoca |
Avoca is a city in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The name "Avoca" comes from an Irish word meaning 'the great river'. In 2020, about 1,683 people lived there.
Contents
History of Avoca
Avoca was started in 1869. This happened when the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was building its tracks through the area. The city got its name from a place in Ireland, mentioned in a poem called "The Meeting of the Waters" by Thomas Moore. This poem talks about the River Avoca in Ireland.
Avoca quickly became an important place for the farms nearby. It offered services and supplies to the farmers in the region. In 2005, the city opened a new local swimming pool for everyone to enjoy.
Pottawattamie County has a second courthouse in Avoca. This helps people in the northeastern part of the county, because the main county seat, Council Bluffs, is far away in the southwestern part of the county.
Geography of Avoca
Avoca is located in a special area of Iowa called the Loess Hills. These hills are made of fine, wind-blown soil. The city is situated between two parts of the Nishnabotna River: the West Nishnabotna River and its East Branch.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of about 2.13 square miles (6.17 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
People Living in Avoca
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1900 | 1,627 | — |
| 1910 | 1,520 | −6.6% |
| 1920 | 1,482 | −2.5% |
| 1930 | 1,673 | +12.9% |
| 1940 | 1,598 | −4.5% |
| 1950 | 1,595 | −0.2% |
| 1960 | 1,540 | −3.4% |
| 1970 | 1,535 | −0.3% |
| 1980 | 1,650 | +7.5% |
| 1990 | 1,497 | −9.3% |
| 2000 | 1,610 | +7.5% |
| 2010 | 1,506 | −6.5% |
| 2020 | 1,683 | +11.8% |
| Source: and Iowa Data Center Source: |
||
2020 Census Information
In 2020, the census showed that 1,683 people lived in Avoca. There were 704 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. The population density was about 706 people per square mile (272.7 people per square kilometer). This means how many people live in a certain area.
Most people in Avoca were White (92.0%). A smaller number of people were Black or African American (0.7%), Native American (0.7%), or Asian (0.8%). About 4.5% of people were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 3.7% of the population.
In the households, about 30.7% had children under 18 living with them. The average age of people in Avoca was 42.1 years old. About 25.7% of the residents were under 20 years old. Also, 21.8% were 65 years old or older. The city had slightly more females (50.7%) than males (49.3%).
Education in Avoca
The schools in Avoca are part of the AHSTW Community School District. Over the years, the school district has combined with schools from nearby towns.
- In 1957, Avoca and Hancock joined to form the Avo-Ha Community School District.
- Then, on July 1, 1996, this district merged with schools from Shelby and Tennant to create the A-H-S-T Community School District.
- Finally, on July 1, 2016, the small town of Walnut joined, and the district became known as AHSTW.
The schools and towns in this area are known as a safe and great place for families to live and grow.
Famous People from Avoca
Avoca has been home to some well-known people:
- Richard Beymer (born 1938) is an actor. He is famous for playing the main role of Tony in the 1961 movie West Side Story.
- Johnny Carson (1925-2005) was a very famous television comedian. He lived in Avoca when he was a child, before his family moved to Nebraska in 1936.
- Edwin T. Meredith (1876–1928) was an important person in the government. He served as the United States Secretary of Agriculture under President Woodrow Wilson.
- Richard C. Turner (1927-1986) was a lawyer and politician in Iowa. He was born in Avoca.
Images for kids
-
The population of Avoca, Iowa over many years, based on US census data.
See also
In Spanish: Avoca (Iowa) para niños
