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Cerro Gordo County, Iowa facts for kids

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Cerro Gordo County
Cerro Gordo County Courthouse
Cerro Gordo County Courthouse
Map of Iowa highlighting Cerro Gordo County
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Map of the United States highlighting Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Iowa
Founded 1851
Named for Battle of Cerro Gordo
Seat Mason City
Largest city Mason City
Area
 • Total 575 sq mi (1,490 km2)
 • Land 568 sq mi (1,470 km2)
 • Water 6.8 sq mi (18 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 43,127
 • Density 75.00/sq mi (28.959/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 4th

Cerro Gordo County (/ˈsɛr ˈɡɔːrd/; Spanish: [ˈsero ˈɣoɾðo]) is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 43,127. Its county seat is Mason City. The county is named for the Battle of Cerro Gordo, which took place during the Mexican–American War.

Cerro Gordo County is part of the Mason City, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Cerro Gordo County was formed in 1851 and takes its name from the Battle of Cerro Gordo in the Mexican–American War, where General Winfield Scott defeated the Mexican General Santa Anna on April 18, 1847.

In 1851 the first white settlers came into the area of the present county and settled on Clear Lake. Four years later, on August 7, 1855, the first elections were held and the first legal proceedings occurred in 1857. In the summer of the same year, Livonia was chosen as the new county seat. In 1858, the seat was returned to Mason City. In 1866, the first courthouse was erected, which was used until 1900. The courthouse still used today opened on November 17, 1960.

Cerro Gordo County was the site of the airplane crash north of the city of Clear Lake, in which rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, along with their pilot Roger A. Peterson, were killed on February 3, 1959. The site is in Grant Township, in the northwestern part of the county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 575 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 568 square miles (1,470 km2) is land and 6.8 square miles (18 km2) (1.2%) is water.

Major highways

  • I-35.svg Interstate 35
  • US 18.svg U.S. Highway 18
  • US 65.svg U.S. Highway 65
  • Elongated circle 27.svg Iowa Highway 27
  • Elongated circle 122.svg Iowa Highway 122

Transit

  • Mason City Transit
  • List of intercity bus stops in Iowa

Airport

The county also has a municipal airport, Mason City Municipal Airport, (MCW).

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1860 940
1870 4,722 402.3%
1880 11,461 142.7%
1890 14,864 29.7%
1900 20,672 39.1%
1910 25,011 21.0%
1920 34,675 38.6%
1930 38,476 11.0%
1940 43,845 14.0%
1950 46,053 5.0%
1960 49,894 8.3%
1970 49,223 −1.3%
1980 48,458 −1.6%
1990 46,733 −3.6%
2000 46,447 −0.6%
2010 44,151 −4.9%
2020 43,127 −2.3%
2023 (est.) 42,406 −4.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2018
CerroGordoCountyIowaPop2020
Population of Cerro Gordo County from US census data

2020 census

CerroGordoCountyIA2022PopPyr
2022 US Census population pyramid for Cerro Gordo County from ACS 5-year estimates

The 2020 census recorded a population of 43,127 in the county, with a population density of 74.9654/sq mi (28.9443/km2). There were 22,603 housing units of which 19,224 were occupied.

Cerro Gordo County Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 37,819 87.7%
Black or African American (NH) 848 2%
Native American (NH) 96 0.22%
Asian (NH) 535 1.24%
Pacific Islander (NH) 137 0.32%
Other/Mixed (NH) 1,449 3.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2,243 5.2%

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 44,151 in the county, with a population density of 77.73/sq mi (30.01/km2). There were 22,163 housing units, of which 19,350 were occupied.

Communities

Cities

Townships

Cerro Gordo County is divided into sixteen townships:

  • Bath
  • Clear Lake
  • Dougherty
  • Falls
  • Geneseo
  • Grant
  • Grimes
  • Lake
  • Lime Creek
  • Lincoln
  • Mason
  • Mount Vernon
  • Owen
  • Pleasant Valley
  • Portland
  • Union

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Cerro Gordo County.

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2020 Census)
1 Mason City City 27,338
2 Clear Lake City 7,687
3 Nora Springs (mostly in Floyd County) City 1,369
4 Rockwell City 1,071
5 Ventura City 711
6 Thornton City 400
7 Plymouth City 375
8 Meservey City 222
9 Swaledale City 144
10 Rock Falls City 150
11 Dougherty City 62
12 Burchinal CDP 33
13 Portland CDP 28

Economy

In September 2016 Cerro Gordo County supervisors voted to appeal the Iowa Department of Natural Resources's decision to approve construction of a hog confinement facility near Ventura, Iowa.

Law enforcement

The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office is headed by Sheriff Kevin Pals. The Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement, performs investigations, executes legal processes such as writs, and is responsible for operating the county jail and for inmates in custody.

The Sheriff's Office is at 17262 Lark Ave, Mason City, IA 50401.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado Cerro Gordo (Iowa) para niños

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