Decatur County, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Decatur County
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Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
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 Iowa's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| Founded | 1846 |
| Named for | Stephen Decatur Jr. |
| Seat | Leon |
| Largest city | Lamoni |
| Area | |
| • Total | 533 sq mi (1,380 km2) |
| • Land | 532 sq mi (1,380 km2) |
| • Water | 1.6 sq mi (4 km2) 0.3% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,645 |
| • Density | 14.343/sq mi (5.538/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
Decatur County (/dɪˈkeɪtər/) is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,645. The county seat is Leon. This county is named for Stephen Decatur Jr., a hero in the War of 1812.
Contents
History
Decatur County was organized in 1850 and named for Stephen Decatur, a naval hero of the War of 1812. The current courthouse was dedicated in 1908.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 533 square miles (1,380 km2), of which 532 square miles (1,380 km2) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) (0.3%) is water.
Major highways
Interstate 35
U.S. Highway 69
Iowa Highway 2
Transit
- Jefferson Lines
Adjacent counties
- Clarke County (north)
- Wayne County (east)
- Mercer County, Missouri (southeast)
- Harrison County, Missouri (southwest)
- Ringgold County (west)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 965 | — | |
| 1860 | 8,677 | 799.2% | |
| 1870 | 12,018 | 38.5% | |
| 1880 | 15,336 | 27.6% | |
| 1890 | 15,643 | 2.0% | |
| 1900 | 18,115 | 15.8% | |
| 1910 | 16,347 | −9.8% | |
| 1920 | 16,566 | 1.3% | |
| 1930 | 14,903 | −10.0% | |
| 1940 | 14,012 | −6.0% | |
| 1950 | 12,601 | −10.1% | |
| 1960 | 10,539 | −16.4% | |
| 1970 | 9,737 | −7.6% | |
| 1980 | 9,794 | 0.6% | |
| 1990 | 8,338 | −14.9% | |
| 2000 | 8,689 | 4.2% | |
| 2010 | 8,457 | −2.7% | |
| 2020 | 7,645 | −9.6% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 7,665 | −9.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2018 |
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2020 census
The 2020 census recorded a population of 7,645 in the county, with a population density of 14.3482/sq mi (5.5399/km2). 96.44% of the population reported being of one race. There were 3,653 housing units of which 2,986 were occupied.
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 7,010 | 91.7% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 97 | 1.26% |
| Native American (NH) | 17 | 0.22% |
| Asian (NH) | 39 | 0.51% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 21 | 0.27% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 250 | 3.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 211 | 2.8% |
2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 8,457 in the county, with a population density of 15.897/sq mi (6.138/km2). There were 3,834 housing units, of which 3,223 were occupied.
County officials
Supervisors
Steve Fulkerson
Doug Tharp
Ward Graham
Treasurer
Janet Pierson
Attorney
Alan Wilson
Auditor
Charlene Hoover
Recorder
Erica Cook
Sheriff
Chris Lane
Assessor
Justin Cornett
Engineer
Justin Savage
Clerk of Court
Traci Tharp
Public Health Administrator
Shelley Bickel
Veterans Affairs Administrator
Samantha Schaff
Conservation Director
Kayla Clausen
Mental Health Director
Kathy Lerma
Communities
Cities
Townships
Decatur County is divided into these townships:
- Bloomington
- Burrell
- Center
- Decatur
- Eden
- Fayette
- Franklin
- Garden Grove
- Grand River
- Hamilton
- High Point
- Long Creek
- Morgan
- New Buda
- Richland
- Woodland
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Decatur County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
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| 1 | Lamoni | City | 1,969 |
| 2 | † Leon | City | 1,822 |
| 3 | Grand River | City | 196 |
| 4 | Davis City | City | 179 |
| 5 | Van Wert | City | 178 |
| 6 | Decatur City | City | 175 |
| 7 | Garden Grove | City | 174 |
| 8 | Weldon (partially in Clarke County) | City | 136 |
| 9 | Pleasanton | City | 32 |
| 10 | Le Roy | City | 11 |
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Decatur (Iowa) para niños
