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Hiawatha, Iowa
Hiawatha City Hall
Hiawatha City Hall
Flag of Hiawatha, Iowa
Flag
Official seal of Hiawatha, Iowa
Seal
Motto(s): 
Say hello to a great place to
live, work and play
Location in the State of Iowa
Location in the State of Iowa
Detailed map of Hiawatha, Iowa
Detailed map of Hiawatha, Iowa
Country  United States
State  Iowa
County Linn
Incorporated June 12, 1950
Government
 • Type Mayor–Council
Area
 • Total 4.77 sq mi (12.36 km2)
 • Land 4.76 sq mi (12.34 km2)
 • Water 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
850 ft (260 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 7,183
 • Density 1,507.45/sq mi (582.01/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
52233
Area code(s) 319
FIPS code 19-35940
GNIS feature ID 0457418
Website www.hiawatha-iowa.com

Hiawatha is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. It is a suburb located near Cedar Rapids and is part of the larger Cedar Rapids area. In 2020, about 7,183 people lived there. This was more than the 6,480 people who lived there in 2000.

Hiawatha's History

In 1946, a businessman named Fay Clark had a big idea. He imagined a new city with homes and a highway in Linn County, Iowa. In 1950, Clark and 45 other people signed a paper. They wanted Hiawatha to become the 17th official town in Linn County. The town was named after Clark's trailer company.

That same year, Fay Clark and Henry Katz started the Linn County Fire Association. This group helped provide fire protection to nearby communities. Clark was the mayor of Hiawatha from 1950 to 1958. He also served as mayor from 1961 to 1963. Clark passed away in 1991 when he was 84 years old.

Hiawatha celebrated its new City Hall on May 17, 2008. The city also celebrated its 60th birthday in May 2010.

About Hiawatha's Location

Hiawatha is located at coordinates 42.044409 degrees north and -91.681025 degrees west.

The city covers a total area of about 4.23 square miles (10.96 square kilometers). All of this area is land. Hiawatha is about 850 feet (260 meters) above sea level. The city has about 1,884 people per square mile. This is considered a low population density for a city.

Hiawatha's Climate

Hiawatha experiences a range of temperatures throughout the year. Summers are warm, and winters are cold. The city also gets a good amount of rain, especially in the warmer months.

Monthly Normal, Record High and Low Temperatures, and precipitation
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rec High °F 68 73 88 94 104 103 110 108 105 94 80 69
Norm High °F 28 35 47 62 73 82 85 83 76 64 46 33
Norm Low °F 12 18 25 39 50 60 64 62 54 42 30 17
Rec Low °F -27 -28 -17 3 24 36 42 37 22 -2 -10 -28
Precip (in) 1.13 1.10 2.08 3.46 4.50 4.80 4.47 4.73 3.79 2.58 2.50 1.48
Source: Weather.com

Hiawatha's Population

Historical population
Census Pop.
1960 1,336
1970 2,416 80.8%
1980 4,825 99.7%
1990 4,986 3.3%
2000 6,480 30.0%
2010 7,024 8.4%
2020 7,183 2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
HiawathaIowaPopPlot
The population of Hiawatha, Iowa from US census data

The population of Hiawatha has grown over the years. In 1960, there were 1,336 people. By 2020, the population had increased to 7,183.

Population in 2020

In 2020, Hiawatha had 7,183 people living in 3,154 households. There were also 1,861 families. The city had about 1,514 people per square mile. Most residents (80.9%) were White. Other groups included Black or African American (6.8%) and Asian (4.4%). About 3.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Hiawatha was 38.6 years. About 24.2% of residents were under 20 years old. About 17.7% were 65 years or older. The city's population was almost evenly split between males (49.8%) and females (50.2%).

Parks and Recreation

Hiawatha has three parks for everyone to enjoy. Each park offers free Wi-Fi. They also have Little Free Libraries. These are small boxes where you can borrow or share books.

  • Guthridge Park is on Emmons Street, between 7th and 10th.
  • Tucker Park is located on B Avenue.
  • Clark Park is found off N. 18th Avenue.

Nature Trails

Hiawatha is home to parts of the Cedar Valley Nature Trail. You can find a special starting point for the trail on Boyson Road. This trailhead has picnic tables, restrooms, maps, and parking.

The main trail is almost 52 miles (84 km) long. It goes northwest from Hiawatha to Evansdale. The first 4 miles (6.4 km) from Hiawatha are paved. The trail is a great place to see wildflowers and local plants. You might also spot lots of wildlife and birds.

Another trail connects from the Cedar Valley Nature Trail. It goes south through Hiawatha. This path links up with the Cedar River trail in Cedar Rapids. That trail is about 12.6 miles (20.3 km) long. Hiawatha's city parks also have smaller walking trails.

Farmers Market

Hiawatha has a fun farmers market. It is held in the 10th Avenue parking lot at Guthridge Park. The market is open on Sundays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Many local sellers come to the market. They sell fresh vegetables, fruits, and flowers. You can also find baked goods, homemade foods, and crafts.

Education in Hiawatha

Students in Hiawatha attend schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District.

Public Schools

  • Hiawatha Elementary School (home of the Cougars) opened in 1958. It is located at 603 Emmonds Street. The school has about 310 students from kindergarten to fifth grade.
  • Nixon Elementary School (home of the Bobcats) opened in 1970. It is located at 200 Nixon Drive. This school has about 330 students from kindergarten to fifth grade.
  • Most elementary students go to Hiawatha or Nixon. Some western parts of the city go to Viola Gibson Elementary School.
  • For middle and high school, students attend Harding Middle School and Kennedy High School.

Private Schools

  • Essential Montessori School is a private school in Hiawatha. It is located at 1350 Blairs Ferry Road Suite A. The school has about 46 students. They range from prekindergarten to kindergarten age.

Transportation

Bus service in Hiawatha is provided by Cedar Rapids Transit. Route 30 connects the city to other areas in the region.

Notable People

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hiawatha (Iowa) para niños

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