Howard County, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Howard 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 | 1851 |
| Named for | Tilghman Howard |
| Seat | Cresco |
| Largest city | Cresco |
| Area | |
| • Total | 474 sq mi (1,230 km2) |
| • Land | 473 sq mi (1,230 km2) |
| • Water | 0.4 sq mi (1 km2) 0.08% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,469 |
| • Density | 19.977/sq mi (7.713/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
Howard County is a special area in the state of Iowa, USA. It's like a big district with its own government. In 2020, about 9,469 people lived here. The main town, called the county seat, is Cresco. Howard County was started in 1851. It was named after General Tilghman Howard, who was a representative from Indiana.
Contents
About Howard County's Land
Howard County covers a total area of about 474 square miles (1,228 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 473 square miles (1,225 square kilometers), is land. Only a tiny part, about 0.4 square miles (1 square kilometer), is water.
Main Roads in Howard County
These are the important roads that go through Howard County:
U.S. Highway 63
Iowa Highway 9
Iowa Highway 139
Neighboring Counties
Howard County shares its borders with several other counties:
- To the northwest: Mower County, Minnesota
- To the north: Fillmore County, Minnesota
- To the east: Winneshiek County
- To the south: Chickasaw County
- To the west: Mitchell County
- To the southwest: Floyd County
People Living in Howard County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 3,168 | — | |
| 1870 | 6,282 | 98.3% | |
| 1880 | 10,837 | 72.5% | |
| 1890 | 11,182 | 3.2% | |
| 1900 | 14,512 | 29.8% | |
| 1910 | 12,920 | −11.0% | |
| 1920 | 13,705 | 6.1% | |
| 1930 | 13,082 | −4.5% | |
| 1940 | 13,531 | 3.4% | |
| 1950 | 13,105 | −3.1% | |
| 1960 | 12,734 | −2.8% | |
| 1970 | 11,442 | −10.1% | |
| 1980 | 11,114 | −2.9% | |
| 1990 | 9,809 | −11.7% | |
| 2000 | 9,932 | 1.3% | |
| 2010 | 9,566 | −3.7% | |
| 2020 | 9,469 | −1.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 9,376 | −2.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2018 |
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Every ten years, the United States counts its population. This helps us understand how many people live in different areas.
Population in 2020
In 2020, the census showed that 9,469 people lived in Howard County. This means there were about 20 people living in each square mile. Most people (96.75%) said they belonged to one race. About 91.69% were non-Hispanic White. Other groups included Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander people. Some people also reported being of more than one race. There were 4,314 homes, and 3,945 of them were lived in.
Population in 2010
The 2010 census counted 9,566 people in the county. The population density was similar to 2020. There were 4,367 homes, and 3,944 of them were occupied.
Fun Events in Howard County
The Mighty Howard County Fair is a big yearly event held in Cresco. It takes place in the last full week of June. This fair started way back in 1858! It was held a few times, then stopped during the American Civil War. It started again in 1866 and has been a tradition ever since.
Towns and Communities
Howard County has several towns and smaller communities.
Cities
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller places that are not officially cities:
- Bonaire
- Florenceville
- Saratoga
- Schley
Townships
Townships are smaller divisions of the county, often including rural areas:
- Afton
- Albion
- Chester
- Forest City
- Howard
- Howard Center
- Jamestown
- New Oregon
- Oak Dale
- Paris
- Saratoga
- Vernon Springs
Population of Cities and Towns
This table shows how many people lived in the cities and towns of Howard County in 2020. † This symbol means it's the county seat (the main town).
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Type | Population (2020 Census) |
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| 1 | † Cresco | City | 3,888 |
| 2 | Riceville (partially in Mitchell County) | City | 806 |
| 3 | Elma | City | 505 |
| 4 | Lime Springs | City | 473 |
| 5 | Protivin (partially in Chickasaw County) | City | 269 |
| 6 | Chester | City | 139 |
Famous People from Howard County
- Norman Borlaug (1914–2009) - He won the Nobel Peace Prize! He grew up and went to school right here in Howard County.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Howard (Iowa) para niños
