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Iowa County, Wisconsin facts for kids

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Iowa County
U.S. county
Iowa County Courthouse in March 2013
Iowa County Courthouse in March 2013
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Iowa County
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Map of the United States highlighting Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Wisconsin
Founded 1830
Named for Iowa people
Seat Dodgeville
Largest city Dodgeville
Area
 • Total 768 sq mi (1,990 km2)
 • Land 763 sq mi (1,980 km2)
 • Water 5.4 sq mi (14 km2)  0.7%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 23,709
 • Estimate 
(2023)
 23,956 Increase
 • Density 31.1/sq mi (12.0/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 2nd

Iowa County is a special area in Wisconsin, a state in the United States. It's called a county. In 2020, about 23,709 people lived here. The main town and biggest city in Iowa County is Dodgeville.

When Iowa County was first created, it was part of the Michigan Territory. Today, it's part of the larger area around Madison, which is a big city in Wisconsin.

Discovering Iowa County's Past

Pendarvis House 20100829
Pendarvis House (left) and Trelawny House (right) at the Pendarvis historic site
Mineral Point High Street 20100829
A busy street in Mineral Point

Iowa County was officially set up in 1830. This happened when the area was still part of the Michigan Territory. The county got its name from the Iowa tribe, a Native American group.

Exploring Iowa County's Geography

Iowa County covers about 768 square miles. Most of this area, about 763 square miles, is land. The rest, about 5.4 square miles, is water. This means water makes up a small part, around 0.7%, of the county's total area.

Many small rivers and streams flow through the county. These waters eventually join the Pecatonica River, which starts right here in Iowa County. The highest point in the county is West Blue Mound, which is 1,716 feet above sea level. The lowest point is where the Wisconsin River meets the Grant County line, at 667 feet above sea level.

Rivers and Streams Flowing Through the County

Major Roads and Transportation

  • US 14.svg U.S. Highway 14
  • US 18.svg U.S. Highway 18
  • US 151.svg U.S. Highway 151
  • WIS 23.svg Highway 23 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 39.svg Highway 39 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 78.svg Highway 78 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 80.svg Highway 80 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 130.svg Highway 130 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 133.svg Highway 133 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 191.svg Highway 191 (Wisconsin)

Railroads Serving the Area

  • Wisconsin and Southern Railroad

Bus Services for Travelers

You can travel by bus in Iowa County. Lamers Connect offers two buses each day. One bus goes east towards Madison and Milwaukee. The other bus goes west to Dubuque, stopping in Dodgeville along the way.

Local Airport Information

  • The Iowa County Airport (KMRJ) helps people travel by air. It serves Iowa County and the towns nearby.

Neighboring Counties of Iowa County

Iowa County shares its borders with several other counties:

Understanding Iowa County's Population

In 2020, a census counted 23,709 people living in Iowa County. This means there were about 31 people living in every square mile. There were also about 10,905 homes in the county.

Most people living in Iowa County are White (94.2%). Other groups include Asian (0.8%), Black or African American (0.5%), Native American (0.2%), and Pacific Islander (0.1%). About 3.5% of people are from two or more races. When it comes to ethnic background, 1.9% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

Parks and Fun Places to Visit

Iowa County has many great parks and natural areas where you can enjoy the outdoors. Some of these include:

Communities Within Iowa County

IowaCountyHighwayBuildingWIS23
The Iowa County Department of Transportation building in Dodgeville

Iowa County is made up of several different types of communities, from cities to small villages and towns.

Cities in Iowa County

Villages in Iowa County

Towns in Iowa County

Census-Designated Place

Unincorporated Communities

Ghost Towns - Places No Longer Inhabited

Notable People from Iowa County

  • Gilbert L. Laws was an important person from Iowa County. He served as the Secretary of State for Nebraska and was also a US Congressman.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Iowa (Wisconsin) para niños

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