Louisa County, Iowa Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Louisa County
U.S. county
Louisa County Courthouse in Wapello
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Iowa
Founded	1836
Seat	Wapello
Largest city	Wapello
Area
• Total	418 sq mi (1,080 km²)
• Land	402 sq mi (1,040 km²)
• Water	16 sq mi (40 km²) 3.8%
Population (2020)
• Total	10,837
• Density	25.93/sq mi (10.010/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd

Louisa County (/luˈaɪzə/ loo-EYE-zə) is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,837. The county seat is Wapello.

Louisa County is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Geography
Demographics
- 2020 census
- 2010 census
Communities
See also

History

Louisa County was formed on December 7, 1836, as a part of Wisconsin Territory. Two theories have been offered for the origins of its name: one is that it was named after Louisa Massey, who was very well known in the area at the time because she avenged the murder of her brother when she shot the party responsible; the other is that it was named after Louisa County, Virginia. Louisa County became a part of Iowa Territory upon its formation on July 4, 1838.

The first courthouse was a simple wood-framed building. In 1840, a second courthouse, measuring 40' x 20' (about 12 x 6 m), was constructed of stone. In 1854, a third structure was built. The courthouse used today was erected in 1928.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 418 square miles (1,080 km²), of which 402 square miles (1,040 km²) is land and 16 square miles (41 km²) (3.8%) is water. Its eastern border is adjacent to the Mississippi River.

Major highways

U.S. Highway 61
Iowa Highway 70
Iowa Highway 78
Iowa Highway 92

Adjacent counties

Johnson County (northwest)
Muscatine County (north)
Rock Island County, Illinois (northeast)
Mercer County, Illinois (east)
Des Moines County (south)
Henry County (southwest)
Washington County (west)

National protected area

Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	4,939	—
1860	10,370	110.0%
1870	12,877	24.2%
1880	13,142	2.1%
1890	11,873	−9.7%
1900	13,516	13.8%
1910	12,855	−4.9%
1920	12,179	−5.3%
1930	11,575	−5.0%
1940	11,384	−1.7%
1950	11,101	−2.5%
1960	10,290	−7.3%
1970	10,682	3.8%
1980	12,055	12.9%
1990	11,592	−3.8%
2000	12,183	5.1%
2010	11,387	−6.5%
2020	10,837	−4.8%
2023 (est.)	10,513	−7.7%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2018

Population of Louisa County from US census data

2020 census

2022 US Census population pyramid for Louisa County from ACS 5-year estimates

The 2020 census recorded a population of 10,837 in the county, with a population density of 25.9886/sq mi (10.0343/km²). There were 4,712 housing units, of which 4,180 were occupied.

Louisa County Racial Composition
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	8,485	78.3%
Black or African American (NH)	73	0.7%
Native American (NH)	11	0.1%
Asian (NH)	265	2.5%
Pacific Islander (NH)	0	0%
Other/Mixed (NH)	275	2.54%
Hispanic or Latino	1,728	16%

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 11,387 in the county, with a population density of 28.3315/sq mi (10.9389/km²). There were 5,002 housing units, of which 4,346 were occupied.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated community

Cairo
Toolesboro

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Louisa County.

† county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2020 Census)
1	† Wapello	City	2,084
2	Columbus Junction	City	1,830
3	Morning Sun	City	752
4	Grandview	City	437
5	Columbus City	City	392
6	Letts	City	363
7	Fredonia	City	222
8	Oakville	City	200
9	Cotter	City	39

Louisa County, Iowa facts for kids

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