Mills County, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mills County
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Mills County Courthouse
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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 |
| Seat | Glenwood |
| Largest city | Glenwood |
| Area | |
| • Total | 441 sq mi (1,140 km2) |
| • Land | 437 sq mi (1,130 km2) |
| • Water | 3.2 sq mi (8 km2) 0.7% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 14,484 |
| • Density | 32.84/sq mi (12.681/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
Mills County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,484. The county seat is Glenwood. The county was formed in 1851 and named for Major Frederick Mills of Burlington, Iowa who was killed at the Battle of Churubusco during the Mexican–American War.
Mills County is included in the Omaha–Council Bluffs, NE–IA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
The future county's first permanent settlement was Rushville, founded in 1846 by persecuted members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as they were being driven out of Nauvoo, Illinois. This is not to be confused with the state's present-day Rushville in Jasper County. A nearby settlement, also founded by the Mormon settlers, was called Coonsville after Dr. Liberius Coons, one of the first arrivals. That settlement continued after the Mormons moved on; its name was changed to Glenwood in 1853.
In Glenwood, the first courthouse was a small frame building which served until 1857. It was replaced by a two-story building, which was enlarged in the 1900s and received a clock tower in 1910. In 1959 this building was replaced with the present building, dedicated on August 29, 1959.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 441 square miles (1,140 km2), of which 437 square miles (1,130 km2) is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) (0.7%) is water.
Major highways
Interstate 29
U.S. Highway 34
U.S. Highway 59
U.S. Highway 275
Adjacent counties
- Pottawattamie County, Iowa(north)
- Montgomery County, Iowa (east)
- Fremont County, Iowa (south)
- Cass County, Nebraska (southwest)
- Sarpy County, Nebraska (west)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 4,481 | — | |
| 1870 | 8,718 | 94.6% | |
| 1880 | 14,137 | 62.2% | |
| 1890 | 14,548 | 2.9% | |
| 1900 | 16,764 | 15.2% | |
| 1910 | 15,811 | −5.7% | |
| 1920 | 15,422 | −2.5% | |
| 1930 | 15,866 | 2.9% | |
| 1940 | 15,064 | −5.1% | |
| 1950 | 14,064 | −6.6% | |
| 1960 | 13,050 | −7.2% | |
| 1970 | 11,832 | −9.3% | |
| 1980 | 13,406 | 13.3% | |
| 1990 | 13,202 | −1.5% | |
| 2000 | 14,547 | 10.2% | |
| 2010 | 15,059 | 3.5% | |
| 2020 | 14,484 | −3.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 14,633 | −2.8% | |
| 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 14,484 in the county, with a population density of 32.9065/sq mi (12.7053/km2). 95.16% of the population reported being of one race. 90.05% were non-Hispanic White, 0.53% were Black, 3.18% were Hispanic, 0.21% were Native American, 0.33% were Asian, 0.07% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 5.63% were some other race or more than one race. There were 6,110 housing units, of which 5,512 were occupied.
2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 15,059 in the county, with a population density of 34.4971/sq mi (13.3194/km2). There were 6,109 housing units, of which 5,605 were occupied.
Communities
Cities
Unincorporated communities
- Rushville
Census-designated place
Townships
- Anderson
- Center
- Deer Creek
- Glenwood
- Indian Creek
- Ingraham
- Lyons
- Oak
- Plattville
- Rawles
- St. Marys
- Silver Creek
- White Cloud
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Mills County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
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| 1 | † Glenwood | City | 5,073 |
| 2 | Malvern | City | 1,046 |
| 3 | Emerson | City | 403 |
| 4 | Silver City | City | 245 |
| 5 | Mineola | CDP | 154 |
| 6 | Hastings | City | 152 |
| 7 | Henderson | City | 144 |
| 8 | Pacific Junction | City | 96 |
| 9 | Tabor (mostly in Fremont County) | City | 86 (1,014 total) |
Law enforcement
The first Mills County Sheriff was W.W. Noyes who was appointed by the Iowa General Assembly on August 1, 1851. He was succeeded by James Hardy who served as the first elected sheriff of the county and assumed the office on August 31, 1851.
The current Sheriff of Mills County is Interim Sheriff Joshua England. He and his 11 full-time deputies patrol approximately 447 square miles in the county. The Mills County Sheriff's Office provides police services under contract for all of the towns and cities and Mills County except for the City of Glenwood which has its own police department.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Mills (Iowa) para niños
