Peosta, Iowa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peosta, Iowa
City
A Quality Inn found in Peosta
Motto(s):  "Crossroads to the Future"
Location in the State of Iowa
Country	United States
State	Iowa
County	Dubuque
Incorporated	June 16, 1933
Area
• City	2.49 sq mi (6.44 km2)
• Land	2.49 sq mi (6.44 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,053 ft (321 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	1,908
• Density	767.6/sq mi (296.4/km2)
• Metro	92,359
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	52068
Area code(s)	563
FIPS code	19-62130
GNIS feature ID	0460080
Website	www.cityofpeosta.org

Peosta is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, in the United States. It's like a smaller town located close to the larger city of Dubuque. In 2020, about 1,908 people lived there. Peosta has grown a lot, especially since 2000, becoming one of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa. It's now the sixth-largest city in Dubuque County. Peosta is known for its large industrial park and a campus of Northeast Iowa Community College. It's also becoming a "bedroom community," which means many people live there but travel to nearby cities for work.

History of Peosta

Peosta gets its name from a Native American leader. Chief Peosta was part of the Meskwaki people who lived in the Dubuque County area long ago. He was a good friend of Julien Dubuque, one of the first European settlers in the region. Julien Dubuque also founded the city of Dubuque, Iowa. Some stories say that Julien Dubuque married Chief Peosta's daughter, whose name was reportedly "Potosa."

For many years, Peosta was a very small, quiet farming town. In 1990, only about 100 people lived there. A post office opened in Peosta way back in 1858.

How Peosta Grew

Peosta started to grow in the 1960s when a new four-lane highway, U.S. Route 20, was built. This highway made it much easier and faster to travel to Dubuque. Then, in 1979, the Northeast Iowa Technical Institute (now NICC) opened its campus in Peosta, bringing more people and jobs.

But the biggest growth happened in the 1990s. This was when the city's industrial park started to become very successful. An industrial park is an area set aside for factories and businesses. Peosta's population jumped from 128 people in 1990 to over 1,300 by the early 2000s, and it's still growing fast! This huge growth has brought new businesses and services to Peosta. Today, the city has two elementary schools, a community center, a hotel, churches, and many new neighborhoods.

Geography of Peosta

Peosta is located in Iowa. Its exact position on a map is 42.449157 degrees north latitude and -90.846420 degrees west longitude.

The city covers a total area of about 6.44 square kilometers (2.49 square miles). All of this area is land, meaning there are no large lakes or rivers within the city limits.

Economy in Peosta

Peosta has a large and growing industrial park. This is an area where many businesses, especially those involved in making things (manufacturing), storing goods (warehousing), and sending them out (shipping), are located. These companies are a big part of Peosta's economy.

Many of the businesses in Peosta are quite new. This means that a lot of people who work in Peosta actually live in nearby cities like Dubuque, Asbury, or Dyersville and drive to Peosta for their jobs.

Major Employers

Some of the larger companies that employ people in Peosta include:

• Berry Plastics
• First Gear
• Mi-T-M
• Bodine Electric
• Colony Brands

Also, Northeast Iowa Community College is a major employer, with hundreds of people working at its campus in Peosta.

Population and People

Peosta has seen a lot of growth in its population over the years. From being a very small town, it has grown into a thriving community.

Population history of Peosta, Iowa (1940-2006).

Peosta's Population in 2020

In 2020, there were 1,908 people living in Peosta. The city had 630 households, with many families living there. Most of the people living in Peosta were White. About 37.5% of the residents were under the age of 20, showing that it's a city with many young people and families. The average age in Peosta was 32.6 years.

Peosta's Population in 2010

In 2010, Peosta had 1,377 people. Many households had children under 18 living with them. The average age was 30.2 years, with a large number of residents under 18.

Education in Peosta

Students living in Peosta attend public schools that are part of the Western Dubuque Community School District.

• Elementary School: Students in kindergarten through 4th grade go to Peosta Elementary School, which is located right in Peosta.
• Middle School: After elementary school, students attend Drexler Middle School in Farley.
• High School: For high school, students go to Western Dubuque High School in nearby Epworth.

Private Schools

Like many other towns in Iowa, Peosta also has a private school option. Peosta is home to one of the buildings for Seton Catholic Elementary School. This school is connected to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque. Younger students (PreK-5th grade) attend the building in Peosta, while older elementary students (6th-8th grade) go to the building in Farley. For high school, students from these private schools often attend Beckman High School in Dyersville, Iowa or Wahlert High School in Dubuque, Iowa.

Higher Education

Peosta is lucky to have a campus of Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC). This college offers many programs, including nursing, welding, business, and computer studies. Many students who attend NICC later transfer to other four-year colleges. Some popular choices include the three colleges in Dubuque: Clarke College, Loras College, and University of Dubuque.

See also

In Spanish: Peosta (Iowa) para niños