Plymouth County, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Plymouth 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 | January 15, 1851 |
| Named for | Plymouth, Massachusetts |
| Seat | Le Mars |
| Largest city | Le Mars |
| Area | |
| • Total | 864 sq mi (2,240 km2) |
| • Land | 863 sq mi (2,240 km2) |
| • Water | 0.8 sq mi (2 km2) 0.1% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 25,698 |
| • Density | 29.743/sq mi (11.484/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
Plymouth County is a county in the state of Iowa, USA. In 2020, about 25,698 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Le Mars. The county got its name from Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Plymouth County is part of the Sioux City, Iowa, area. This area also includes parts of Nebraska and South Dakota.
Contents
History of Plymouth County
Plymouth County was created on January 15, 1851. People started settling in the county around 1856. The first courthouse was built in 1859 in a place called Melbourne. The first public school also opened there with 32 students.
In 1872, the main county town moved to Le Mars. A new courthouse and jail were built there in 1873. The current Plymouth County Courthouse was built in 1900. It is made of red sandstone.
During the Great Depression, farmers in the county faced tough times. They formed a group called the Farmers Holiday Group. They wanted to keep farm products off the market until prices went up. This group had some members who took a judge from his court. The governor then sent the National Guard to Plymouth County. This action helped to end the group's activities.
Geography of Plymouth County
Plymouth County covers about 864 square miles. Most of this area, 863 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 0.8 square miles, is water. It is the fourth-largest county in Iowa by land area.
Neighboring Counties
Plymouth County shares borders with these other counties:
- Sioux County (to the north)
- Cherokee County (to the east)
- Woodbury County (to the south)
- Union County, South Dakota (to the west)
Transportation
Main Roads
Several important highways pass through Plymouth County:
U.S. Highway 75
Iowa Highway 3
Iowa Highway 12
Iowa Highway 60
Iowa Highway 140
Airport
The Le Mars Municipal Airport is located in Plymouth County. It is about 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) southwest of the center of Le Mars. An airport is a place where airplanes take off and land.
People of Plymouth County
A census is an official count of a population. It helps us understand how many people live in an area.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 148 | — | |
| 1870 | 2,199 | 1,385.8% | |
| 1880 | 8,566 | 289.5% | |
| 1890 | 19,568 | 128.4% | |
| 1900 | 22,209 | 13.5% | |
| 1910 | 23,129 | 4.1% | |
| 1920 | 23,584 | 2.0% | |
| 1930 | 24,159 | 2.4% | |
| 1940 | 23,502 | −2.7% | |
| 1950 | 23,252 | −1.1% | |
| 1960 | 23,906 | 2.8% | |
| 1970 | 24,322 | 1.7% | |
| 1980 | 24,743 | 1.7% | |
| 1990 | 23,388 | −5.5% | |
| 2000 | 24,849 | 6.2% | |
| 2010 | 24,986 | 0.6% | |
| 2020 | 25,698 | 2.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 25,722 | 2.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2018 |
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2020 Census Information
The 2020 census showed that 25,698 people lived in Plymouth County. This means there were about 30 people per square mile. Most people (95.81%) said they belonged to one race. There were 10,818 housing units, and 10,171 of them were lived in.
| Race | Number of People | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White | 22,941 | 89.3% |
| Black or African American | 354 | 1.4% |
| Native American | 48 | 0.2% |
| Asian | 111 | 0.43% |
| Pacific Islander | 117 | 0.5% |
| Other/Mixed | 631 | 2.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,496 | 6% |
Interesting Places
The Pappas Telecasting Tower is in Plymouth County. It is about 603.5 meters (1,980 feet) tall. This makes it one of the tallest masts in the world.
Famous People from Plymouth County
Many notable people have come from Plymouth County:
- William G. Kirchner: A state lawmaker and banker from Minnesota.
- Ralph Klemme: A state lawmaker and farmer from Iowa.
- Jim Nicholson: He used to be the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He was also a leader of the Republican Party and a U.S. Ambassador.
- Johnny Niggeling: A professional baseball pitcher.
- Paul Rust: An actor and comedian.
- Thomas Starzl: A doctor famous for his work in organ transplant surgery.
- Isaac S. Struble: A Congressman from 1883 to 1891. The town of Struble is named after him.
- William Garner Waddel: A state lawmaker from South Dakota.
Communities in Plymouth County
Cities
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or towns.
- Adaville
- Brookdale
- Crathorne
- Ellendale
- James
- Mammen
- Melbourne
- Millnerville
- Neptune
- O'Leary
- Potosia
- Ruble
- Seney
- Union Center
- West Le Mars
- Wren
- Yeomans
City Populations (2020 Census)
This table shows the population of cities in Plymouth County based on the 2020 census.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town | Type | Population (2020 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Le Mars | City | 10,571 |
| 2 | Remsen | City | 1,678 |
| 3 | Akron | City | 1,558 |
| 4 | Kingsley | City | 1,396 |
| 5 | Hinton | City | 935 |
| 6 | Merrill | City | 717 |
| 7 | Brunsville | City | 129 |
| 8 | Westfield | City | 123 |
| 9 | Oyens | City | 92 |
| 10 | Craig | City | 79 |
| 11 | Struble | City | 67 |
| 12 | Sioux City (mostly in Woodbury County) | City | 6 (85,797 total) |
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Plymouth (Iowa) para niños
