Pottawattamie County, Iowa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pottawattamie County
U.S. county
Pottawattamie County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Iowa
Founded	September 21, 1848
Named for	Potawatomi tribe
Seat	Council Bluffs
Largest city	Council Bluffs
Area
• Total	959 sq mi (2,480 km2)
• Land	950 sq mi (2,500 km2)
• Water	8.9 sq mi (23 km2)  0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	93,667
• Estimate  (2023)	93,179
• Density	97.67/sq mi (37.711/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th

Pottawattamie County is a county in the state of Iowa. It was named after the Potawatomi Native American tribe. In 2020, about 93,667 people lived here. This makes it the tenth-largest county in Iowa by population. The main city and government center is Council Bluffs.

Pottawattamie County is part of the larger Omaha–Council Bluffs area. This area includes parts of both Nebraska and Iowa.

About the Land and Area

Pottawattamie County covers about 959 square miles. Most of this is land, with a small part being water. It is the second-largest county in Iowa based on its total area. The county is located in Iowa's Loess Hills. This is a unique area with hills made of fine, wind-blown soil. Long ago, The Mormon Trail passed through here, with a stop called Kanesville.

A special part of the county, Carter Lake, is actually on the other side of the Missouri River. This happened because the river changed its path over time. You have to go through Nebraska to reach Carter Lake by road. There is no direct bridge from the rest of Pottawattamie County.

Main Roads and Highways

Neighboring Counties

Protected Natural Areas

• DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge (part of it is in the county)

Population Information

Population of Pottawattamie County from US census data

2020 Census Details

In 2020, the county had 93,667 people. This means there were about 98 people living in each square mile. Most people (94.09%) said they belonged to one race. There were almost 40,000 homes, and about 37,000 of them were lived in.

2010 Census Details

The 2010 census counted 93,158 people in the county. The population density was about 98 people per square mile. There were 39,330 housing units. About 36,775 of these homes were occupied.

Towns and Communities

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

Cities in the County

Small Unincorporated Community

• Honey Creek

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities.

• Bentley
• Loveland
• Weston

Townships in Pottawattamie County

A township is a small area of land, often with its own local government.

Cities by Population Size

This table shows the cities and towns in Pottawattamie County. They are listed from largest to smallest population, based on the 2020 census.

† county seat (the main city where the county government is located)

Law Enforcement

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office keeps the peace in the county. It has 51 sworn deputies, who are like police officers. There are also 13 reserve deputies and 92 detention officers. Eight other staff members help with daily tasks. The main office is in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Schools and Education

Many school districts serve the children of Pottawattamie County.

The county also has a special state-run school called the Iowa School for the Deaf. Some school districts have changed over time. These include the former A-H-S-T Community School District and Walnut Community School District.

Famous People from Pottawattamie County

• Nina Korgan (1916—2009), a well-known women’s fast-pitch softball pitcher.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Pottawattamie para niños