Tama County, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tama County
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Tama County Courthouse in Toledo
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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 | 1843 |
| Named for | Taimah |
| Seat | Toledo |
| Largest city | Tama |
| Area | |
| • Total | 722 sq mi (1,870 km2) |
| • Land | 721 sq mi (1,870 km2) |
| • Water | 1.1 sq mi (3 km2) 0.1% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 17,135 |
| • Density | 23.733/sq mi (9.163/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
Tama County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,135. Its county seat is Toledo. The county was formed on February 17, 1843 and named for Taimah, a leader of the Meskwaki Indians.
Contents
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 722 square miles (1,870 km2), of which 721 square miles (1,870 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) (0.1%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 30
U.S. Highway 63
Iowa Highway 8
Iowa Highway 21
Iowa Highway 96
Iowa Highway 146
Adjacent counties
- Grundy County (northwest)
- Black Hawk County (northeast)
- Benton County (east)
- Poweshiek County (south)
- Marshall County (west)
- Iowa County (southeast)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 8 | — | |
| 1860 | 5,285 | 65,962.5% | |
| 1870 | 16,131 | 205.2% | |
| 1880 | 21,585 | 33.8% | |
| 1890 | 22,052 | 2.2% | |
| 1900 | 24,585 | 11.5% | |
| 1910 | 22,156 | −9.9% | |
| 1920 | 21,861 | −1.3% | |
| 1930 | 21,987 | 0.6% | |
| 1940 | 22,428 | 2.0% | |
| 1950 | 21,688 | −3.3% | |
| 1960 | 21,413 | −1.3% | |
| 1970 | 20,147 | −5.9% | |
| 1980 | 19,533 | −3.0% | |
| 1990 | 17,419 | −10.8% | |
| 2000 | 18,103 | 3.9% | |
| 2010 | 17,767 | −1.9% | |
| 2020 | 17,135 | −3.6% | |
| 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 17,135 in the county, with a population density of 23.7323/sq mi (9.1631/km2). 93.80% of the population reported being of one race. 69.18% were non-Hispanic White, 0.80% were Black, 10.53% were Hispanic, 8.33% were Native American, 0.47% were Asian, 0.01% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 10.68% were some other race or more than one race. There were 7,575 housing units, of which 6,784 were occupied.
2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 17,767 in the county, with a population density of 24.5638/sq mi (9.4841/km2). There were 7,766 housing units, of which 6,947 were occupied.
Communities
Cities
Unincorporated communities
Townships
Tama County is divided into twenty-one townships:
- Buckingham
- Carlton
- Carroll
- Clark
- Columbia
- Crystal
- Geneseo
- Grant
- Highland
- Howard
- Indian Village
- Lincoln
- Oneida
- Otter Creek
- Perry
- Richland
- Salt Creek
- Spring Creek
- Tama
- Toledo
- York
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Tama County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tama | City | 2,877 |
| 2 | † Toledo | City | 2,341 |
| 3 | Traer | City | 1,703 |
| 4 | Dysart | City | 1,379 |
| 5 | Sac and Fox/Meskwaki Settlement | AIAN | 1,062 |
| 6 | Gladbrook | City | 945 |
| 7 | Le Grand (mostly in Marshall County) | City | 938 |
| 8 | Garwin | City | 527 |
| 9 | Chelsea | City | 267 |
| 10 | Montour | City | 249 |
| 11 | Clutier | City | 213 |
| 12 | Elberon | City | 196 |
| 13 | Lincoln | City | 162 |
| 14 | Vining | City | 50 |
Notable people
- George R. Struble (1836–1918). Iowa judge and politician from Toledo. Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, 1881–1883. Ardent prohibitionist. Brother of John T. Struble of Johnson County, and Congressman Isaac S. Struble of Plymouth County. Biography in the Journal of the House, memorial resolution of 3/23/1921.
- Michael Emerson, born in Cedar Rapids and raised in Toledo, Emerson has been on Broadway and appeared on Lost.
- Clifford Berry (1918-1963), born in Gladbrook, was a graduate student at Iowa State when he and John Vincent Atanasoff created the Atanasoff–Berry Computer (ABC), the first digital electronic computer, in 1939.
Education
Tama County is served by four school districts, the largest of which is South Tama Community School District, at the 3A designation. Second largest is North Tama Community Schools. Lastly both GMG and Meskwaki Settlement School with an eight-man designation.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Tama para niños
