Webster County, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Webster County
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The courthouse in Fort Dodge is on the NRHP.
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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 | Daniel Webster |
| Seat | Fort Dodge |
| Largest city | Fort Dodge |
| Area | |
| • Total | 718 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
| • Land | 716 sq mi (1,850 km2) |
| • Water | 2.8 sq mi (7 km2) 0.4% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 36,999 |
| • Density | 51.53/sq mi (19.896/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
Webster County is a county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,999. The county seat is Fort Dodge. The county was established in January 1851, one of 43 counties established by a legislative package. This county was named after Daniel Webster, an American statesman noted for his moving oratory.
Webster County comprises the Fort Dodge, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 718 square miles (1,860 km2), of which 716 square miles (1,850 km2) is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2) (0.4%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 20 – runs east–west across central Webster County, through Moorland and Coalville.
U.S. Highway 169 – enters northern Webster County at mid-county and runs south to Harcourt. It runs four miles east, then turns south to exit the county.
Iowa Highway 7 – enters western Webster County running east from Manson. It runs east to its terminus at US Highway 169 at Fort Dodge.
Iowa Highway 175 – enters southeastern Webster County, running west from Stratford. It runs west and south–north to its connection to US Highway 169, four miles east of Harcourt.
Iowa Highway 144 – enters southern Webster County near its midpoint. It runs north to its connection to Iowa Highway 175, three miles west of Harcourt.
Transit
- Dodger Area Rapid Transit
- List of intercity bus stops in Iowa
Airport
The Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD) is located just north of Fort Dodge. It is primarily a general aviation airport. Daily direct flights are operated to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, with connecting service through Mason City to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
Adjacent counties
- Boone County (southeast)
- Calhoun County (west)
- Greene County (southwest)
- Hamilton County (east)
- Humboldt County (north)
- Pocahontas County (northwest)
- Wright County (northeast)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 2,504 | — | |
| 1870 | 10,484 | 318.7% | |
| 1880 | 15,951 | 52.1% | |
| 1890 | 21,582 | 35.3% | |
| 1900 | 31,757 | 47.1% | |
| 1910 | 34,629 | 9.0% | |
| 1920 | 37,611 | 8.6% | |
| 1930 | 40,425 | 7.5% | |
| 1940 | 41,521 | 2.7% | |
| 1950 | 44,241 | 6.6% | |
| 1960 | 47,810 | 8.1% | |
| 1970 | 48,391 | 1.2% | |
| 1980 | 45,953 | −5.0% | |
| 1990 | 40,342 | −12.2% | |
| 2000 | 40,235 | −0.3% | |
| 2010 | 38,013 | −5.5% | |
| 2020 | 36,999 | −2.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 36,485 | −4.0% | |
| 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 36,999 in the county, with a population density of 51.5199/sq mi (19.8919/km2). 94.86% of the population reported being of one race. There were 16,937 housing units, of which 15,046 were occupied.
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 31,372 | 84.8% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 1,773 | 4.8% |
| Native American (NH) | 112 | 0.3% |
| Asian (NH) | 295 | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 16 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 1,368 | 3.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,063 | 5.6% |
2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 38,013 in the county, with a population density of 53.1479/sq mi (20.5205/km2). There were 17,035 housing units, of which 15,580 were occupied.
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Webster County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Fort Dodge | City | 24,871 |
| 2 | Gowrie | City | 952 |
| 3 | Dayton | City | 772 |
| 4 | Coalville | CDP | 651 |
| 5 | Badger | City | 522 |
| 6 | Otho | City | 429 |
| 7 | Lehigh | City | 395 |
| 8 | Duncombe | City | 381 |
| 9 | Callender | City | 368 |
| 10 | Harcourt | City | 264 |
| 11 | Barnum | City | 175 |
| 12 | Moorland | City | 168 |
| 13 | Clare | City | 136 |
| 14 | Vincent | City | 130 |
| 15 | Stratford (mostly in Hamilton County) | City | 22 (707 total) |
| 16 | Farnhamville (mostly in Calhoun County) | City | 0 (383 total) |
Communities
Cities
Census-designated place
Unincorporated communities
Townships
Townships include:
- Badger
- Burnside
- Clay
- Colfax
- Cooper
- Dayton
- Deer Creek
- Douglas
- Elkhorn
- Fulton
- Gowrie
- Hardin
- Jackson
- Johnson
- Lost Grove
- Newark
- Otho
- Pleasant Valley
- Roland
- Sumner
- Wahkonsa
- Washington
- Webster
- Yell
Notable people
- Robert Schliske, member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, 1971–1975, born in Webster County
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Webster (Iowa) para niños
