Winneshiek County, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Winneshiek County
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Courthouse and Civil War Monument located in Decorah
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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 |
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| State |  Iowa |
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| Founded | 1847 | |
| Named for | Chief Winneshiek | |
| Seat | Decorah | |
| Largest city | Decorah | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 690 sq mi (1,800 km2) | |
| • Land | 690 sq mi (1,800 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2) 0.04% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 20,070 | |
| • Density | 29.09/sq mi (11.23/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| Congressional district | 1st | |
Winneshiek County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,070. The county seat is Decorah.
Contents
History
A largely rural and agricultural county, Winneshiek County has a rich cultural history from Czech, Slovak, English, Irish, German, Swiss, and Norwegian immigrants that have settled within its boundaries.
The county was originally settled in 1848 in present-day Bloomfield Township (near Castalia, Iowa) and in Washington Township (near Fort Atkinson, Iowa). It was organized in 1847, and named after a chief of the Winnebago tribe.
In 1980, Winneshiek County reported a population of 21,842. Like much of Iowa during the 1980s it witnessed a population loss, dropping to 20,847 according to the 1990 United States Census. However, during the 1990s the county experienced some mild growth and was able to rise above the 21,000 mark once again.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 690 square miles (1,800 km2), of which 690 square miles (1,800 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.04%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 52
Iowa Highway 9
Iowa Highway 24
Iowa Highway 139
Iowa Highway 150
Adjacent counties
- Fillmore County, Minnesota (northwest)
- Houston County, Minnesota (northeast)
- Allamakee County (east)
- Fayette County (south)
- Chickasaw County (southwest)
- Howard County (west)
- Clayton County (southeast)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 546 | — | |
| 1860 | 13,942 | 2,453.5% | |
| 1870 | 23,570 | 69.1% | |
| 1880 | 23,938 | 1.6% | |
| 1890 | 22,528 | −5.9% | |
| 1900 | 23,731 | 5.3% | |
| 1910 | 21,729 | −8.4% | |
| 1920 | 22,091 | 1.7% | |
| 1930 | 21,630 | −2.1% | |
| 1940 | 22,263 | 2.9% | |
| 1950 | 21,639 | −2.8% | |
| 1960 | 21,651 | 0.1% | |
| 1970 | 21,758 | 0.5% | |
| 1980 | 21,876 | 0.5% | |
| 1990 | 20,847 | −4.7% | |
| 2000 | 21,310 | 2.2% | |
| 2010 | 21,056 | −1.2% | |
| 2020 | 20,070 | −4.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 19,815 | −5.9% | |
| 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 20,070 in the county, with a population density of 28.878/sq mi (11.150/km2). 97.20% of the population reported being of one race. There were 8,916 housing units, of which 8,170 were occupied.
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 18,705 | 93.2% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 119 | 0.6% |
| Native American (NH) | 19 | 0.1% |
| Asian (NH) | 178 | 0.9% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 12 | 0.06% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 452 | 2.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 585 | 3% |
2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 21,056 in the county, with a population density of 30.5332/sq mi (11.7889/km2). There were 8,721 housing units, of which 7,997 were occupied.
Communities
Cities
Census-designated place
Other unincorporated communities
- Bluffton
- Festina
- Frankville
- Highlandville
- Hesper
- Kendallville
Townships
- Bloomfield
- Bluffton
- Burr Oak
- Calmar
- Canoe
- Decorah
- Frankville
- Fremont
- Glenwood
- Hesper
- Highland
- Jackson
- Lincoln
- Madison
- Military
- Orleans
- Pleasant
- Springfield
- Sumner
- Washington
Ghost towns
- Conover
- Moneek
- Sattre
- Canoe
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Winneshiek County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Decorah | City | 7,587 |
| 2 | Calmar | City | 1,125 |
| 3 | Ossian | City | 802 |
| 4 | Spillville | City | 385 |
| 5 | Fort Atkinson | City | 312 |
| 6 | Ridgeway | City | 275 |
| 7 | Burr Oak | CDP | 171 |
| 8 | Castalia | City | 145 |
| 9 | Jackson Junction | City | 37 |
Education
The following school districts have their administrative headquarters in the county:
- Decorah Community School District
- South Winneshiek Community School District
- Turkey Valley Community School District
North Winneshiek Community School District was in the county, until it merged with Decorah CSD on July 1, 2018. The Decorah district and the Mabel-Canton Public Schools in Minnesota have an agreement where people who live in the Decorah district but closer to the Mabel-Canton schools than to Decorah schools can enroll in Mabel-Canton schools.
The following school districts have their administrative headquarters outside of the county but serve sections of Winneshiek County:
- Allamakee Community School District
- Howard–Winneshiek Community School District
- Postville Community School District
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Winneshiek para niños
