Dexter, Iowa

Dexter was founded in 1868.{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_k1E0AQAAMAAJ | title=The History of Dallas County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c | publisher=Higginson Book Company | year=1879 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_k1E0AQAAMAAJ/page/n468 466]}}

The city is famous for being the site of a July 23, 1933, shootout between members of the Barrow gang and police from as far away as Des Moines.http://texashideout.tripod.com/Dexfield.html Dexfield Park Bad Day for Buck and Blanche retrieved on July 16, 2009http://home.mchsi.com/~cityofdexter/Area%20Attractions.htm City of Dexter website retrieved on July 16, 2009

On September 18, 1948, Dexter was the site of a national plowing match at which President Harry Truman delivered a speech attacking the 80th Congress for its record in regard to the American farmer. This speech is considered one of the most important of his 1948 Whistle Stop campaign that turned the tide of the election and returned him to the White House.http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photographs/view.php?id=1323&rr= {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607121321/http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photographs/view.php?id=1323&rr= |date=June 7, 2011 }} Photograph from Truman Presidential library retrieved on July 16, 2009http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photographs/view.php?id=3495&rr= {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100627053152/http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photographs/view.php?id=3495&rr= |date=June 27, 2010 }} Photograph from Truman Presidential library retrieved on July 16, 2009http://cgi.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/analysis/back.time/9609/23/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817163954/http://cgi.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/analysis/back.time/9609/23/ |date=2000-08-17 }} CNN: 1996 All Politics Mowing 'Em Down retrieved on July 16, 2009http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=13000 Address at Dexter, Iowa, on the Occasion of the National Plowing Match, September 18, 1948, retrieved on July 16, 2009

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|2.35|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=2012-05-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archivedate=2012-07-02 }}

The community is immediately north of Interstate 80.

{{Historical populations

|title= Historical populations

|type= USA

|align= left

|1880|704

|1890|607

|1900|795

|1910|767

|1920|790

|1930|748

|1940|760

|1950|643

|1960|670

|1970|652

|1980|678

|1990|628

|2000|689

|2010|611

|2020|640

|source={{center|U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}}}|footnote=Source:{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|title=U.S. Census website|access-date=2020-03-29}} and [http://data.iowadatacenter.org/datatables/PlacesAll/plpopulation18502000.pdf Iowa Data Center]

}}

File:DexterIowaPopPlot.png

As of the census of 2020,{{cite web |title=2020 Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/2020/2020-census-main.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} there were 640 people, 254 households, and 164 families residing in the city. The population density was 511.2 inhabitants per square mile (197.4/km²). There were 271 housing units at an average density of 216.5 per square mile (83.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.1% White, 2.2% Black or African American, 0.0% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 2.0% of the population.

Of the 254 households, 37.0% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 7.9% were cohabitating couples, 20.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 21.7% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 35.4% of all households were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older.

The median age in the city was 35.6 years. 30.9% of the residents were under the age of 20; 3.4% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 29.1% were from 25 and 44; 21.9% were from 45 and 64; and 14.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.

As of the census{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=2012-05-11}} of 2010, there were 611 people, 257 households, and 178 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|260.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 284 housing units at an average density of {{convert|120.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.5% White, 1.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, and 0.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.

There were 257 households, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.7% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.85.

The median age in the city was 36.3 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.4% were from 45 to 64; and 13.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.7% male and 49.3% female.

As of the census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2000, there were 689 people, 259 households, and 190 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|578.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 270 housing units at an average density of {{convert|226.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.82% White, 0.29% Native American, 1.31% Asian, 0.29% from other races, and 0.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.16% of the population.

There were 259 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,375, and the median income for a family was $44,861. Males had a median income of $30,395 versus $22,361 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,990. About 4.3% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Dexter is within the West Central Valley Community School District.{{cite web|url=https://educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/SDRP2017_WEST%20CENTRAL%20VALLEY.pdf|title=West Central Valley|publisher=Iowa Department of Education|accessdate=2019-08-01}} The district was established on July 1, 2001 by the merger of the Dexfield Community School District and the Stuart-Menlo Community School District.{{cite web|url=https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/District%20Reorganization%20History%20final.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124738/https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/District%20Reorganization%20History%20final.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2019-02-09|title=REORGANIZATION & DISSOLUTION ACTIONS SINCE 1965-66|publisher=Iowa Department of Education|accessdate=2019-08-01}}

• Brenna Bird, attorney general of Iowa
• Edwin H. Conger, United States Ambassador to China during the Boxer Rebellion, United States Ambassador to Brazil, and United States Ambassador to Mexico.Iowa, a guide to the Hawkeye State by Federal Writers Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of Iowa, page 494, first published August 1939, fifth printing April 1959, Hastings House Publishers, Inc.

• [http://www.dexteriowa.org City website]

{{Dallas County, Iowa}}

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Category:Cities in Iowa

Category:Cities in Dallas County, Iowa

Category:Des Moines metropolitan area

Category:Populated places established in 1868

Category:1868 establishments in Iowa