Linn County, Iowa

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Linn County

| state = Iowa

| ex image = Linn County Courthouse.jpg

| ex image size = 250px

| ex image cap = Linn County Courthouse

| flag =File:Linn_County_Flag.gif

| logo = File:Linn_County,_IA_Logo.jpg

| founded year = 1839

| founded date =

| seat wl = Cedar Rapids

| largest city wl= Cedar Rapids

| area_total_sq_mi = 725

| area_land_sq_mi = 717

| area_water_sq_mi = 7.6

| area percentage = 1.1

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 230299

| pop_est_as_of = 2023

| population_est = 228972 {{loss}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Central

| footnotes =

| web = https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/

| district = 2nd

| named for = Lewis Linn }}

Linn County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 230,299,{{cite web |title=2020 Census State Redistricting Data |url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/data/01-Redistricting_File--PL_94-171/Iowa/ |website=census.gov |publisher=United states Census Bureau |access-date=August 12, 2021}} making it the second-most populous county in Iowa. The county seat is Cedar Rapids.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}} Linn County is named in honor of Senator Lewis F. Linn of Missouri.{{cite book|last=Gannett|first=Henry|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA187|year=1905|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=187}} Linn County is included in the Cedar Rapids, IA Metropolitan Statistical Area.{{cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/bulletins/fy2006/b06-01.pdf|title=Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses|access-date = July 21, 2006|author=United States Office of Management and Budget|author-link=United States Office of Management and Budget|pages=5, 36|url-status=dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060514003222/http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/bulletins/fy2006/b06-01.pdf |archive-date = May 14, 2006}}

History

The earliest inhabitants of Linn County, prior to Anglo settlement, were the Sac and Fox tribes. Relations were described by 20th century historians as amicable. Native Americans provided food and furs to whites in exchange for merchandise.{{cite book |last1=Brewer |first1=Luther |last2=Barthinus |first2=Wick |title=History of Linn County Iowa |date=1911 |publisher=The Pioneer Publishing Company |location=Chicago |pages=10–12 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SYEUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA11}}

Linn County was created as a named but unorganized area on December 21, 1837, as a part of Wisconsin Territory. It became part of Iowa Territory on July 4, 1838, when the territory was organized.{{Cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/WI_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=WI: Individual County Chronologies|website=publications.newberry.org|access-date=September 28, 2016|archive-date=April 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414132220/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/WI_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|url-status=dead}} Linn County was organized by the first legislative assembly of the Iowa Territory on January 15, 1839. A site was selected for its first county seat along Indian Creek, and was named Marion, after the Revolutionary War general Francis Marion. As early as 1855, there were debates over moving the county seat to the fast-growing Cedar Rapids, southwest of Marion, but it was not until November 6, 1919, that there were enough votes in favor of the move (9,960 to 4,823).{{cite web|url=http://www.co.linn.ia.us/content.asp?Page_Id=459&Dept_Id=1|title=History of Linn County|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503105836/http://www.co.linn.ia.us/content.asp?Page_Id=459&Dept_Id=1|archive-date=May 3, 2009}} The first rail line was built through Cedar Rapids in 1859, and made the town (and the county) a major commercial hub in eastern Iowa.

Many areas of the county were damaged by the flooding of Cedar River in June 2008, and again during the August 2020 Midwest derecho.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|725|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|717|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.6|sqmi}} (1.1%) is water.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

=Major highways=

=Transit=

=Adjacent counties=

Benton County (west)
Buchanan County (northwest)
Cedar County (southeast)
Delaware County (northeast)
Iowa County (southwest)
Johnson County (south)
Jones County (east)

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1850= 5444

|1860= 18947

|1870= 31080

|1880= 37237

|1890= 45303

|1900= 55392

|1910= 60720

|1920= 74004

|1930= 82336

|1940= 89142

|1950= 104274

|1960= 136899

|1970= 163213

|1980= 169775

|1990= 168767

|2000= 191701

|2010= 211226

|2020= 230299

|estyear=2023

|estimate=228972

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 2, 2024}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 18, 2014}}
1790–1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 18, 2014}} 1900–1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ia190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 18, 2014}}
1990–2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 18, 2014}} 2010–2019{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19/19113.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 18, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607070531/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19/19113.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}

}}

File:LinnCountyIowaPop2020.png

=2020 census=

File:LinnCountyIA2022PopPyr.png for Linn County from ACS 5-year estimates]]

The 2020 census recorded a population of 230,299 in the county, with a population density of {{Pop density|230299|725.871528|sqmi|km2}}. 94.04% of the population reported being of one race. 78.91% were non-Hispanic White, 7.14% were Black, 3.87% were Hispanic, 0.24% were Native American, 2.33% were Asian, 0.23% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 7.28% were some other race or more than one race. There were 101,230 housing units, of which 94,751 were occupied.

=2010 census=

The 2010 census recorded a population of 211,226 in the county, with a population density of {{Pop density|211226|717.44|sqmi|km2}}. There were 92,251 housing units, of which 86,134 were occupied.{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-17.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016010401/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-17.pdf |archive-date=October 16, 2020 |url-status=live|title=Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010|publisher=United States Census Bureau American FactFinder|access-date=August 15, 2022}}

=2000 census=

At the 2000 census there were 191,701 people, 76,753 households, and 50,349 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|267|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 80,551 housing units at an average density of {{convert|112|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makup of the county was 93.90% White, 2.57% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. 1.42%.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}} were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 76,753 households 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.20% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.40% were non-families. 27.50% of households were one person and 8.90% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99.

Age spread: 25.30% under the age of 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males.

The median household income was $46,206 and the median family income was $56,494. Males had a median income of $38,525 versus $26,403 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,977. About 4.30% of families and 6.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.60% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The Linn County Board of Supervisors consists of three members elected by district to overlapping four-year terms.{{cite web|title=Board of Supervisors |url=http://www.linncounty.org/department.asp?Page_Id=380&Dept_Id=7 |access-date=February 18, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218223246/http://linncounty.org/department.asp?Dept_Id=7&Page_Id=380 |archive-date=February 18, 2009 }}

class="wikitable"
Name ! District ! First elected
Kirsten Running-Marquardt \| District 1 \| 2022
Sami Scheetz \| District 2 \| 2025 (appointed)
Brandy Meisheid \| District 3 \| 2024

class="wikitable"

Name

! District

! First elected

Kirsten Running-Marquardt

| District 1

| 2022

Sami Scheetz

| District 2

| 2025 (appointed)

Brandy Meisheid

| District 3

| 2024

The Board of Supervisors serves as both the executive branch and legislative branch of Linn County government. It oversees Communications, Community Services, Engineering/Secondary Road, Facilities, Finance & Budget, Human Resources, Information Technology, LIFTS (para-transit transportation), Planning & Development, Policy & Administration, Purchasing, Risk Management, Soil & Water Conservation, Sustainability, and Veteran Services. Conservation and Public Health report to independent boards appointed by the Board of Supervisors.

The County Attorney, Auditor, Recorder, Sheriff, and Treasurer are elected independently and oversee their respective departments.

Attorney - Nick Maybanks

Auditor - Todd Taylor

Recorder - Caroyln Siebrecht

Sheriff - Brian Gardner

Treasurer - Brent Oolson

While Iowa shifted from competitive to firmly Republican during the Donald Trump era in the mid-to-late 2010s, Linn County remained as one of the state's few Democratic strongholds. The County last voted for a Republican for president in 1984 when Ronald Reagan won a landslide re-election. In every presidential election since 1984, the Democratic candidate won Linn County by at least 9 percent.

{{PresHead|place=Linn County, Iowa|source={{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 9, 2018}}}}

Communities

=Cities=

=Unincorporated communities=

=Ghost towns=

Ivanhoe

=Townships=

=Population ranking=

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Linn County.

† county seat

class="wikitable sortable"
Rank !City/Town/etc. !Municipal type !Population (2020 Census)
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 1 \|† Cedar Rapids \| City \| 137,710
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 2 \|Marion \| City \| 41,535
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 3 \|Hiawatha \| City \| 7,183
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 4 \|Mount Vernon \| City \| 4,527
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 5 \|Robins \| City \| 3,353
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 6 \|Fairfax \| City \| 2,828
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 7 \|Center Point \| City \| 2,579
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 8 \|Ely \| City \| 2,328
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 9 \|Lisbon \| City \| 2,233
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 10 \|Palo \| City \| 1,407
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 11 \|Walford (partially in Benton County) \| City \| 1,366
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 12 \|Central City \| City \| 1,264
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 13 \|Springville \| City \| 1,154
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 14 \|Coggon \| City \| 701
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 15 \|Walker \| City \| 688
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 16 \|Alburnett \| City \| 675
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 17 \|Bertram \| City \| 269
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 18 \|Prairieburg \| City \| 160

class="wikitable sortable"

Rank

!City/Town/etc.

!Municipal type

!Population (2020 Census)