Poweshiek County, Iowa

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Poweshiek County

| state = Iowa

| named for = Poweshiek, Meskwaki chief

| ex image = Poweshiek County IA Courthouse.jpg

| ex image size = 240px

| ex image cap = Poweshiek County Courthouse

| seal =

| founded year = 1843

| founded date =

| seat wl = Montezuma

| largest city wl = Grinnell

| area_total_sq_mi = 586

| area_land_sq_mi = 585

| area_water_sq_mi = 1.1

| area percentage = 0.2

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 18662

| population_density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Central

| web = https://poweshiekcounty.org/

| district = 2nd

}}

Poweshiek County is a county in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 18,662.{{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/ |access-date=August 12, 2021 |website=census.gov |publisher=United states Census Bureau}} The county seat is Montezuma.{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}} The county is named for the chief of the Meskwaki who signed the treaty ending the Black Hawk War. It lies along Interstate 80 between Des Moines and Iowa City. Poweshiek County's largest city is Grinnell.

History

Poweshiek County was formed in 1843. It was named for [https://grinnell.lib.ia.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ChiefPoweshiek_IowaHistory2014.pdf Meskwaki Chief Poweshiek] (1791–1854),{{Cite journal |last=Colbert |first=Thomas Burnell |date=Nov–Dec 2014 |title=Poweshiek: His power, politics and people |url=https://grinnell.lib.ia.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ChiefPoweshiek_IowaHistory2014.pdf |journal=Iowa History Journal |pages=12–16}} a chief of the Meskwaki people.{{Cite web |title=Details Page - The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa - The University of Iowa Libraries |url=http://uipress.lib.uiowa.edu/bdi/DetailsPage.aspx?id=309 |website=uipress.lib.uiowa.edu}} The Poweshiek County Courthouse, completed in 1859, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.{{NRISref|2009a}}

Government and infrastructure

County business is overseen by three elected county supervisors. The county website provides names and contact information for the current supervisors.{{Cite news |title=Supervisors - Poweshiek County Iowa |url=http://poweshiekcounty.org/supervisors/ |access-date=April 27, 2018 |work=Poweshiek County Iowa}}

{{PresHead|place=Poweshiek County, Iowa|source={{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=April 27, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}}}

Poweshiek County Elected Officials

County Supervisors: Chairman Jeff Tindle (R), Vice-Chair Jason Roudabush (D), Jacki Bolen (R)
County Attorney: Bart Klaver (R)
County Auditor: Missy Eilander (R)
County Recorder: Lora Wyckoff (R)
County Sheriff: Matt Maschmann (R)
County Treasurer: Sandy Ross (R)

=Healthcare=

Poweshiek County is served by Grinnell Regional Medical Center, an acute care hospital licensed for 81 beds. GRMC was established in 1967 after the merger of two hospitals.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|586|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|585|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.1|sqmi}} (0.2%) is water.{{Cite web |date=February 12, 2011 |title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |access-date=April 23, 2011 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} It is drained by the north fork of Skunk River, which crosses the southwest corner, and by English River and other streams.{{Cite AmCyc|wstitle=Poweshiek}}

=Major highways=

=Transit=

List of intercity bus stops in Iowa

=Adjacent counties=

Tama County (north)
Iowa County (east)
Keokuk County (southeast)
Mahaska County (south)
Jasper County (west)

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1850= 615

|1860= 5668

|1870= 15581

|1880= 18936

|1890= 18394

|1900= 19414

|1910= 19589

|1920= 19910

|1930= 18727

|1940= 18758

|1950= 19344

|1960= 19300

|1970= 18803

|1980= 19306

|1990= 19033

|2000= 18815

|2010= 18914

|2020= 18662

|estyear=2023

|estimate=18453

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

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=July 20, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1790-1960{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=July 20, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}} 1900-1990{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ia190090.txt |access-date=July 20, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1990-2000{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |access-date=July 20, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} 2010-2018{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19/19157.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607072254/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19/19157.html |archive-date=June 7, 2011 |access-date=July 20, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

}}

File:PoweshiekCountyIowaPop2020.png

=2020 census=

File:PoweshiekCountyIA2022PopPyr.png for Poweshiek County from ACS 5-year estimates]]

The 2020 census recorded a population of 18,662 in the county, with a population density of {{Pop density|18662|586.874853|sqmi|km2}}. 96.55% of the population reported being of one race. There were 8,906 housing units, of which 7,536 were occupied.

class="wikitable"

|+Poweshiek County Racial Composition{{Cite web |title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Poweshiek County, Iowa |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Poweshiek%20County,%20Iowa&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}

!Race

!Num.

!Perc.

White (NH)

|17,004

|91.11%

Black or African American (NH)

|320

|1.7%

Native American (NH)

|53

|0.3%

Asian (NH)

|221

|1.2%

Pacific Islander (NH)

|21

|0.11%

Other/Mixed (NH)

|514

|2.8%

Hispanic or Latino

|529

|2.83%

=2010 census=

The 2010 census recorded a population of 18,914 in the county, with a population density of {{Pop density|18914|585.03|sqmi|km2}}. There were 8,949 housing units, of which 7,555 were occupied.{{Cite web |title=Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010 |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-17.pdf |access-date=August 15, 2022 |publisher=United States Census Bureau – American FactFinder}}

=2000 census=

As of the census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} of 2000, there were 18,815 people, 7,398 households, and 4,882 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|32|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 8,556 housing units at an average density of {{convert|15|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 96.74% White, 0.55% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. 1.20% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 7,398 households 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 29.2% of households were one person and 13.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.88.

The age distribution was 22.7% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.

The median household income was $37,836 and the median family income was $46,599. Males had a median income of $32,781 versus $22,465 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,629. About 6.2% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Poweshiek County is served by three community school districts:

{{Cite web |title=Poweshiek County Schools | FindOurSchool.com |url=http://www.findourschool.com/5547/county/ia/poweshiek |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808045558/http://www.findourschool.com/5547/county/ia/poweshiek |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |access-date=May 4, 2013}}

District	Location	Num of campuses (inc. parochial) ! Num of students	Student– teacher ratio	High school	District web site
class="wikitable sortable"
BGM Community School District (Brooklyn–Guernsey–Malcom)	Brooklyn	1	532	-	BGM	[http://www.brooklyn.k12.ia.us/ BGM]
Grinnell–Newburg Community School District	Grinnell	6	1,475	-	Grinnell	[https://web.archive.org/web/20111016102210/http://www.grinnell.k12.ia.us/ Grinnell]
Montezuma Community School District	Montezuma	1	537	-	Montezuma	[http://www.montezuma.k12.ia.us/ Montezuma]

Poweshiek County is home to Grinnell College, a small liberal arts college founded in 1846.

There is one private school in the county, Central Iowa Christian School, in Grinnell.

Communities

=Cities=

=Unincorporated communities=

Ewart

Population

=Political Townships=

=Census-designated places=

Holiday Lake

=Population ranking=

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 United States census.

† county seat

class="wikitable sortable"
Rank !City/town/etc. !Municipal type !Population (2020 Census)
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 1 \|Grinnell \| City \| 9,564
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 2 \|Brooklyn \| City \| 1,502
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 3 \|† Montezuma \| City \| 1,442
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 4 \|Victor (mostly in Iowa County) \| City \| 875
style="background-color:#F0FFF0;" \| 5 \|Holiday Lake \| CDP \| 473
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 6 \|Malcom \| City \| 270
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 7 \|Deep River \| City \| 249
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 8 \|Barnes City (partially in Mahaska County) \| City \| 156
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 9 \|Searsboro \| City \| 129
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 10 \|Hartwick \| City \| 92
style="background-color:#FFFACD;" \| 11 \|Guernsey \| City \| 63

class="wikitable sortable"

Rank

!City/town/etc.

!Municipal type

!Population (2020 Census)

style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 1

|Grinnell

| City

| 9,564

style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 2