Buena Vista County, Iowa

County in Iowa, United States

U.S. county in Iowa

Buena Vista County

U.S. county

Buena Vista County Courthouse

Location within the U.S. state of Iowa

Iowa's location within the U.S.

Country|  United States
State|  Iowa
Founded| 1851
Named for| Battle of Buena Vista
Seat| Storm Lake
Largest city| Storm Lake
Area

• Total| 580 sq mi (1,500 km2)
• Land| 575 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Water| 5.3 sq mi (14 km2)  0.9%
Population

(2020)

• Total| 20,823
• Density| 36/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 4th
Website| buenavistacounty.iowa.gov

Buena Vista County (/ˈbjuːnə ˈvɪstə/; Spanish pronunciation: [ˈbwena ˈβista]) is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,823.[1] Its county seat is Storm Lake.[2] The county is named for the final victory of Field General Zachary Taylor in the Mexican–American War.

Buena Vista County comprises the Storm Lake, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Geography
* 2.1 Major highways
* 2.2 Adjacent counties
* 3 Demographics
* 3.1 2020 census
* 3.2 2010 census
* 3.3 2000 census
* 4 Law enforcement
* 5 Communities
* 5.1 Cities
* 5.2 Townships
* 5.3 Population ranking
* 6 Politics
* 7 See also
* 8 References
* 9 External links

## History

[edit | edit source]

Buena Vista County was formed on January 15, 1851, from open land. It was named in memory of the Battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican-American War ending in 1848; the victorious United States annexed considerable territory as a result.[3]

## Geography

[edit | edit source]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 580 square miles (1,500 km2), of which 575 square miles (1,490 km2) is land and 5.3 square miles (14 km2) (0.9%) is water.[4]

### Major highways

[edit | edit source]

* U.S. Highway 71
* Iowa Highway 3
* Iowa Highway 7
* Iowa Highway 10
* Iowa Highway 110

### Adjacent counties

[edit | edit source]

* Clay County (north)
* Pocahontas County (east)
* Sac County (south)
* Cherokee County (west)

## Demographics

[edit | edit source]

Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1860| 57| | —
1870| 1,585| | 2,680.7%
1880| 7,537| | 375.5%
1890| 13,548| | 79.8%
1900| 16,975| | 25.3%
1910| 15,981| | −5.9%
1920| 18,556| | 16.1%
1930| 18,667| | 0.6%
1940| 19,838| | 6.3%
1950| 21,113| | 6.4%
1960| 21,189| | 0.4%
1970| 20,693| | −2.3%
1980| 20,774| | 0.4%
1990| 19,965| | −3.9%
2000| 20,411| | 2.2%
2010| 20,260| | −0.7%
2020| 20,823| | 2.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790–1960[6] 1900–1990[7]
1990–2000[8] 2010-2018[9]

### 2020 census

[edit | edit source]

The 2020 census recorded a population of 20,823 in the county, with a population density of 35.9542/sq mi (13.8820/km2). 89.44% of the population reported being of one race. There were 8,141 housing units of which 7,447 were occupied.[1]

Buena Vista County Racial Composition[10] Race  | Num.  | Perc.

|
|

White (NH)  | 11,377  | 54.63%
Black or African American (NH)  | 550  | 2.7%
Native American (NH)  | 29  | 0.14%
Asian (NH)  | 1,889  | 9.1%
Pacific Islander (NH)  | 614  | 3%
Other/Mixed (NH)  | 429  | 2.1%
Hispanic or Latino | 5,925  | 28.5%

### 2010 census

[edit | edit source]

The 2010 census recorded a population of 20,260 in the county, with a population density of 35.48/sq mi (13.700/km2). There were 8,237 housing units, of which 7,522 were occupied.[11]

### 2000 census

[edit | edit source]

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Buena Vista County

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 20,411 people, 7,499 households, and 5,121 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile (14/km2). There were 8,145 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.00% White, 0.35% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 4.33% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 5.75% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. 12.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2005 Census estimates of the racial origins of Buena Vista County's population indicated it had the lowest percentage of non-Hispanic Whites of any county in Iowa. The non-Hispanic whites constituted 76.1% of the county's population, with African-Americans being 1.3%, Asians 3.9% and Latinos 18.6% of the population.[13]

There were 7,499 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.50% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.70% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.40% under the age of 18, 12.20% from 18 to 24, 25.40% from 25 to 44, 20.20% from 45 to 64, and 16.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,300, and the median income for a family was $41,549. Males had a median income of $29,172 versus $20,252 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,042. About 7.60% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.60% of those under age 18 and 7.60% of those age 65 or over.

## Law enforcement

[edit | edit source]

File:IA - Buena Vista County Sheriff.png

Law enforcement is the responsibility of the Buena Vista County Sheriff's Office (BVSO). The department provides law enforcement services for all areas of Buena Vista County, as well as providing for courthouse security, operating the county jail, and performing civil procedures. The current Sheriff is Kory Elston.[14] The staff includes a mix of full-time deputies and reserve deputies.

The Buena Vista County Sheriff's Office is located at 411 Expansion Blvd in Storm Lake, Iowa.[15]

Reserve officers from the Buena Vista County Sheriff's Office received the Donald H. Mackaman Outstanding Unit Award at the 2013 state reserve conference.[16]

## Communities

[edit | edit source]

### Cities

[edit | edit source]

* Albert City
* Alta
* Lakeside
* Linn Grove
* Marathon
* Newell
* Rembrandt
* Sioux Rapids
* Storm Lake
* Truesdale

### Townships

[edit | edit source]

Buena Vista County is divided into sixteen townships:

* Barnes
* Brooke
* Coon
* Elk
* Fairfield
* Grant
* Hayes
* Lee
* Lincoln
* Maple Valley
* Newell
* Nokomis
* Poland
* Providence
* Scott
* Washington

### Population ranking

[edit | edit source]

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Buena Vista County.[1]

† county seat

Rank  | City/Town/etc.  | Municipal type  | Population (2020 Census)

|
|
|

1  | † Storm Lake | City  | 11,269
2  | Alta | City  | 2,087
3  | Newell | City  | 906
4  | Sioux Rapids | City  | 748
5  | Lakeside | City  | 700
6  | Albert City | City  | 677
7  | Marathon | City  | 230
8  | Rembrandt | City  | 209
9  | Linn Grove | City  | 163
10  | Truesdale | City  | 69

## Politics

[edit | edit source]

Buena Vista County has mostly voted Republican throughout its history, only failing to back the party's candidates in a presidential election eight times throughout its history. The first of these instances was in 1912 when the Republican vote was split between incumbent William Howard Taft & former President Theodore Roosevelt, who won a majority of the county's votes as a third-party candidate. Five of the instances were national landslides for the Democratic Party in all four of Franklin D. Roosevelt's victories as well as Lyndon B. Johnson's 1964 landslide. The other two Democratic victories were in 1948 as Harry S. Truman narrowly won the county & statewide by a similar margin, & 40 years later in 1988 as Michael Dukakis was boosted statewide by the 1980s farm crisis despite his national landslide loss.

United States presidential election results for Buena Vista County, Iowa[17] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 5,056  | 61.91% | 2,961  | 36.26%  | 150  | 1.84%
2016 | 4,903  | 59.23% | 2,856  | 34.50%  | 519  | 6.27%
2012 | 4,554  | 54.32% | 3,700  | 44.14%  | 129  | 1.54%
2008 | 4,223  | 50.15% | 4,075  | 48.40%  | 122  | 1.45%
2004 | 4,887  | 57.56% | 3,520  | 41.46%  | 83  | 0.98%
2000 | 4,354  | 54.58% | 3,297  | 41.33%  | 326  | 4.09%
1996 | 3,636  | 45.65% | 3,420  | 42.94%  | 909  | 11.41%
1992 | 3,863  | 41.73% | 3,374  | 36.45%  | 2,020  | 21.82%
1988 | 4,170  | 47.25%  | 4,580  | 51.90% | 75  | 0.85%
1984 | 5,193  | 55.22% | 4,109  | 43.69%  | 103  | 1.10%
1980 | 5,272  | 54.49% | 3,468  | 35.84%  | 936  | 9.67%
1976 | 5,126  | 53.58% | 4,227  | 44.18%  | 214  | 2.24%
1972 | 5,685  | 61.25% | 3,460  | 37.28%  | 136  | 1.47%
1968 | 5,599  | 61.87% | 3,051  | 33.71%  | 400  | 4.42%
1964 | 3,747  | 41.65%  | 5,245  | 58.30% | 5  | 0.06%
1960 | 6,351  | 63.54% | 3,637  | 36.38%  | 8  | 0.08%
1956 | 6,470  | 61.25% | 4,083  | 38.65%  | 10  | 0.09%
1952 | 7,539  | 69.72% | 3,254  | 30.09%  | 20  | 0.18%
1948 | 3,959  | 46.61%  | 4,340  | 51.10% | 194  | 2.28%
1944 | 3,993  | 48.06%  | 4,277  | 51.47% | 39  | 0.47%
1940 | 4,576  | 48.69%  | 4,784  | 50.90% | 39  | 0.41%
1936 | 3,334  | 37.95%  | 5,287  | 60.18% | 164  | 1.87%
1932 | 3,162  | 38.51%  | 4,835  | 58.89% | 213  | 2.59%
1928 | 5,087  | 65.47% | 2,609  | 33.58%  | 74  | 0.95%
1924 | 3,812  | 52.38% | 683  | 9.39%  | 2,782  | 38.23%
1920 | 4,927  | 78.58% | 1,204  | 19.20%  | 139  | 2.22%
1916 | 2,045  | 57.38% | 1,454  | 40.80%  | 65  | 1.82%
1912 | 755  | 20.77%  | 921  | 25.34%  | 1,959  | 53.89%
1908 | 2,337  | 65.94% | 1,054  | 29.74%  | 153  | 4.32%
1904 | 2,483  | 76.17% | 605  | 18.56%  | 172  | 5.28%
1900 | 2,632  | 71.25% | 936  | 25.34%  | 126  | 3.41%
1896 | 2,568  | 67.63% | 1,178  | 31.02%  | 51  | 1.34%

## See also

[edit | edit source]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Buena Vista County, Iowa

## References

[edit | edit source]

1. ^ a b c "2020 Census State Redistricting Data". census.gov. United states Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ History of the Origin of the Place Names in Nine Northwestern States. 1908. p. 12.
4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
5. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
6. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
7. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
8. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
9. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
10. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Buena Vista County, Iowa".
11. ^ "Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010 - State -- County". United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2011.[dead link]
12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
13. ^ "Buena Vista County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
14. ^ "Buena Vista County". www.bvcountyiowa.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
15. ^ "Buena Vista County Sheriff". Buena Vista County, Iowa. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
16. ^ "BV County Sheriff Reserve Officers Bring Home Honors". Storm Lake Pilot Tribune. April 29, 2013. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
17. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 25, 2018.

## External links

[edit | edit source]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Buena Vista County, Iowa.

* Buena Vista County government's website
* Genealogy: Buena Vista County Iowa History & Heritage Project

Places adjacent to Buena Vista County, Iowa

|  | Clay County |

|
|

|  |
Cherokee County |

Buena Vista County, Iowa

| Pocahontas County
|  |
| Sac County |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Buena Vista County, Iowa, United States

County seat: Storm Lake

Cities|

* Albert City
* Alta
* Lakeside
* Linn Grove
* Marathon
* Newell
* Rembrandt
* Sioux Rapids
* Storm Lake
* Truesdale

Map of Iowa highlighting Buena Vista County

Townships|

* Barnes
* Brooke
* Coon
* Elk
* Fairfield
* Grant
* Hayes
* Lee
* Lincoln
* Maple Valley
* Newell
* Nokomis
* Poland
* Providence
* Scott
* Washington

Unincorporated
communities|

* Sulphur Springs

* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Iowa

Des Moines (capital)

Topics|

* Archaeology
* Area codes
* Attorney General
* Auditor of State
* Capitol
* Code
* Congressional districts
* Crime
* Delegations
* Representatives
* Senators
* Elections
* Caucuses
* Environment
* Flag
* Governor
* History
* Historic Places
* Index
* Legislature
* House
* Senate
* Museums
* People
* Native Americans
* Political parties
* Democratic
* Libertarian
* Republican
* Seal
* Secretary of Agriculture
* Secretary of State
* State Parks
* Supreme Court
* Symbols
* Treasurer of State

Regions|

* Coteau des Prairies
* Des Moines metropolitan area
* Dissected Till Plains
* Driftless Area
* Great River Road
* Honey Lands
* Iowa Great Lakes
* Loess Hills
* Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area
* Quad Cities
* Siouxland

Largest cities|

* Ames
* Ankeny
* Bettendorf
* Burlington
* Cedar Falls
* Cedar Rapids
* Clinton
* Council Bluffs
* Davenport
* Des Moines
* Dubuque
* Fort Dodge
* Iowa City
* Marion
* Marshalltown
* Mason City
* Muscatine
* Ottumwa
* Sioux City
* Urbandale
* Waterloo
* West Des Moines

Counties|

* Adair
* Adams
* Allamakee
* Appanoose
* Audubon
* Benton
* Black Hawk
* Boone
* Bremer
* Buchanan
* Buena Vista
* Butler
* Calhoun
* Carroll
* Cass
* Cedar
* Cerro Gordo
* Cherokee
* Chickasaw
* Clarke
* Clay
* Clayton
* Clinton
* Crawford
* Dallas
* Davis
* Decatur
* Delaware
* Des Moines
* Dickinson
* Dubuque
* Emmet
* Fayette
* Floyd
* Franklin
* Fremont
* Greene
* Grundy
* Guthrie
* Hamilton
* Hancock
* Hardin
* Harrison
* Henry
* Howard
* Humboldt
* Ida
* Iowa
* Jackson
* Jasper
* Jefferson
* Johnson
* Jones
* Keokuk
* Kossuth
* Lee
* Linn
* Louisa
* Lucas
* Lyon
* Madison
* Mahaska
* Marion
* Marshall
* Mills
* Mitchell
* Monona
* Monroe
* Montgomery
* Muscatine
* O'Brien
* Osceola
* Page
* Palo Alto
* Plymouth
* Pocahontas
* Polk
* Pottawattamie
* Poweshiek
* Ringgold
* Sac
* Scott
* Shelby
* Sioux
* Story
* Tama
* Taylor
* Union
* Van Buren
* Wapello
* Warren
* Washington
* Wayne
* Webster
* Winnebago
* Winneshiek
* Woodbury
* Worth
* Wright

Coordinates: 42°44′06″N 95°09′01″W﻿ / ﻿42.73500°N 95.15028°W﻿ / 42.73500; -95.15028
*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template