Mahaska County, Iowa

County in Iowa, United States

U.S. county in Iowa

Mahaska County

U.S. county

The courthouse in Oskaloosa, built 1886, is on the NRHP. The architect was Henry C. Koch.

Location within the U.S. state of Iowa

Iowa's location within the U.S.

Country|  United States
State|  Iowa
Founded| February 17, 1843
Named for| Chief Mahaska
Seat| Oskaloosa
Largest city| Oskaloosa
Area

• Total| 573 sq mi (1,480 km2)
• Land| 571 sq mi (1,480 km2)
• Water| 2.5 sq mi (6 km2)  0.4%
Population

(2020)

• Total| 22,190
• Density| 39/sq mi (15/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 2nd
Website| www.mahaskacountyia.gov

Mahaska County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,190.[1] The county seat is Oskaloosa.[2]

Mahaska County comprises the Oskaloosa, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Geography
* 2.1 Major highways
* 2.2 Transit
* 2.3 Adjacent counties
* 3 Demographics
* 3.1 2020 census
* 3.2 2010 census
* 3.3 2000 census
* 4 Communities
* 4.1 Cities
* 4.2 Unincorporated communities
* 4.3 Townships
* 4.4 Population ranking
* 5 Politics
* 6 See also
* 7 References
* 8 External links

## History

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Mahaska, from Futon's Red Men of Iowa (1882)

Mahaska County was formed in February 1843. The county has been self-governing since February 5, 1844. It was named after Chief Mahaska of the Iowa tribe. The county was the first in Iowa to have a sheriff and a justice of peace.[3]

The first courthouse was completed in January 1846. When a larger structure was required, the second courthouse was constructed in 1885–86, first being used on February 27, 1886. The first school, a small log cabin one-half mile (ca. 2 km) east of Oskaloosa, was opened on September 16, 1844, and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church opened as the first church in 1846.[4] On July 2, 1850, the first edition of the Iowa Herald was issued (today the Oskaloosa Herald). The first tracks of the Des Moines Valley Railroad were laid through the county in 1864.[3]

Coal mining was once a major industry in Mahaska County.[5] During the 19th century, Muchakinock, about 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Oskaloosa, was probably the largest and most prosperous coal camp in Iowa.

## Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 573 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 571 square miles (1,480 km2) is land and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2) (0.4%) is water.[6]

### Major highways

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* U.S. Highway 63
* Iowa Highway 23
* Iowa Highway 92
* Iowa Highway 163
* Iowa Highway 146
* Iowa Highway 149

### Transit

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* List of intercity bus stops in Iowa

### Adjacent counties

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* Jasper County (northwest)
* Poweshiek County (north)
* Keokuk County (east)
* Wapello County (southeast)
* Monroe County (southwest)
* Marion County (west)

## Demographics

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Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1850| 5,989| | —
1860| 14,816| | 147.4%
1870| 22,508| | 51.9%
1880| 25,202| | 12.0%
1890| 28,805| | 14.3%
1900| 34,273| | 19.0%
1910| 29,860| | −12.9%
1920| 26,270| | −12.0%
1930| 25,804| | −1.8%
1940| 26,485| | 2.6%
1950| 24,672| | −6.8%
1960| 23,602| | −4.3%
1970| 22,177| | −6.0%
1980| 22,867| | 3.1%
1990| 21,532| | −5.8%
2000| 22,335| | 3.7%
2010| 22,381| | 0.2%
2020| 22,190| | −0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2018[11]
Population of Mahaska County from US census data

### 2020 census

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The 2020 census recorded a population of 22,190 in the county, with a population density of 38.832/sq mi (14.993/km2). 96.02% of the population reported being of one race. 90.01% were non-Hispanic White, 1.78% were Black, 2.16% were Hispanic, 0.18% were Native American, 1.14% were Asian, 0.07% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 4.66% were some other race or more than one race. There were 9,680 housing units, of which 8,799 were occupied.[1]

### 2010 census

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The 2010 census recorded a population of 22,381 in the county, with a population density of 39.2051/sq mi (15.1372/km2). There were 9,766 housing units, of which 8,975 were occupied.[12]

### 2000 census

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2000 Census Age Pyramid for Mahaska County

As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 22,335 people, 8,880 households, and 6,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile (15/km2). There were 9,551 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.20% White, 0.64% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. 0.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,880 households, out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,314, and the median income for a family was $43,557. Males had a median income of $32,618 versus $23,192 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,232. About 7.50% of families and 9.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.70% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities

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### Cities

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* Barnes City
* Beacon
* Eddyville
* Fremont
* Keomah Village
* Leighton
* New Sharon
* Oskaloosa
* Rose Hill
* University Park

### Unincorporated communities

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* Cedar
* Hopewell
* Indianapolis
* Lacey

### Townships

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* Adams
* Black Oak
* Cedar
* East Des Moines
* Garfield
* Harrison
* Jefferson
* Lincoln
* Madison
* Monroe
* Pleasant Grove
* Prairie
* Richland
* Scott
* Spring Creek
* Union
* West Des Moines
* White Oak

### Population ranking

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

† county seat

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

|
|
|

1  | † Oskaloosa | City  | 11,558
2  | New Sharon | City  | 1,262
3  | Eddyville (partially in Monroe and Wapello Counties)  | City  | 970
4  | Fremont | City  | 708
5  | University Park | City  | 487
6  | Beacon | City  | 445
7  | Leighton | City  | 158
8  | Rose Hill | City  | 157
9  | Barnes City (partially in Poweshiek County)  | City  | 156
10  | Keomah Village | City  | 110

## Politics

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Mahaska County is a strongly Republican county. Only six Republican Party presidential candidates from 1880 to the present day have failed to win the county, most recently Barry Goldwater in 1964 in his landslide loss statewide & nationally to Lyndon B. Johnson.

United States presidential election results for Mahaska County, Iowa[14] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 8,297  | 72.76% | 2,894  | 25.38%  | 213  | 1.87%
2016 | 7,432  | 69.90% | 2,619  | 24.63%  | 581  | 5.46%
2012 | 6,448  | 59.25% | 4,213  | 38.71%  | 222  | 2.04%
2008 | 6,271  | 57.35% | 4,464  | 40.83%  | 199  | 1.82%
2004 | 6,858  | 63.93% | 3,790  | 35.33%  | 80  | 0.75%
2000 | 5,971  | 62.57% | 3,370  | 35.31%  | 202  | 2.12%
1996 | 4,473  | 50.03% | 3,737  | 41.80%  | 731  | 8.18%
1992 | 4,953  | 48.34% | 3,714  | 36.24%  | 1,580  | 15.42%
1988 | 4,798  | 51.48% | 4,451  | 47.76%  | 71  | 0.76%
1984 | 6,086  | 59.13% | 4,107  | 39.90%  | 100  | 0.97%
1980 | 5,650  | 54.52% | 3,968  | 38.29%  | 745  | 7.19%
1976 | 5,267  | 51.38% | 4,838  | 47.20%  | 146  | 1.42%
1972 | 6,374  | 63.82% | 3,382  | 33.86%  | 232  | 2.32%
1968 | 5,670  | 56.87% | 3,721  | 37.32%  | 579  | 5.81%
1964 | 3,787  | 37.11%  | 6,396  | 62.68% | 22  | 0.22%
1960 | 7,129  | 65.40% | 3,746  | 34.36%  | 26  | 0.24%
1956 | 6,864  | 62.21% | 3,965  | 35.93%  | 205  | 1.86%
1952 | 7,369  | 63.95% | 3,745  | 32.50%  | 409  | 3.55%
1948 | 4,238  | 46.93%  | 4,327  | 47.92% | 465  | 5.15%
1944 | 5,123  | 50.86% | 4,652  | 46.19%  | 297  | 2.95%
1940 | 6,123  | 51.12% | 5,757  | 48.07%  | 97  | 0.81%
1936 | 5,270  | 44.94%  | 6,094  | 51.97% | 362  | 3.09%
1932 | 4,655  | 43.45%  | 5,586  | 52.14% | 472  | 4.41%
1928 | 7,368  | 69.09% | 3,200  | 30.00%  | 97  | 0.91%
1924 | 5,810  | 55.11% | 1,673  | 15.87%  | 3,060  | 29.02%
1920 | 6,739  | 64.55% | 3,339  | 31.98%  | 362  | 3.47%
1916 | 3,143  | 48.14%  | 3,151  | 48.26% | 235  | 3.60%
1912 | 1,682  | 26.09%  | 2,576  | 39.95% | 2,190  | 33.96%
1908 | 3,326  | 48.51% | 3,035  | 44.27%  | 495  | 7.22%
1904 | 4,091  | 59.57% | 2,287  | 33.30%  | 489  | 7.12%
1900 | 4,480  | 53.90% | 3,596  | 43.26%  | 236  | 2.84%
1896 | 4,256  | 50.69% | 3,974  | 47.33%  | 166  | 1.98%

## See also

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* Mahaska County Courthouse
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Mahaska County, Iowa

## References

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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. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ a b Mahaska County Archived July 3, 2007, at archive.today
4. ^ "About Mahaska". Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
5. ^ Map of Historic Coal Mines in Mahaska County[permanent dead link], Mahaska 4-H Tech Team, May 2006.
6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
11. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
12. ^ "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010" (PDF). United States Census Bureau – American FactFinder. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
13. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
14. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 27, 2018.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mahaska County, Iowa.

* Mahaska County website

Places adjacent to Mahaska County, Iowa

| Jasper County | Poweshiek County |

|
|

|  |
Marion County |

Mahaska County, Iowa

| Keokuk County
|  |
Monroe County |  | Wapello County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Mahaska County, Iowa, United States

County seat: Oskaloosa

Cities|

* Barnes City‡
* Beacon
* Eddyville‡
* Fremont
* Keomah Village
* Leighton
* New Sharon
* Oskaloosa
* Rose Hill
* University Park

Map of Iowa highlighting Mahaska County

Unincorporated
communities|

* Cedar
* Hopewell
* Indianapolis
* Lakonta
* Peoria
* Tioga
* Union Mills
* Wright

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* 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
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* Flag
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* History
* Historic Places
* Index
* Legislature
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* 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: 41°20′02″N 92°38′44″W﻿ / ﻿41.33389°N 92.64556°W﻿ / 41.33389; -92.64556
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