Mitchell County, Iowa

County in Iowa, United States

U.S. county in Iowa

Mitchell County

U.S. county

Mitchell County Courthouse in Osage

Mitchell County Courthouse in Osage

Map of Iowa highlighting Mitchell County

Location within the U.S. state of Iowa

Iowa's location within the U.S.

Country|  United States
State|  Iowa
Founded| 1851
Named for| John Mitchel
Seat| Osage
Largest city| Osage
Area

• Total| 470 sq mi (1,200 km2)
• Land| 469 sq mi (1,210 km2)
• Water| 0.4 sq mi (1 km2)  0.09%
Population

(2020)

• Total| 10,565
• Density| 22/sq mi (8.7/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 1st
Website| mitchellcounty.iowa.gov

Mitchell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,565.[1] The county seat is Osage.[2] It is not clear whom the county is named after: the county website mentions John Mitchell, an early surveyor, and an Irish patriot John Mitchel.[3]

## 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 Politics
* 5 Economy
* 6 Communities
* 6.1 Cities
* 6.2 Census-designated places
* 6.3 Townships
* 6.4 Population ranking
* 7 See also
* 8 References
* 9 External links

## History

[edit | edit source]

Mitchell County was founded in 1851. It was named after John Mitchel, an Irish patriot.[4] The county's courthouse was completed in 1858,[5] and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The courthouse has since been razed.

## Geography

[edit | edit source]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 470 square miles (1,200 km2), of which 469 square miles (1,210 km2) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) (0.09%) is water.[6]

### Major highways

[edit | edit source]

* U.S. Highway 218
* Iowa Highway 9

### Adjacent counties

[edit | edit source]

* Mower County, Minnesota (north)
* Howard County (east)
* Floyd County (south)
* Cerro Gordo County (southwest)
* Worth County (west)

## Demographics

[edit | edit source]

Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1860| 3,409| | —
1870| 9,582| | 181.1%
1880| 14,363| | 49.9%
1890| 13,299| | −7.4%
1900| 14,916| | 12.2%
1910| 13,435| | −9.9%
1920| 13,921| | 3.6%
1930| 14,065| | 1.0%
1940| 14,121| | 0.4%
1950| 13,945| | −1.2%
1960| 14,043| | 0.7%
1970| 13,108| | −6.7%
1980| 12,329| | −5.9%
1990| 10,928| | −11.4%
2000| 10,874| | −0.5%
2010| 10,776| | −0.9%
2020| 10,565| | −2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2018[11]
File:MitchellCountyIowaPop2020.pngPopulation of Mitchell County from US census data

### 2020 census

[edit | edit source]

The 2020 census recorded a population of 10,565 in the county, with a population density of 22.8027/sq mi (8.8042/km2). 97.47% of the population reported being of one race. 93.84% were non-Hispanic White, 0.40% were Black, 1.83% were Hispanic, 0.11% were Native American, 0.44% were Asian, 0.04% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 3.35% were some other race or more than one race. There were 4,847 housing units, of which 4,382 were occupied.[1]

### 2010 census

[edit | edit source]

The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,776 in the county, with a population density of 22.9805/sq mi (8.8728/km2). There were 4,850 housing units, of which 4,395 were occupied.[12]

### 2000 census

[edit | edit source]

File:USA Mitchell County, Iowa age pyramid.svg2000 Census Age Pyramid for Mitchell County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Mitchell County's 99% White population makes it the county with the smallest percentage of minorities nationally.[13]

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 10,874 people, 4,294 households, and 2,984 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile (9/km2). There were 4,594 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 99.27% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races, and 0.21% from two or more races; 0.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,294 households, out of which 30.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.80% were married couples living together, 5.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.50% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 24.20% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 21.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.70 males; for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,843, and the median income for a family was $41,233. Males had a median income of $29,601 versus $22,054 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,809. About 7.00% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.50% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

[edit | edit source]

Starting with Michael Dukakis's win in 1988, Mitchell County became a Democratic leaning county, voting for Democrats in all presidential elections through 2012. Mitchell County was the whitest county in the United States that voted for President Barack Obama, both in 2008 and 2012.[15] In 2016, Trump became the first Republican to win it since Ronald Reagan in 1984, winning it by a 24% margin, the largest margin for a presidential candidate since 1968. He won it again in 2020, by an even larger 28% margin, the largest margin for any candidate since 1952. 2020 also marked the first time since 1960 that a Democrat was elected president without carrying Mitchell County.

United States presidential election results for Mitchell County, Iowa[16] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 3,677  | 63.16% | 2,053  | 35.26%  | 92  | 1.58%
2016 | 3,190  | 58.89% | 1,888  | 34.85%  | 339  | 6.26%
2012 | 2,643  | 47.31%  | 2,831  | 50.68% | 112  | 2.01%
2008 | 2,469  | 42.82%  | 3,179  | 55.13% | 118  | 2.05%
2004 | 2,646  | 48.28%  | 2,785  | 50.82% | 49  | 0.89%
2000 | 2,388  | 46.26%  | 2,650  | 51.34% | 124  | 2.40%
1996 | 1,877  | 37.01%  | 2,596  | 51.19% | 598  | 11.79%
1992 | 1,933  | 36.15%  | 2,177  | 40.71% | 1,237  | 23.13%
1988 | 2,338  | 44.52%  | 2,870  | 54.66% | 43  | 0.82%
1984 | 3,144  | 54.74% | 2,531  | 44.07%  | 68  | 1.18%
1980 | 3,401  | 58.00% | 2,040  | 34.79%  | 423  | 7.21%
1976 | 2,887  | 49.00%  | 2,906  | 49.32% | 99  | 1.68%
1972 | 3,395  | 57.44% | 2,449  | 41.43%  | 67  | 1.13%
1968 | 3,533  | 60.60% | 2,103  | 36.07%  | 194  | 3.33%
1964 | 2,489  | 39.06%  | 3,868  | 60.69% | 16  | 0.25%
1960 | 3,915  | 57.59% | 2,873  | 42.26%  | 10  | 0.15%
1956 | 4,175  | 61.29% | 2,630  | 38.61%  | 7  | 0.10%
1952 | 5,050  | 69.78% | 2,175  | 30.05%  | 12  | 0.17%
1948 | 3,021  | 49.37% | 2,873  | 46.95%  | 225  | 3.68%
1944 | 3,406  | 55.54% | 2,696  | 43.97%  | 30  | 0.49%
1940 | 3,947  | 56.49% | 3,025  | 43.29%  | 15  | 0.21%
1936 | 2,765  | 41.87%  | 3,610  | 54.67% | 228  | 3.45%
1932 | 2,527  | 38.59%  | 3,940  | 60.16% | 82  | 1.25%
1928 | 3,534  | 59.90% | 2,308  | 39.12%  | 58  | 0.98%
1924 | 2,892  | 46.93% | 400  | 6.49%  | 2,871  | 46.58%
1920 | 4,476  | 83.95% | 773  | 14.50%  | 83  | 1.56%
1916 | 1,963  | 64.38% | 1,033  | 33.88%  | 53  | 1.74%
1912 | 590  | 20.33%  | 1,082  | 37.28%  | 1,230  | 42.38%
1908 | 1,932  | 65.09% | 988  | 33.29%  | 48  | 1.62%
1904 | 2,158  | 74.93% | 634  | 22.01%  | 88  | 3.06%
1900 | 2,450  | 70.40% | 981  | 28.19%  | 49  | 1.41%
1896 | 2,498  | 69.80% | 1,031  | 28.81%  | 50  | 1.40%

## Economy

[edit | edit source]

In January 2017, Mitchell County supervisors denied an application for an Iowa Select contracted farm in Lincoln Township. It was planned for 5,000-hogs.[17]

## Communities

[edit | edit source]

### Cities

[edit | edit source]

* Carpenter
* McIntire
* Mitchell
* Orchard
* Osage
* St. Ansgar
* Stacyville

### Census-designated places

[edit | edit source]

* Little Cedar
* Meyer
* Mona
* New Haven
* Otranto
* Toeterville

### Townships

[edit | edit source]

* Burr Oak
* Cedar
* Douglas
* East Lincoln
* Jenkins
* Liberty
* Mitchell
* Newburg
* Osage
* Otranto
* Rock
* St. Ansgar
* Stacyville
* Union
* Wayne
* West Lincoln

### Population ranking

[edit | edit source]

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

† county seat

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

|
|
|

1  | † Osage | City  | 3,627
2  | St. Ansgar | City  | 1,160
3  | Riceville (partially in Howard County)  | City  | 806
4  | Stacyville | City  | 458
5  | Mitchell | City  | 124
6  | McIntire | City  | 113
7  | Carpenter | City  | 87
8  | New Haven | CDP  | 77
9  | Orchard | City  | 68
10  | Little Cedar | CDP  | 64
11  | Toeterville | CDP  | 53
12  | Mona | CDP  | 35
13  | Otranto | CDP  | 27
14  | Meyer | CDP  | 14

## See also

[edit | edit source]

* Mitchell County Courthouse
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Mitchell 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. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ county website
4. ^ Mitchell County Archived July 3, 2007, at archive.today
5. ^ "Mitchell County Courthouse". Iowa Judicial Branch. Archived from the original on July 26, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
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. ^ Census Bureau data, cited in "Minorities now in the majority in nearly 10% of U.S. counties", Associated Press August 8, 2007, Lexington Herald-Leader p A8
14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
15. ^ Buchanan, Larry; McDonald, Brent; Parlapiano, Alicia (January 26, 2016). "Rural Voters Can Swing the Iowa Caucuses. Meet Five of Them". The New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
16. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
17. ^ "Mitchell". Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement. January 31, 2017. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2017.

## External links

[edit | edit source]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mitchell County, Iowa.

* Official site of Mitchell County, Iowa

Places adjacent to Mitchell County, Iowa

|  | Mower County, Minnesota |

|
|

|  |
Worth County |

Mitchell County, Iowa

| Howard County
|  |
Cerro Gordo County | Floyd County |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Mitchell County, Iowa, United States

County seat: Osage

Cities|

* Carpenter
* McIntire
* Mitchell
* Orchard
* Osage
* Riceville‡
* St. Ansgar
* Stacyville

File:Map of Iowa highlighting Mitchell County.svgMap of Iowa highlighting Mitchell County

Townships|

* Burr Oak
* Cedar
* Douglas
* East Lincoln
* Jenkins
* Liberty
* Mitchell
* Newburg
* Osage
* Otranto
* Rock
* St. Ansgar
* Stacyville
* Union
* Wayne
* West Lincoln

CDPs|

* Little Cedar
* Meyer
* Mona
* New Haven
* Otranto
* Toeterville

Unincorporated communities|

* Bailey
* David

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
* 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: 43°21′20″N 92°47′23″W﻿ / ﻿43.35556°N 92.78972°W﻿ / 43.35556; -92.78972
*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template