Iowa County, Wisconsin

County in Wisconsin, United States

U.S. county in Wisconsin

Iowa County

U.S. county

Iowa County Courthouse in March 2013

Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin

Wisconsin's location within the U.S.

Country|  United States
State|  Wisconsin
Founded| 1830
Named for| Iowa people
Seat| Dodgeville
Largest city| Dodgeville
Area

• Total| 768 sq mi (1,990 km2)
• Land| 763 sq mi (1,980 km2)
• Water| 5.4 sq mi (14 km2)  0.7%%
Population

(2020)[1]

• Total| 23,709
• Density| 31.1/sq mi (12.0/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 2nd
Website| www.iowacounty.org

Iowa County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,709.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Dodgeville.[2] When created, it was part of the Michigan Territory. Iowa County is part of the Madison, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Geography
* 2.1 Rivers and streams
* 2.2 Major highways
* 2.3 Railroads
* 2.4 Buses
* 2.5 Airport
* 3 Adjacent counties
* 4 Demographics
* 4.1 2020 census
* 4.2 2000 census
* 5 Politics
* 6 Parks and recreation
* 7 Communities
* 7.1 Cities
* 7.2 Villages
* 7.3 Towns
* 7.4 Census-designated place
* 7.5 Unincorporated communities
* 7.6 Ghost towns
* 8 Notable people
* 9 See also
* 10 References
* 11 Further reading
* 12 External links

## History

[edit | edit source]

Pendarvis House (left) and Trelawny House (right) at the Pendarvis historic site Mineral Point high street

The county organized under the Michigan Territory government[3][4] in 1830.[5] It was named for the Iowa tribe.[6][7]

## Geography

[edit | edit source]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 768 square miles (1,990 km2), of which 763 square miles (1,980 km2) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km2) (0.7%) is water.[8] It is drained by tributaries of the Pecatonica River,[9] which has its headwaters in the county. The highest point in the county is West Blue Mound at 1,716 ft. above sea level. The lowest point is the Wisconsin river at the Grant County line at 667 ft. above sea level.

### Rivers and streams

[edit | edit source]

* Harker Creek

### Major highways

[edit | edit source]

* U.S. Highway 14
* U.S. Highway 18
* U.S. Highway 151
* Highway 23 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 39 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 78 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 80 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 130 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 133 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 191 (Wisconsin)

### Railroads

[edit | edit source]

* Wisconsin and Southern Railroad

### Buses

[edit | edit source]

* List of intercity bus stops in Wisconsin

### Airport

[edit | edit source]

* Iowa County Airport (KMRJ) serves the county and surrounding communities.

## Adjacent counties

[edit | edit source]

* Richland County \- northwest
* Sauk County \- northeast
* Dane County \- east
* Green County \- southeast
* Lafayette County \- south
* Grant County \- west

## Demographics

[edit | edit source]

Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1840| 3,978| | —
1850| 9,525| | 139.4%
1860| 18,967| | 99.1%
1870| 24,544| | 29.4%
1880| 23,628| | −3.7%
1890| 22,117| | −6.4%
1900| 23,114| | 4.5%
1910| 22,497| | −2.7%
1920| 21,504| | −4.4%
1930| 20,039| | −6.8%
1940| 20,595| | 2.8%
1950| 19,610| | −4.8%
1960| 19,631| | 0.1%
1970| 19,306| | −1.7%
1980| 19,802| | 2.6%
1990| 20,150| | 1.8%
2000| 22,780| | 13.1%
2010| 23,687| | 4.0%
2020| 23,709| | 0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12]
1990–2000[13] 2010[14] 2020[1]

### 2020 census

[edit | edit source]

As of the census of 2020,[1] the population was 23,709. The population density was 31.1 inhabitants per square mile (12.0/km2). There were 10,905 housing units at an average density of 14.3 per square mile (5.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.2% White, 0.8% Asian, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 1.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

### 2000 census

[edit | edit source]

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Iowa County.

As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 22,780 people, 8,764 households, and 6,213 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile (12/km2). There were 9,579 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.70% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. 0.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.6% were of German, 17.2% Norwegian, 11.6% English, 11.3% Irish and 7.9% American ancestry.

There were 8,764 households, out of which 34.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.10% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.70 males.

## Politics

[edit | edit source]

Iowa County historically tilted Republican for much of the 20th century. However, it has swung heavily to the Democrats since the 1970s. It has supported the Democratic presidential candidate in all but one election since 1976, and is one of the most Democratic counties in Wisconsin.

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

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 5,909  | 42.23%  | 7,828  | 55.95% | 255  | 1.82%
2016 | 4,809  | 39.18%  | 6,669  | 54.33% | 797  | 6.49%
2012 | 4,287  | 34.20%  | 8,105  | 64.66% | 142  | 1.13%
2008 | 3,829  | 31.99%  | 7,987  | 66.73% | 153  | 1.28%
2004 | 5,348  | 42.64%  | 7,122  | 56.79% | 72  | 0.57%
2000 | 4,221  | 40.04%  | 5,842  | 55.42% | 478  | 4.53%
1996 | 2,866  | 32.14%  | 4,690  | 52.60% | 1,360  | 15.25%
1992 | 3,288  | 32.39%  | 4,467  | 44.01% | 2,396  | 23.60%
1988 | 4,240  | 49.60%  | 4,268  | 49.93% | 40  | 0.47%
1984 | 4,983  | 56.01% | 3,843  | 43.19%  | 71  | 0.80%
1980 | 4,068  | 45.24%  | 4,154  | 46.20% | 770  | 8.56%
1976 | 4,195  | 48.34%  | 4,252  | 49.00% | 231  | 2.66%
1972 | 4,387  | 57.53% | 3,131  | 41.06%  | 108  | 1.42%
1968 | 4,005  | 54.03% | 2,897  | 39.08%  | 511  | 6.89%
1964 | 3,275  | 41.42%  | 4,620  | 58.43% | 12  | 0.15%
1960 | 5,143  | 59.16% | 3,547  | 40.80%  | 4  | 0.05%
1956 | 5,201  | 61.79% | 3,176  | 37.73%  | 40  | 0.48%
1952 | 6,211  | 69.38% | 2,722  | 30.41%  | 19  | 0.21%
1948 | 3,745  | 48.05%  | 3,917  | 50.26% | 132  | 1.69%
1944 | 4,608  | 56.00% | 3,585  | 43.57%  | 35  | 0.43%
1940 | 4,978  | 54.46% | 4,025  | 44.04%  | 137  | 1.50%
1936 | 3,623  | 39.84%  | 4,988  | 54.85% | 483  | 5.31%
1932 | 3,113  | 39.63%  | 4,621  | 58.82% | 122  | 1.55%
1928 | 5,484  | 63.26% | 3,129  | 36.09%  | 56  | 0.65%
1924 | 3,291  | 40.07%  | 689  | 8.39%  | 4,233  | 51.54%
1920 | 5,428  | 81.42% | 942  | 14.13%  | 297  | 4.45%
1916 | 2,271  | 48.78% | 2,230  | 47.90%  | 155  | 3.33%
1912 | 1,886  | 40.26%  | 2,103  | 44.90% | 695  | 14.84%
1908 | 2,986  | 56.18% | 2,077  | 39.08%  | 252  | 4.74%
1904 | 3,328  | 64.58% | 1,639  | 31.81%  | 186  | 3.61%
1900 | 3,270  | 62.51% | 1,743  | 33.32%  | 218  | 4.17%
1896 | 3,115  | 57.42% | 2,060  | 37.97%  | 250  | 4.61%
1892 | 2,274  | 45.53%  | 2,336  | 46.77% | 385  | 7.71%

## Parks and recreation

[edit | edit source]

The county has several parks, including Arena Pines-Sand Barrens State Natural Area, Arena Pines-Sand Barrens State Natural Area, Pine Cliff State Natural Area, Blue Mound State Park, Tower Hill State Park, Black Hawk Lake Recreation Area and Governor Dodge State Park.[17][18]

## Communities

[edit | edit source]

Iowa County Department of Transportation building in Dodgeville

### Cities

[edit | edit source]

* Dodgeville
* Mineral Point

### Villages

[edit | edit source]

* Arena
* Avoca
* Barneveld
* Blanchardville (mostly in Lafayette County)
* Cobb
* Highland
* Hollandale
* Linden
* Livingston (mostly in Grant County)
* Montfort (mostly in Grant County)
* Muscoda (mostly in Grant County)
* Rewey
* Ridgeway

### Towns

[edit | edit source]

* Arena
* Brigham
* Clyde
* Dodgeville
* Eden
* Highland
* Linden
* Mifflin
* Mineral Point
* Moscow
* Pulaski
* Ridgeway
* Waldwick
* Wyoming

### Census-designated place

[edit | edit source]

* Edmund

### Unincorporated communities

[edit | edit source]

* Clyde
* Coon Rock
* Helena
* Hyde
* Jonesdale
* Middlebury
* Mifflin
* Moscow
* Pleasant Ridge
* Waldwick
* Wyoming

### Ghost towns

[edit | edit source]

* Adamsville
* Dirty Hollow
* Minersville
* Pendarvis

## Notable people

[edit | edit source]

* Gilbert L. Laws, Nebraska Secretary of State and US Congressman[19]

## See also

[edit | edit source]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Iowa County, Wisconsin
* Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program

## References

[edit | edit source]

1. ^ a b c d "2020 Decennial Census: Iowa County, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ "Iowa County Wisconsin". Wisconsin Travel. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
4. ^ Pioneer Lawmakers' Association of Iowa (1894). Reunion. G.H. Ragsdal. p. 32.
5. ^ "Wisconsin: Individual County Chronologies". Wisconsin Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. Archived from the original on April 14, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
6. ^ "Profile for Iowa County, Wisconsin, WI". ePodunk. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
7. ^ "Term: Iowa County [origin of place name]". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
8. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
9. ^ Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Iowa. I. A S. W. county of Wisconsin" . The American Cyclopædia.
10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
12. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
14. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
15. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
16. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
17. ^ "Iowa County, Wisconsin (WI)". City-Data.com. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
18. ^ "Iowa County Attractions". explore Wisconsin. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
19. ^ "LAWS, Gilbert Lafayette, (1838 - 1907)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 30, 2014.

## Further reading

[edit | edit source]

* Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa, and Lafayette, Wisconsin, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of Many of the Early Settled Families. Chicago: J.H. Beers and Co., 1901.
* Crawford, George and Robert M. Crawford (eds.). Memoirs of Iowa County, Wisconsin From the Earliest Historical Times Down to the Present. Northwestern Historical Association, 1913.
* History of Iowa County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1881.

## External links

[edit | edit source]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Iowa County, Wisconsin.

* Iowa County government website
* Iowa County map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
* Iowa County Historical Society
* Iowa County Humane Society

Places adjacent to Iowa County, Wisconsin

| Richland County |  | Sauk County

|
|

|  |
Grant County |

Iowa County, Wisconsin

| Dane County
|  |
| Lafayette County | Green County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Iowa County, Wisconsin, United States

County seat: Dodgeville

Cities|

* Dodgeville
* Mineral Point

Villages|

* Arena
* Avoca
* Barneveld
* Blanchardville‡
* Cobb
* Highland
* Hollandale
* Linden
* Livingston‡
* Montfort‡
* Muscoda‡
* Rewey
* Ridgeway

Towns|

* Arena
* Brigham
* Clyde
* Dodgeville
* Eden
* Highland
* Linden
* Mifflin
* Mineral Point
* Moscow
* Pulaski
* Ridgeway
* Waldwick
* Wyoming

CDP|

* Edmund

Unincorporated
communities|

* Clyde
* Coon Rock
* Helena
* Hyde
* Jonesdale
* Middlebury
* Mifflin
* Moscow
* Pleasant Ridge
* Waldwick
* Wyoming

Ghost towns|

* Adamsville
* Dirty Hollow
* Minersville
* Pendarvis

Footnotes|

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

* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Wisconsin

Madison (capital)

Topics|

* Outline
* Agriculture
* Dairy industry
* Geography
* Islands
* Lakes
* Governors
* Delegations
* History
* People
* Sports
* Symbols
* Tourist attractions

Society|

* Administrative divisions
* Crime
* Culture
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Politics

Regions|

* Apostle Islands
* Central Plain
* Chippewa Valley
* Door Peninsula
* Driftless Area
* Eastern Ridges and Lowlands
* Fox River Valley
* Great River Road
* Lake Superior Lowland
* Northern Highland
* Western Upland

Major metropolitan areas
(pop. over 500,000)|

* Chicago metropolitan area
* Madison metropolitan area
* Milwaukee metropolitan area
* Twin Cities metropolitan area

Largest cities
(pop. over 50,000)|

* Appleton
* Eau Claire
* Green Bay
* Janesville
* Kenosha
* La Crosse
* Madison
* Milwaukee
* Oshkosh
* Racine
* Waukesha
* West Allis

Smaller cities
(pop. 15,000 to 50,000)|

* Beaver Dam
* Beloit
* Brookfield
* Cudahy
* De Pere
* Fitchburg
* Fond du Lac
* Franklin
* Greenfield
* Hartford
* Hudson
* Kaukauna
* Manitowoc
* Marshfield
* Menasha
* Menomonie
* Mequon
* Middleton
* Muskego
* Neenah
* New Berlin
* Oak Creek
* Oconomowoc
* Onalaska
* River Falls
* Sheboygan
* South Milwaukee
* Stevens Point
* Sun Prairie
* Superior
* Watertown
* Wausau
* Wauwatosa
* West Bend
* Wisconsin Rapids

Largest villages
(pop. over 15,000)|

* Ashwaubenon
* Bellevue
* Caledonia
* Fox Crossing
* Germantown
* Howard
* Menomonee Falls
* Mount Pleasant
* Pleasant Prairie

Counties|

* Adams
* Ashland
* Barron
* Bayfield
* Brown
* Buffalo
* Burnett
* Calumet
* Chippewa
* Clark
* Columbia
* Crawford
* Dane
* Dodge
* Door
* Douglas
* Dunn
* Eau Claire
* Florence
* Fond du Lac
* Forest
* Grant
* Green
* Green Lake
* Iowa
* Iron
* Jackson
* Jefferson
* Juneau
* Kenosha
* Kewaunee
* La Crosse
* Lafayette
* Langlade
* Lincoln
* Manitowoc
* Marathon
* Marinette
* Marquette
* Menominee
* Milwaukee
* Monroe
* Oconto
* Oneida
* Outagamie
* Ozaukee
* Pepin
* Pierce
* Polk
* Portage
* Price
* Racine
* Richland
* Rock
* Rusk
* Sauk
* Sawyer
* Shawano
* Sheboygan
* St. Croix
* Taylor
* Trempealeau
* Vernon
* Vilas
* Walworth
* Washburn
* Washington
* Waukesha
* Waupaca
* Waushara
* Winnebago
* Wood

Coordinates: 43°00′N 90°08′W﻿ / ﻿43.00°N 90.13°W﻿ / 43.00; -90.13
*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template