Wapello County, Iowa

County in Iowa, United States

Not to be confused with Wapello, Iowa.

County in Iowa

Wapello County

County

The courthouse in Ottumwa

Location within the U.S. state of Iowa

Iowa's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 41°01′46″N 92°24′32″W﻿ / ﻿41.029444444444°N 92.408888888889°W﻿ / 41.029444444444; -92.408888888889
Country|  United States
State|  Iowa
Founded| 1843
Named for| Wapello
Seat| Ottumwa
Largest city| Ottumwa
Area

• Total

| 436 sq mi (1,130 km2)
• Land| 432 sq mi (1,120 km2)
• Water| 4.2 sq mi (11 km2)  1.0%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 35,437
• Density| 81/sq mi (31/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 3rd
Website| www.wapellocounty.org
Chief Wapello; "Wa-pel-la the Prince, Musquakee Chief", from History of the Indian Tribes of North America.

Wapello County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,437.[1] The county seat is Ottumwa.[2] The county was formed on February 17, 1843, and named for Wapello, a Meskwaki chief.[3]

Wapello County is included in the Ottumwa, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 436 square miles (1,130 km2), of which 432 square miles (1,120 km2) is land and 4.2 square miles (11 km2) (1.0%) is water.[4]

### Major highways

[edit]

* U.S. Highway 34
* U.S. Highway 63
* Iowa Highway 16
* Iowa Highway 137
* Iowa Highway 149

### Transit

[edit]

* Ottumwa station
* Ottumwa Transit Authority

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Mahaska County (northwest)
* Keokuk County (northeast)
* Jefferson County (east)
* Davis County (south)
* Monroe County (west)

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1850| 8,471| | —
1860| 14,518| | 71.4%
1870| 22,346| | 53.9%
1880| 25,285| | 13.2%
1890| 30,426| | 20.3%
1900| 35,426| | 16.4%
1910| 37,743| | 6.5%
1920| 37,937| | 0.5%
1930| 40,480| | 6.7%
1940| 44,280| | 9.4%
1950| 47,397| | 7.0%
1960| 46,126| | −2.7%
1970| 42,149| | −8.6%
1980| 40,241| | −4.5%
1990| 35,696| | −11.3%
2000| 36,051| | 1.0%
2010| 35,625| | −1.2%
2020| 35,437| | −0.5%
2023 (est.)| 35,166| [5]| −0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2018[10]
Population of Wapello County from US census data

### 2020 census

[edit]

2022 US Census population pyramid for Wapello County from ACS 5-year estimates

The 2020 census recorded a population of 35,437 in the county, with a population density of 81.2225/sq mi (31.3602/km2). There were 15,734 housing units, of which 14,167 were occupied.[1]

Wapello County Racial Composition[11] Race  | Num.  | Perc.

|
|

White (NH)  | 27,295  | 77.02%
Black or African American (NH)  | 1,443  | 4.1%
Native American (NH)  | 66  | 0.2%
Asian (NH)  | 622  | 1.8%
Pacific Islander (NH)  | 518  | 1.5%
Other/Mixed (NH)  | 1,161  | 3.3%
Hispanic or Latino | 4,332  | 12.22%

### 2010 census

[edit]

The 2010 census recorded a population of 35,625 in the county, with a population density of 82.5016/sq mi (31.8540/km2). There were 16,098 housing units, of which 14,552 were occupied.[12]

### 2000 census

[edit]

As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 36,051 people, 14,784 households, and 9,801 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile (32 people/km2). There were 15,873 housing units at an average density of 37 units per square mile (14 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.28% White, 0.93% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.05% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 2.22% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 14,784 households, out of which 28.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.30% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 17.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,188, and the median income for a family was $39,224. Males had a median income of $31,346 versus $21,286 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,500. About 9.40% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.00% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Agency
* Blakesburg
* Chillicothe
* Eddyville
* Eldon
* Kirkville
* Ottumwa

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Ashland
* Bladensburg
* Dahlonega
* Dudley
* Farson
* Munterville
* Phillips
* Pickwick
* Ottumwa Junction
* Rutledge

### Townships

[edit]

* Adams
* Agency
* Cass
* Center
* Columbia
* Competine
* Dahlonega
* Green
* Highland
* Keokuk
* Pleasant
* Polk
* Richland
* Washington

### Population ranking

[edit]

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

† county seat

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

|
|
|

1  | † Ottumwa | City  | 25,529
2  | Eddyville (partially in Mahaska and Monroe Counties)  | City  | 970
3  | Eldon | City  | 783
4  | Agency | City  | 620
5  | Blakesburg | City  | 274
6  | Kirkville | City  | 157
7  | Chillicothe | City  | 76

## Politics

[edit]

Between 1864 and 1928, Wapello County backed the Republican candidate in every election except 1912, when former Republican Theodore Roosevelt ran as the Progressive candidate, fracturing the Republican party and allowing Democrat Woodrow Wilson to take the county with a plurality of the vote of less than 37%. From 1932 to 2012, the county voted Democratic in every election except two, the nationwide Republican landslides of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and Richard Nixon in 1972. Beginning in 2016, Wapello County has shifted back to the Republican column, as Donald Trump carried the county in both 2016 and 2020, winning by a margin of over 20% in 2016 and over 23% in 2020. Also in 2020, Trump became the first candidate from any party to obtain at least 60% of the county's vote since Michael Dukakis in 1988, and the first Republican to do so since Herbert Hoover in 1928.

United States presidential election results for Wapello County, Iowa[14] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 9,479  | 65.00% | 4,896  | 33.57%  | 208  | 1.43%
2020 | 9,516  | 60.87% | 5,821  | 37.24%  | 296  | 1.89%
2016 | 8,715  | 57.53% | 5,594  | 36.93%  | 840  | 5.54%
2012 | 6,789  | 43.05%  | 8,663  | 54.93% | 318  | 2.02%
2008 | 6,663  | 41.80%  | 8,820  | 55.33% | 457  | 2.87%
2004 | 7,403  | 44.31%  | 9,125  | 54.62% | 179  | 1.07%
2000 | 6,313  | 41.70%  | 8,355  | 55.19% | 471  | 3.11%
1996 | 4,828  | 32.69%  | 8,437  | 57.12% | 1,505  | 10.19%
1992 | 4,852  | 30.17%  | 8,670  | 53.91% | 2,561  | 15.92%
1988 | 5,350  | 34.14%  | 10,177  | 64.93% | 146  | 0.93%
1984 | 7,098  | 39.88%  | 10,545  | 59.24% | 157  | 0.88%
1980 | 7,475  | 42.31%  | 8,923  | 50.50% | 1,270  | 7.19%
1976 | 6,786  | 39.30%  | 10,249  | 59.35% | 233  | 1.35%
1972 | 9,301  | 51.19% | 8,348  | 45.94%  | 522  | 2.87%
1968 | 7,825  | 41.96%  | 9,375  | 50.28% | 1,447  | 7.76%
1964 | 5,524  | 28.26%  | 13,971  | 71.48% | 51  | 0.26%
1960 | 11,036  | 49.79%  | 11,116  | 50.15% | 15  | 0.07%
1956 | 10,401  | 48.65%  | 10,960  | 51.26% | 20  | 0.09%
1952 | 11,571  | 52.24% | 10,449  | 47.17%  | 130  | 0.59%
1948 | 7,875  | 41.50%  | 10,841  | 57.13% | 260  | 1.37%
1944 | 8,244  | 43.19%  | 10,732  | 56.22% | 113  | 0.59%
1940 | 9,039  | 43.03%  | 11,880  | 56.56% | 87  | 0.41%
1936 | 7,647  | 41.31%  | 10,578  | 57.14% | 287  | 1.55%
1932 | 7,256  | 42.49%  | 9,504  | 55.66% | 316  | 1.85%
1928 | 11,586  | 66.10% | 5,793  | 33.05%  | 149  | 0.85%
1924 | 9,870  | 56.96% | 3,039  | 17.54%  | 4,420  | 25.51%
1920 | 9,884  | 67.99% | 4,131  | 28.42%  | 522  | 3.59%
1916 | 4,398  | 47.65% | 3,994  | 43.28%  | 837  | 9.07%
1912 | 2,755  | 32.53%  | 3,102  | 36.62% | 2,613  | 30.85%
1908 | 4,541  | 50.69% | 3,724  | 41.57%  | 694  | 7.75%
1904 | 4,912  | 60.60% | 2,473  | 30.51%  | 720  | 8.88%
1900 | 4,742  | 53.21% | 3,902  | 43.78%  | 268  | 3.01%
1896 | 4,319  | 50.75% | 4,041  | 47.49%  | 150  | 1.76%

## See also

[edit]

* Iowa portal

* Big 4 Fair Art Hall, located at the Wapello County Fairgrounds
* Wapello County Courthouse
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Wapello County, Iowa

## References

[edit]

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. ^ "Wapello County". Archived from the original on April 26, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
5. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
6. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
7. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
8. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
9. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
10. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 6, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
11. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wapello County, Iowa".
12. ^ "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010" (PDF). United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 16, 2020. 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 28, 2018.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wapello County, Iowa.

* Official Wapello County website

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Wapello County, Iowa

| Mahaska County |  | Keokuk County

|
|

|  |
Monroe County |

Wapello County, Iowa

| Jefferson County
|  |
| Davis County |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Wapello County, Iowa, United States

County seat: Ottumwa

Cities|

* Agency
* Blakesburg
* Chillicothe
* Eddyville‡
* Eldon
* Kirkville
* Ottumwa

Map of Iowa highlighting Wapello County

Townships|

* Adams
* Agency
* Cass
* Center
* Columbia
* Competine
* Dahlonega
* Green
* Highland
* Keokuk
* Pleasant
* Polk
* Richland
* Washington

Unincorporated
communities|

* Bladensburg
* Dahlonega
* Dudley
* Farson
* Yampa

Footnotes|

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

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41°01′46″N 92°24′32″W﻿ / ﻿41.02944°N 92.40889°W﻿ / 41.02944; -92.40889
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