Lee County, Iowa | |
|---|---|
 Courthouse located in Fort Madison | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofIowa | |
 Iowa's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:40°38′34″N91°28′28″W / 40.642777777778°N 91.474444444444°W /40.642777777778; -91.474444444444 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| Founded | 1836 |
| Seat | Fort Madison andKeokuk |
| Largest city | Fort Madison |
| Area | |
• Total | 539 sq mi (1,400 km2) |
| • Land | 518 sq mi (1,340 km2) |
| • Water | 21 sq mi (54 km2) 4.0% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 33,555 |
• Estimate (2023) | 32,565 |
| • Density | 64.8/sq mi (25.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Lee County is the southernmostcounty in theU.S. state ofIowa. As of the2020 census, the population was 33,555.[1] Thecounty seats areFort Madison andKeokuk: it is the only county in Iowa with more than onecounty seat. Lee County is part of the Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA–IL–MOMicropolitan Statistical Area. It was established in 1836.
Fort Madison dates to theWar of 1812. Lee County was the location of theHalf-Breed Tract, established by treaty in 1824. Allocations of land were made toAmerican Indian descendants of European fathers and Indian mothers at this tract. Originally the land was to be held in common. Some who had an allocation lived in cities, where they hoped to make better livings.[citation needed] Lee County as a named entity was formed on December 7, 1836, under the jurisdiction ofWisconsin Territory. It would become a part of Iowa Territory when it was formed on July 4, 1838.[2] Large-scale European-American settlement in the area began in 1839, after Congress allowed owners to sell land individually.[citation needed] Members ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) under the direction ofBrigham Young fled persecutions in Missouri to settle in Illinois and Iowa.Nauvoo, across the border inHancock County, Illinois, became the main center of Latter-day Saints settlement, but there was also aLatter Day Saints stake organized in Lee County under the direction ofJohn Smith, the uncle ofJoseph Smith, land that was sold to them byIsaac Galland in 1839.
Lee has twocounty seats—Fort Madison andKeokuk.[3] The latter was established in 1847 when disagreements led to a second court jurisdiction.[4] Lee County's population grew to about 19,000 in 1850, the first US census, to 37,000 per the 3rd census in 1870, peaking at 44,000 people in 1960. It has continuously decreased since and as of 2020, 33,555 people lived there, comparable to the years between 1860 and 1870.[5]
There is no consensus about the derivation of the name "Lee." It has been variously proposed that the county was named for Marsh, Delevan & Lee, ofAlbany, New York, and the 'New York Land Company', who owned extensive interests in theHalf-Breed Tract in the 1830s;Robert E. Lee, who surveyed theDes Moines Rapids; orAlbert Lea, who helped explore the interior of Iowa.[6][7]: 398
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According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 539 square miles (1,400 km2), of which 518 square miles (1,340 km2) is land and 21 square miles (54 km2) (4.0%) is water.[8] Thelowest point in the state of Iowa is located on theMississippi River in Keokuk in Lee County, where it flows out of Iowa and intoMissouri andIllinois.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 18,861 | — | |
| 1860 | 29,565 | 56.8% | |
| 1870 | 37,210 | 25.9% | |
| 1880 | 34,859 | −6.3% | |
| 1890 | 37,715 | 8.2% | |
| 1900 | 39,719 | 5.3% | |
| 1910 | 36,702 | −7.6% | |
| 1920 | 39,676 | 8.1% | |
| 1930 | 41,268 | 4.0% | |
| 1940 | 41,074 | −0.5% | |
| 1950 | 43,102 | 4.9% | |
| 1960 | 44,207 | 2.6% | |
| 1970 | 42,996 | −2.7% | |
| 1980 | 43,106 | 0.3% | |
| 1990 | 38,687 | −10.3% | |
| 2000 | 38,052 | −1.6% | |
| 2010 | 35,862 | −5.8% | |
| 2020 | 33,555 | −6.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 32,565 | [9] | −3.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010-2018[13] | |||
The 2020 census recorded a population of 33,555 in the county, with a population density of62.0765/sq mi (23.9679/km2). 94.67% of the population reported being of one race. There were 15,858 housing units, of which 14,036 were occupied.[1]
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 29,888 | 89.1% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 896 | 3% |
| Native American (NH) | 48 | 0.14% |
| Asian (NH) | 139 | 0.41% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 8 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 1,466 | 4.4% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 1,110 | 3.31% |
The 2010 census recorded a population of 35,862 with a population density of69.3133/sq mi (26.7620/km2). There were 16,205 housing units, of which only 14,610 were occupied.[15]
As of thecensus[16] of 2000, there were 38,052 people, 15,161 households, and 10,248 families residing in the county. The population density was 74 inhabitants per square mile (29/km2). There were 16,612 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile (12/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.24%White, 2.80%Black orAfrican American, 0.26%Native American, 0.39%Asian, 0.06%Pacific Islander, 1.03% fromother races, and 1.21% from two or more races. 2.37% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 15,161 households, out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.70% weremarried couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.40% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 24.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,193, and the median income for a family was $42,658. Males had a median income of $32,286 versus $21,821 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $18,430. About 7.10% of families and 9.70% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 12.60% of those under age 18 and 9.60% of those age 65 or over.
The population ranking of the following table is based on the2020 census of Lee County.[1]
†county seat
| Rank | City/town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | †Fort Madison | City | 10,270 |
| 2 | †Keokuk | City | 9,900 |
| 3 | West Point | City | 921 |
| 4 | Donnellson | City | 885 |
| 5 | Montrose | City | 738 |
| 6 | Denmark | CDP | 425 |
| 7 | Mooar | CDP | 321 |
| 8 | Sandusky | CDP | 297 |
| 9 | Houghton | City | 141 |
| 10 | Franklin | City | 131 |
| 11 | St. Paul | City | 109 |
| 12 | Wever | CDP | 101 |
| 13 | Argyle | CDP | 91 |
In recent presidential elections, Lee County had a strong Democratic lean, voting for the party's candidate in every election from 1984 to 2012. In 2016 however, the county swung hard to vote for RepublicanDonald Trump by a wide margin, a swing of over 31 points compared to 2012.[24]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1896 | 4,847 | 47.70% | 5,153 | 50.71% | 162 | 1.59% |
| 1900 | 4,486 | 45.88% | 5,182 | 53.00% | 110 | 1.12% |
| 1904 | 4,612 | 52.71% | 3,848 | 43.98% | 289 | 3.30% |
| 1908 | 4,262 | 46.61% | 4,706 | 51.47% | 176 | 1.92% |
| 1912 | 2,016 | 23.66% | 3,891 | 45.67% | 2,613 | 30.67% |
| 1916 | 4,395 | 51.18% | 3,993 | 46.50% | 199 | 2.32% |
| 1920 | 10,763 | 65.94% | 5,177 | 31.72% | 383 | 2.35% |
| 1924 | 9,999 | 54.41% | 4,903 | 26.68% | 3,475 | 18.91% |
| 1928 | 11,645 | 59.86% | 7,785 | 40.02% | 25 | 0.13% |
| 1932 | 7,084 | 39.57% | 10,624 | 59.35% | 194 | 1.08% |
| 1936 | 8,955 | 46.36% | 9,630 | 49.85% | 732 | 3.79% |
| 1940 | 10,616 | 53.71% | 9,117 | 46.12% | 33 | 0.17% |
| 1944 | 9,406 | 53.03% | 8,252 | 46.53% | 78 | 0.44% |
| 1948 | 7,801 | 45.32% | 9,201 | 53.46% | 210 | 1.22% |
| 1952 | 12,289 | 58.61% | 8,625 | 41.13% | 55 | 0.26% |
| 1956 | 11,571 | 58.35% | 8,226 | 41.48% | 32 | 0.16% |
| 1960 | 10,765 | 52.00% | 9,936 | 48.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 6,321 | 34.02% | 12,244 | 65.89% | 17 | 0.09% |
| 1968 | 8,883 | 49.25% | 8,076 | 44.78% | 1,077 | 5.97% |
| 1972 | 9,748 | 55.33% | 7,510 | 42.63% | 360 | 2.04% |
| 1976 | 8,195 | 46.92% | 9,017 | 51.63% | 253 | 1.45% |
| 1980 | 8,793 | 48.14% | 8,204 | 44.92% | 1,268 | 6.94% |
| 1984 | 8,756 | 49.17% | 8,912 | 50.04% | 141 | 0.79% |
| 1988 | 6,228 | 36.02% | 10,911 | 63.11% | 151 | 0.87% |
| 1992 | 4,777 | 27.85% | 9,366 | 54.61% | 3,009 | 17.54% |
| 1996 | 4,932 | 31.49% | 8,831 | 56.38% | 1,899 | 12.12% |
| 2000 | 6,339 | 38.25% | 9,632 | 58.12% | 601 | 3.63% |
| 2004 | 7,472 | 41.84% | 10,152 | 56.85% | 234 | 1.31% |
| 2008 | 7,062 | 40.99% | 9,821 | 57.00% | 347 | 2.01% |
| 2012 | 7,785 | 41.17% | 10,714 | 56.65% | 412 | 2.18% |
| 2016 | 8,803 | 54.50% | 6,215 | 38.48% | 1,133 | 7.02% |
| 2020 | 9,773 | 58.40% | 6,541 | 39.09% | 420 | 2.51% |
| 2024 | 10,152 | 62.67% | 5,659 | 34.94% | 387 | 2.39% |
School districts include:[26]
Former school districts:
Places adjacent to Lee County, Iowa | |
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Municipalities and communities ofLee County, Iowa,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
40°38′34″N91°28′28″W / 40.64278°N 91.47444°W /40.64278; -91.47444
