Calhoun County, Iowa | |
|---|---|
 Calhoun County Courthouse in Rockwell City  The historicCentral School in Lake City  The formerLake City Public Library  A grain elevator in the small town ofSomers rises from a field at sunset | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofIowa | |
| Coordinates:42°23′10″N94°38′37″W / 42.386061°N 94.643602°W /42.386061; -94.643602 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| Founded | January 15, 1851 (created) November 7, 1855 (organized) |
| Named after | John C. Calhoun |
| Seat | Rockwell City |
| Largest city | Rockwell City |
| Area | |
• Total | 572.114 sq mi (1,481.77 km2) |
| • Land | 569.846 sq mi (1,475.89 km2) |
| • Water | 2.268 sq mi (5.87 km2) 0.4% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 9,927 |
• Estimate (2024) | 9,711 |
| • Density | 17.42/sq mi (6.726/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 712 |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Website | calhouncounty.iowa.gov |
| |
Calhoun County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofIowa. As of the2020 census, the population was 9,927,[2] and was estimated to be 9,711 in 2024.[3] Thecounty seat and largest city isRockwell City.[4]
Calhoun County was formed on January 15, 1851, from open land originally namedFox County.[5] It was renamed in 1853 after the seventh US vice presidentJohn C. Calhoun. When the tracks of theIllinois Central Railroad were laid through the county in 1870, the county seat was moved fromLake City toRockwell City. The first train reached Rockwell City on August 7, 1882, and the population count doubled in the same year. The first courthouse, built of wood, burned to the ground in 1884 and the county government moved into a nearby hotel. In 1913, thecurrent courthouse was built.
On July 6, 1893,Pomeroy was struck by atornado that measuredF5 on the Fujita scale. With a damage path 500 yards (460 m) wide and 55 miles (89 km) long, the tornado destroyed about 80% of the homes in Pomeroy. The tornado killed 71 people and injured 200.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 572.114 square miles (1,481.77 km2), of which 569.846 square miles (1,475.89 km2) is land and 2.268 square miles (5.87 km2) (0.4%) is water.[6] It is the 48th largest county in Iowa by total area.[7]
Calhoun County is located entirely within theDes Moines Lobe of theWestern Corn Belt Plains ecoregion, as defined by theUnited States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). One of the flattest regions in Iowa, the Des Moines Lobe ecoregion is a distinctive area naturally defined byWisconsin glaciation but modified by humans for extensive agriculture. In general, the land is level to gently rolling with some areas of relief defined by glacial features likemoraines,hummocky knobs, andkettles, andoutwash deposits. The lobe does not have anyloess deposits like theLoess Hills to the west.
The stream network is poorly developed and widely spaced, with major rivers carving valleys that are relatively deep and steep-sided. Almost all of the natural lakes of Iowa are found in the northern part of this region (theIowa Great Lakes). Most of the region has been converted fromwet prairie to agricultural use with substantial surface water drainage. Only a small fraction of thewetlands remain, and many natural lakes have been drained as a result of agricultural drainage projects viadrainage tiles orditches.[8]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 147 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,602 | 989.8% | |
| 1880 | 5,595 | 249.3% | |
| 1890 | 13,107 | 134.3% | |
| 1900 | 18,569 | 41.7% | |
| 1910 | 17,090 | −8.0% | |
| 1920 | 17,783 | 4.1% | |
| 1930 | 17,605 | −1.0% | |
| 1940 | 17,584 | −0.1% | |
| 1950 | 16,925 | −3.7% | |
| 1960 | 15,923 | −5.9% | |
| 1970 | 14,287 | −10.3% | |
| 1980 | 13,542 | −5.2% | |
| 1990 | 11,508 | −15.0% | |
| 2000 | 11,115 | −3.4% | |
| 2010 | 9,670 | −13.0% | |
| 2020 | 9,927 | 2.7% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 9,711 | [9] | −2.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12] 1990–2000[13] 2010–2020[3] | |||
As of the second quarter of 2025, the median home value in Calhoun County was $128,711.[14]
As of the 2023American Community Survey, there are 3,886 estimated households in Calhoun County with an average of 2.35 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $66,875. Approximately 8.6% of the county's population lives at or below thepoverty line. Calhoun County has an estimated 54.3% employment rate, with 21.5% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 93.7% holding a high school diploma.[3] There were 4,794 housing units at an average density of 8.41 per square mile (3.2/km2).
The top five reported languages (people were allowed to report up to two languages, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (98.0%), Spanish (1.3%), Indo-European (0.6%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.1%), and Other (0.0%).
The median age in the county was 42.7 years.
| Race / ethnicity(NH = non-Hispanic) | Pop. 1980[15] | Pop. 1990[16] | Pop. 2000[17] | Pop. 2010[18] | Pop. 2020[19] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 13,444 (99.28%) | 11,404 (99.10%) | 10,849 (97.61%) | 9,470 (97.93%) | 9,261 (93.29%) |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 21 (0.16%) | 30 (0.26%) | 76 (0.68%) | 19 (0.20%) | 151 (1.52%) |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 8 (0.06%) | 11 (0.10%) | 21 (0.19%) | 18 (0.19%) | 22 (0.22%) |
| Asian alone (NH) | 13 (0.10%) | 22 (0.19%) | 20 (0.18%) | 20 (0.21%) | 24 (0.24%) |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | — | — | 0 (0.00%) | 1 (0.01%) | 8 (0.08%) |
| Other race alone (NH) | 6 (0.04%) | 1 (0.01%) | 3 (0.03%) | 2 (0.02%) | 19 (0.19%) |
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | — | — | 46 (0.41%) | 50 (0.52%) | 206 (2.08%) |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 50 (0.37%) | 40 (0.35%) | 100 (0.90%) | 90 (0.93%) | 236 (2.38%) |
| Total | 13,542 (100.00%) | 11,508 (100.00%) | 11,115 (100.00%) | 9,670 (100.00%) | 9,927 (100.00%) |
As of the2020 census, there were 9,927 people, 4,070 households, and 2,578 families residing in the county.[20][21] Thepopulation density was 17.42 inhabitants per square mile (6.7/km2). There were 4,771 housing units at an average density of 8.37 per square mile (3.2/km2).[20]
The median age was 44.3 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 109.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 109.7 males age 18 and over.[20]
The racial makeup of the county was 94.3%White, 1.5%Black or African American, 0.2%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Asian, 0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 2.8% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.4% of the population.[22]
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[23]
There were 4,070 households in the county, of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.2% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[20]
There were 4,771 housing units, of which 14.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 79.1% were owner-occupied and 20.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.1%.[20]
As of the2010 census, there were 9,670 people, 4,242 households, and _ families residing in the county. The population density was 16.97 inhabitants per square mile (6.6/km2). There were 5,108 housing units at an average density of 8.97 per square mile (3.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.51%White, 0.23%African American, 0.20%Native American, 0.22%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.22% from some other races and 0.62% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.93% of the population.
As of the2020 census, there were 11,115 people, 4,513 households, and 3,014 families residing in the county. The population density was 19.49 inhabitants per square mile (7.5/km2). There were 5,219 housing units at an average density of 9.15 per square mile (3.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.06%White, 0.69%African American, 0.20%Native American, 0.18%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.34% from some other races and 0.52% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.90% of the population.
There were 4,513 households, out of which 27.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% weremarried couples living together, 6.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. 30.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.10% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 24.80% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 22.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,286, and the median income for a family was $41,583. Males had a median income of $28,787 versus $20,095 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $17,498. 10.10% of the population and 7.10% of families were below thepoverty line. Out of the total population, 13.50% of those under the age of 18 and 8.50% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Calhoun County is divided into sixteentownships:
The population ranking of the following table is based on the2020 census and the 2024 estimate of Calhoun County.
†county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) | Population (2024 Estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | †Rockwell City | City | 2,240 | 2,185 |
| 2 | Lake City | City | 1,731 | 1,656 |
| 3 | Manson | City | 1,709 | 1,646 |
| 4 | Twin Lakes | CDP | 316 | 535 |
| 5 | Pomeroy | City | 526 | 511 |
| 6 | Lohrville | City | 381 | 366 |
| 7 | Farnhamville (partially inWebster County) | City | 383 | 364 |
| 8 | Lytton (mostly inSac County) | City | 282 | 274 |
| 9 | Somers | City | 128 | 121 |
| 10 | Knierim | City | 53 | 53 |
| 11 | Rinard | City | 38 | 38 |
| 12 | Jolley | City | 28 | 28 |
| 13 | Yetter | City | 19 | 19 |
Politically, Calhoun County has favored the Republicans since 1896, usually only voting Democratic when the party won national victories. It first voted for the Democrats in1932 whenFranklin D. Roosevelt won in a landslide victory againstHerbert Hoover. In 2000, Calhoun County voted forGeorge W. Bush and has voted for the Republicans ever since. In 2016Donald Trump won 67.2% percent of the vote in Calhoun County, the highest vote share sinceDwight D. Eisenhower's victory in 1952. In 2020 and 2024, Trump increased it to 70.2% and 72.7% respectively, the highest percentages for any party in the county sinceWarren G. Harding a century earlier.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1896 | 2,698 | 67.25% | 1,280 | 31.90% | 34 | 0.85% |
| 1900 | 2,973 | 69.61% | 1,224 | 28.66% | 74 | 1.73% |
| 1904 | 2,479 | 67.44% | 870 | 23.67% | 327 | 8.90% |
| 1908 | 2,353 | 63.03% | 1,152 | 30.86% | 228 | 6.11% |
| 1912 | 963 | 26.61% | 1,182 | 32.66% | 1,474 | 40.73% |
| 1916 | 2,276 | 58.34% | 1,515 | 38.84% | 110 | 2.82% |
| 1920 | 5,277 | 76.95% | 1,479 | 21.57% | 102 | 1.49% |
| 1924 | 3,529 | 53.21% | 714 | 10.77% | 2,389 | 36.02% |
| 1928 | 4,136 | 60.24% | 2,681 | 39.05% | 49 | 0.71% |
| 1932 | 2,404 | 34.46% | 4,368 | 62.61% | 205 | 2.94% |
| 1936 | 3,027 | 39.32% | 4,544 | 59.02% | 128 | 1.66% |
| 1940 | 3,792 | 46.46% | 4,344 | 53.23% | 25 | 0.31% |
| 1944 | 3,375 | 48.59% | 3,544 | 51.02% | 27 | 0.39% |
| 1948 | 3,083 | 48.19% | 3,164 | 49.45% | 151 | 2.36% |
| 1952 | 5,391 | 67.68% | 2,411 | 30.27% | 164 | 2.06% |
| 1956 | 4,409 | 57.49% | 2,972 | 38.75% | 288 | 3.76% |
| 1960 | 4,485 | 58.90% | 3,123 | 41.01% | 7 | 0.09% |
| 1964 | 2,422 | 35.42% | 4,407 | 64.46% | 8 | 0.12% |
| 1968 | 3,715 | 57.53% | 2,361 | 36.56% | 382 | 5.92% |
| 1972 | 3,821 | 60.00% | 2,446 | 38.41% | 101 | 1.59% |
| 1976 | 3,215 | 51.03% | 3,001 | 47.63% | 84 | 1.33% |
| 1980 | 3,633 | 57.41% | 2,150 | 33.98% | 545 | 8.61% |
| 1984 | 3,311 | 56.14% | 2,541 | 43.08% | 46 | 0.78% |
| 1988 | 2,474 | 44.94% | 2,990 | 54.31% | 41 | 0.74% |
| 1992 | 2,169 | 41.13% | 2,140 | 40.58% | 965 | 18.30% |
| 1996 | 2,077 | 43.46% | 2,193 | 45.89% | 509 | 10.65% |
| 2000 | 2,776 | 55.07% | 2,132 | 42.29% | 133 | 2.64% |
| 2004 | 3,255 | 58.73% | 2,243 | 40.47% | 44 | 0.79% |
| 2008 | 2,741 | 52.76% | 2,341 | 45.06% | 113 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | 2,891 | 55.28% | 2,238 | 42.79% | 101 | 1.93% |
| 2016 | 3,468 | 67.22% | 1,398 | 27.10% | 293 | 5.68% |
| 2020 | 3,689 | 70.16% | 1,470 | 27.96% | 99 | 1.88% |
| 2024 | 3,708 | 72.75% | 1,328 | 26.05% | 61 | 1.20% |
School districts include:[25]
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromChapman, S.S., Omernik, J.M., Griffith, G.E.; et al.Ecoregions of Iowa and Missouri(PDF).United States Geological Survey.Archived(PDF) from the original on March 8, 2022.
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) (color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs).
Places adjacent to Calhoun County, Iowa | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofCalhoun County, Iowa,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
| CDP | ||
| Other unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
