Boone County, Iowa

Boone County
County
Boone County Courthouse
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°02′11″N93°55′56″W / 42.036388888889°N 93.932222222222°W / 42.036388888889; -93.932222222222
Country	United States
State	Iowa
Founded	January 13, 1846
Seat	Boone
Largest city	Boone
Area
• Total	574 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Land	572 sq mi (1,480 km2)
• Water	2.1 sq mi (5 km2)  0.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	26,715
• Density	47/sq mi (18/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th
Website	www.boonecounty.iowa.gov

Boone County is a county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,715. ^[1] Its county seat is Boone. ^[2]

Boone County comprises the Boone, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA Combined Statistical Area.

History

The land that now forms Boone and several other Iowa counties was ceded by the Sac and Fox nation to the United States in a treaty signed on October 11, 1842.

On January 13, 1846, the legislative body of the Indiana Territory authorized creation of twelve counties in the Iowa Territory, ^[3] with general descriptions of their boundaries. ^[4] Boone County's name referred to Captain Nathan Boone, ^[5] son of Daniel Boone, an American pioneer who formed the Wilderness Trail and founded the settlement of Boonesborough, Kentucky.

County residents selected Boonesboro as the county seat in 1851. The first building erected in the new settlement was a double log house, to be used as interim county office and courthouse. It was supplemented by a two–story building erected in 1856, then replaced by a three-story building in 1868.

The nearby settlement of Montana was incorporated in 1866, when a railway station was built there. ^[6] It was renamed to Boone in 1871. ^[7] It continued to grow, and it annexed the settlement of Boonesboro (which had also been incorporated in 1866) in 1887, thus becoming the county seat. ^[7]

After the second courthouse became too small for the county's expanding populace, a new building (the present courthouse) replaced it. It was completed in 1917. ^[8]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 574 square miles (1,490 km²), of which 572 square miles (1,480 km²) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) (0.4%) is water. ^[9]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 30 – runs east–west through center of county. Passes Beaver, Ogden, and Jordan.
• U.S. Highway 169 – runs south from Webster County through the west-central portion of Boone County. At its intersection with US 30, U.S. 169 runs east three miles to Ogden, then runs south to Dallas County.
• Iowa Highway 17 – runs south through eastern Boone County to Jordan, west one mile, then south to the boundary line between Dallas and Polk counties.
• Iowa Highway 144 – runs across the southwest tip of the county from northwest to southeast.
• Iowa Highway 210 – enters south line of county at Woodward, then runs east and east-northeast across the southern portion of county to Story County. ^[10]

Adjacent counties

• Dallas County – south
• Greene County – west
• Hamilton County – north and northeast
• Polk County – south and southeast
• Story County – east
• Webster County – north and northwest

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	735		—
1860	4,232		475.8%
1870	14,584		244.6%
1880	20,838		42.9%
1890	23,772		14.1%
1900	28,200		18.6%
1910	27,626		−2.0%
1920	29,892		8.2%
1930	29,271		−2.1%
1940	29,782		1.7%
1950	28,139		−5.5%
1960	28,037		−0.4%
1970	26,470		−5.6%
1980	26,184		−1.1%
1990	25,186		−3.8%
2000	26,224		4.1%
2010	26,306		0.3%
2020	26,715		1.6%
2023 (est.)	26,590	[11]	−0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [12] 1790-1960 [13] 1900-1990 [14] 1990-2000 [15] 2010-2018 [16]

Population of Boone County from US census data

2020 census

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

The 2020 census recorded a population of 26,715 in the county, with a population density of 46.4373/sq mi (17.9295/km²). 96.05% of the population reported being of one race. 90.71% were non-Hispanic White, 1.13% were Black, 2.65% were Hispanic, 0.24% were Native American, 0.37% were Asian, 0.01% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 4.88% were some other race or more than one race. There were 11,921 housing units of which 10,981 were occupied. ^[1]

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 26,306 in the county, with a population density of 46.07/sq mi (17.788/km²). There were 11,756 housing units, of which 10,728 were occupied. ^[17]

2000 census

As of the census ^[18] of 2000, there were 26,224 people, 10,374 households, and 7,137 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 people per square mile (18 people/km²). There were 10,968 housing units at an average density of 19 units per square mile (7.3 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.53% White, 0.36% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.26% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. 0.83% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,374 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 26.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.80% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,763, and the median income for a family was $49,346. Males had a median income of $32,504 versus $23,838 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,943. About 4.50% of families and 7.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.00% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Beaver
• Berkley
• Boone (county seat)
• Boxholm
• Fraser
• Luther
• Madrid
• Ogden
• Woodward (partial)
• Pilot Mound
• Sheldahl (partial)

Unincorporated communities

• Jordan
• Logansport
• Mackey
• Moingona
• Zenorsville

Townships

• Amaqua
• Beaver
• Cass
• Colfax
• Des Moines
• Dodge
• Douglas
• Garden
• Grant
• Harrison
• Jackson
• Marcy
• Peoples
• Pilot Mound
• Union
• Worth
• Yell

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Boone County. ^[1] †county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2020 Census)
1	† Boone	City	12,460
2	Madrid	City	2,802
3	Ogden	City	2,007
4	Boxholm	City	181
5	Pilot Mound	City	163
6	Luther	City	152
7	Fraser	City	101
8	Beaver	City	46
9	Berkley	City	23
10	Sheldahl (partially in Polk and Story Counties )	City	19 (297 total)

Politics

Prior to 1932, Boone County was primarily Republican in presidential elections, aside from 1912 when the county backed Bull Moose candidate & former Republican President Theodore Roosevelt. From 1932 to 1980, the county was a swing county, voting for the national winner in all elections in that period aside from 1960. From 1984 to 2012, the county was consistently Democratic in presidential elections, but swung hard in 2016 by 20.7 points to back Republican Donald Trump similar to many other counties in Iowa. ^[19] In Republican presidential primaries, it holds the distinction of having the longuest streak of voting against the future nominee, having done so since the 1980 primary.

United States presidential election results for Boone County, Iowa ^{[20] [21]}

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	9,199	59.72%	5,895	38.27%	309	2.01%
2020	8,695	56.68%	6,303	41.09%	342	2.23%
2016	7,484	52.72%	5,541	39.03%	1,171	8.25%
2012	6,556	45.57%	7,512	52.21%	320	2.22%
2008	6,293	45.17%	7,356	52.80%	282	2.02%
2004	6,870	49.04%	7,027	50.16%	112	0.80%
2000	5,625	45.92%	6,270	51.19%	354	2.89%
1996	4,293	36.27%	6,446	54.47%	1,096	9.26%
1992	4,148	33.95%	5,913	48.39%	2,158	17.66%
1988	4,381	37.49%	7,232	61.89%	73	0.62%
1984	5,746	46.80%	6,485	52.82%	46	0.37%
1980	5,732	47.42%	5,126	42.41%	1,229	10.17%
1976	5,413	44.14%	6,595	53.78%	255	2.08%
1972	6,271	54.29%	5,057	43.78%	223	1.93%
1968	5,260	47.40%	5,219	47.03%	617	5.56%
1964	3,543	31.26%	7,699	67.92%	93	0.82%
1960	6,761	53.97%	5,759	45.97%	7	0.06%
1956	6,740	53.65%	5,815	46.28%	9	0.07%
1952	7,901	61.03%	4,896	37.82%	150	1.16%
1948	4,183	40.92%	5,541	54.21%	498	4.87%
1944	4,868	44.24%	6,062	55.09%	73	0.66%
1940	5,227	41.92%	7,168	57.49%	74	0.59%
1936	4,110	35.34%	7,080	60.88%	439	3.78%
1932	3,694	38.00%	5,293	54.44%	735	7.56%
1928	7,521	70.01%	3,049	28.38%	172	1.60%
1924	4,980	45.57%	702	6.42%	5,246	48.01%
1920	7,093	71.07%	2,240	22.44%	647	6.48%
1916	2,955	52.41%	2,338	41.47%	345	6.12%
1912	802	13.64%	1,601	27.23%	3,477	59.13%
1908	3,368	57.71%	1,958	33.55%	510	8.74%
1904	3,830	65.66%	1,148	19.68%	855	14.66%
1900	4,151	61.58%	2,264	33.59%	326	4.84%
1896	3,741	56.43%	2,801	42.25%	88	1.33%

See also

• Iowa portal

• Boone County Courthouse (Iowa)
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Boone County, Iowa
• Don Williams County Park

References

1. "2020 Census State Redistricting Data". census.gov. United states Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. The counties were Boone, Clarke, Dallas, Decatur, Jasper, Lucas, Madison, Marshall, Polk, Story, Warren, and Wayne.
4. The History of Polk County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c. Union Historical Co. 1880. pp.  419, 425.
5. History of the Origin of the Place Names in Nine Northwestern States. 1908. p. 12.
6. "Bird's eye view of the city of Montana, Boone Co. IA". historymap.com. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
7. "County History". Boone County IA. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
8. "Boone County Courthouse". Iowa Judicial Branch. Archived from the original on August 7, 2018. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
9. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
10. Boone County IA Google Maps (accessed August 20, 2018)
11. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
12. "U.S. Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
14. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
15. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
16. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 3, 2016. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
17. "Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010 - State – County". US Census Bureau – American FactFinder. Retrieved March 8, 2011.^{[ dead link ‍]}
18. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
19. "Here's a map of the US counties that flipped to Trump from Democrats". www.cnbc.com. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
20. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
21. The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Robert M. La Follette, received 4,953 votes, while Communist Party candidate William Z. Foster received 286 votes, and Write-in candidates 7 votes.

External links

• Boone County on state government portal
• Boone County government's website
• Boone County Republican, Google news archive. —PDFs of 1,242 issues, dating from 1873 to 1897.

42°02′11″N93°55′56″W / 42.03639°N 93.93222°W / 42.03639; -93.93222