Jefferson County, Iowa

Last updated

Jefferson County
County
Jefferson County, Iowa Courthouse.jpg
Courthouse in Fairfield is on the NRHP
Map of Iowa highlighting Jefferson County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Iowa in United States.svg
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°01′53″N91°56′41″W / 41.031388888889°N 91.944722222222°W / 41.031388888889; -91.944722222222
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Iowa.svg  Iowa
FoundedJanuary 21, 1839
Named for Thomas Jefferson
Seat Fairfield
Largest cityFairfield
Area
 • Total
437 sq mi (1,130 km2)
 • Land436 sq mi (1,130 km2)
 • Water1.4 sq mi (4 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
15,663
 • Estimate 
(2023) [1]
15,440 Decrease2.svg
 • Density36/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 1st
Website https://jeffersoncounty.iowa.gov/

Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 15,663. [2] The county seat is Fairfield. [3] The county was formed in January 1839, and was named for U.S. President Thomas Jefferson. [4] [5] Jefferson County comprises the Fairfield, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Contents

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 437 square miles (1,130 km2), of which 436 square miles (1,130 km2) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2) (0.3%) is water. [6] The Skunk River flows southward through the NE part of the county, while the SW part of the county is drained by the nearby Des Moines River, which flows southeastward through Van Buren and Wapello counties.

Major highways

Transit

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850 9,904—
1860 15,03851.8%
1870 17,83918.6%
1880 17,469−2.1%
1890 15,184−13.1%
1900 17,43714.8%
1910 15,951−8.5%
1920 16,4403.1%
1930 16,241−1.2%
1940 15,762−2.9%
1950 15,696−0.4%
1960 15,8180.8%
1970 15,774−0.3%
1980 16,3163.4%
1990 16,3100.0%
2000 16,181−0.8%
2010 16,8434.1%
2020 15,663−7.0%
2023 (est.)15,440 [7] −1.4%
US Decennial Census [8]
1790-1960 [9] 1900-1990 [10]
1990-2000 [11] 2010-2018 [12]
Population of Jefferson County from US census data JeffersonCountyIowaPop2020.png
Population of Jefferson County from US census data

2020 census

2022 US Census population pyramid for Jefferson County from ACS 5-year estimates JeffersonCountyIA2022PopPyr.png
2022 US Census population pyramid for Jefferson County from ACS 5-year estimates

The 2020 census recorded a population of 15,663 in the county, with a population density of

Jefferson County Racial Composition [13]
RaceNum.Perc.
White (NH)13,42585.71%
Black or African American (NH)4092.61%
Native American (NH)430.27%
Asian (NH)5003.2%
Pacific Islander (NH)9.06%
Other/Mixed (NH)6674.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6104%

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 16,843 in the county, with a population density of

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census, [15] there were 16,181 people, 6,649 households, and 4,281 families in the county. The population density was 37 inhabitants per square mile (14/km2). There were 7,241 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.02% White, 0.64% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.70% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 1.84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,649 households, out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.10% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.60% were non-families. 30.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.93.

The county population contained 24.40% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 29.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,851, and the median income for a family was $43,819. Males had a median income of $32,066 versus $22,479 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,579. About 7.40% of families and 10.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.40% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Fairfield Business Park built north of Fairfield, in 1998. Fairfield Business Park, Fairfield IA.JPG
Fairfield Business Park built north of Fairfield, in 1998.

Jefferson County's executive branch is a three-member board of supervisors who are elected to four-year terms. Other elected officials are county auditor, county sheriff, county treasurer, and county recorder. [18]

Politics

Historically, Jefferson County heavily favored presidential candidates from the Republican Party. It is noted for being one of the few counties in Iowa that never voted for Woodrow Wilson, along with having never given a Democrat who carried the county over sixty percent of the vote. In recent decades, politics within the county have become more competitive. From 1992 to 2012, the county had been carried by the Democratic presidential candidate in every election with the exception of 2000, when George W. Bush obtained a plurality. In the 1996 presidential election, Jefferson County was the only county in the United States to give any (winning) candidate less than forty percent of the vote, with Bill Clinton winning the county 35.1% to Bob Dole's 34.4%. In 2024, Donald Trump became the first Republican to win a majority of the votes in Jefferson County since Ronald Reagan's 1984 performance. The county has been the strongest basis of support for the Natural Law Party's presidential campaigns, due to the presence of the Maharishi Vedic City and Maharishi International University.

United States presidential election results for Jefferson County, Iowa [19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
2024 4,35352.16%3,78845.39%2052.46%
2020 4,44349.59%4,31948.21%1972.20%
2016 3,74845.95%3,71045.49%6988.56%
2012 3,43640.28%4,79856.25%2963.47%
2008 3,32438.51%5,07058.73%2382.76%
2004 3,64844.05%4,49054.22%1431.73%
2000 3,24843.03%2,86337.93%1,43719.04%
1996 2,54134.35%2,59735.11%2,25930.54%
1992 2,54130.46%2,56230.72%3,23838.82%
1988 3,61449.53%3,59449.26%881.21%
1984 4,72761.19%2,96138.33%370.48%
1980 4,09956.16%2,57735.31%6238.54%
1976 3,74651.71%3,37746.62%1211.67%
1972 4,62864.83%2,36233.09%1492.09%
1968 4,13059.52%2,41134.75%3985.74%
1964 2,75539.84%4,13559.79%260.38%
1960 4,94264.00%2,78036.00%00.00%
1956 4,80762.76%2,84537.15%70.09%
1952 5,63069.09%2,47030.31%490.60%
1948 3,90655.11%3,03342.79%1492.10%
1944 4,33559.03%2,92639.84%831.13%
1940 4,89158.67%3,40240.81%430.52%
1936 4,03750.84%3,69046.47%2142.69%
1932 2,95541.56%4,05657.05%991.39%
1928 4,91969.05%2,15930.31%460.65%
1924 4,06261.61%1,24918.94%1,28219.44%
1920 4,55874.62%1,45023.74%1001.64%
1916 2,16754.61%1,73443.70%671.69%
1912 1,37837.63%1,31135.80%97326.57%
1908 2,27158.29%1,43936.94%1864.77%
1904 2,33062.23%1,17231.30%2426.46%
1900 2,48258.73%1,61238.14%1323.12%
1896 2,47857.24%1,77240.93%791.82%

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Jefferson County. [2]

†county seat

RankCity/Town/etc.Municipal typePopulation (2020 Census)
1† Fairfield City9,416
2 Batavia City430
3 Maharishi Vedic City City277
4 Libertyville City274
5 Lockridge City244
6 Packwood City183
7 Pleasant Plain City84
8 Coppock (mostly in Henry and Washington Counties )City36

See also

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ "QuickFacts: Jefferson County, Iowa". Census.gov. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
    2. 1 2 3 "2020 Census State Redistricting Data". census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
    3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
    4. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p.  168.
    5. ↑ Jefferson County Archived October 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
    6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". US Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
    7. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
    8. ↑ "US Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
    9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
    10. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
    11. ↑ "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 18, 2014.
    12. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
    13. ↑ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Jefferson County, Iowa".
    14. ↑ "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010" (PDF). US Census Bureau – American FactFinder. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
    15. ↑ "US Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
    16. ↑ Jefferson County Assessor Office – Fairfield Business Park
    17. ↑ Fairfield Business Park 41°03′50″N91°58′18″W / 41.0639°N 91.9716°W
    18. ↑ "Jefferson County Home Page" . Retrieved October 17, 2021.
    19. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
    20. ↑ "Coppock, IA" . Retrieved October 17, 2021– via Google Maps.
    21. ↑ "Beckwith, IA" . Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Google Maps.
    22. ↑ "Beckwith (in Jefferson County, IA)" . Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Home Town Locator.
    23. ↑ "East Pleasant Plain, IA" . Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Google Maps.
    24. ↑ "East Pleasant Plain, Walnut Township". June 28, 2001. Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Towns etc. of Jefferson County.
    25. ↑ "East Pleasant Plain" . Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Home Town Locator.
    26. ↑ "Germanville, IA" . Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Google Maps.
    27. ↑ "Germanville (in Jefferson County, IA)". July 1, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Home Town Locator.
    28. ↑ "Glasgow, IA" . Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Google Maps.
    29. ↑ "Glasgow (in Jefferson County, IA". July 1, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Home Town Locator.
    30. ↑ "Perlee,IA" . Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Google Maps.
    31. ↑ "Perlee (in Jefferson County, IA". July 1, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Home Town Locator.
    32. ↑ "Salina, IA" . Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Google Maps.
    33. ↑ "Salina (in Jefferson County, IA) Populated Place Profile" . Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Home Town Locator.
    34. ↑ "Salina, Iowa". January 6, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2021– via Forgotten Iowa.

    41°01′53″N91°56′41″W / 41.03139°N 91.94472°W / 41.03139; -91.94472

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