Linn County, Iowa

Linn County
County
Linn County Courthouse
Flag Logo
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°04′43″N91°35′59″W / 42.078611111111°N 91.599722222222°W / 42.078611111111; -91.599722222222
Country	United States
State	Iowa
Founded	1839
Named for	Lewis Linn
Seat	Cedar Rapids
Largest city	Cedar Rapids
Area
• Total	725 sq mi (1,880 km2)
• Land	717 sq mi (1,860 km2)
• Water	7.6 sq mi (20 km2)  1.1%
Population  (2020)
• Total	230,299
• Density	320/sq mi (120/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	www.linncountyiowa.gov

Linn County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 230,299, ^[1] making it the second-most populous county in Iowa. The county seat is Cedar Rapids. ^[2] Linn County is named in honor of Senator Lewis F. Linn of Missouri. ^[3] Linn County is included in the Cedar Rapids, IA Metropolitan Statistical Area. ^[4]

History

The earliest inhabitants of Linn County, prior to Anglo settlement, were the Sac and Fox tribes. Relations were described by 20th century historians as amicable. Native Americans provided food and furs to whites in exchange for merchandise. ^[5]

Linn County was created as a named but unorganized area on December 21, 1837, as a part of Wisconsin Territory. It became part of Iowa Territory on July 4, 1838, when the territory was organized. ^[6] Linn County was organized by the first legislative assembly of the Iowa Territory on January 15, 1839. A site was selected for its first county seat along Indian Creek, and was named Marion, after the Revolutionary War general Francis Marion. As early as 1855, there were debates over moving the county seat to the fast-growing Cedar Rapids, southwest of Marion, but it was not until November 6, 1919, that there were enough votes in favor of the move (9,960 to 4,823). ^[7] The first rail line was built through Cedar Rapids in 1859, and made the town (and the county) a major commercial hub in eastern Iowa.

Many areas of the county were damaged by the flooding of Cedar River in June 2008, and again during the August 2020 Midwest derecho.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 725 square miles (1,880 km²), of which 717 square miles (1,860 km²) is land and 7.6 square miles (20 km²) (1.1%) is water. ^[8]

Major highways

• Interstate 380
• Iowa Highway 27
• U.S. Highway 30
• U.S. Highway 151
• U.S. Highway 218
• Iowa Highway 1
• Iowa Highway 13

Transit

• 380 Express
• Cedar Rapids Transit

Adjacent counties

• Benton County (west)
• Buchanan County (northwest)
• Cedar County (southeast)
• Delaware County (northeast)
• Iowa County (southwest)
• Johnson County (south)
• Jones County (east)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	5,444		—
1860	18,947		248.0%
1870	31,080		64.0%
1880	37,237		19.8%
1890	45,303		21.7%
1900	55,392		22.3%
1910	60,720		9.6%
1920	74,004		21.9%
1930	82,336		11.3%
1940	89,142		8.3%
1950	104,274		17.0%
1960	136,899		31.3%
1970	163,213		19.2%
1980	169,775		4.0%
1990	168,767		−0.6%
2000	191,701		13.6%
2010	211,226		10.2%
2020	230,299		9.0%
2023 (est.)	228,972	[9]	−0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [10] 1790–1960 [11] 1900–1990 [12] 1990–2000 [13] 2010–2019 [14]

Population of Linn County from US census data

2020 census

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

The 2020 census recorded a population of 230,299 in the county, with a population density of 317.2724/sq mi (122.49956/km²). 94.04% of the population reported being of one race. 78.91% were non-Hispanic White, 7.14% were Black, 3.87% were Hispanic, 0.24% were Native American, 2.33% were Asian, 0.23% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 7.28% were some other race or more than one race. There were 101,230 housing units, of which 94,751 were occupied. ^[1]

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 211,226 in the county, with a population density of 294.4163/sq mi (113.6748/km²). There were 92,251 housing units, of which 86,134 were occupied. ^[15]

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 191,701 people, 76,753 households, and 50,349 families in the county. The population density was 267 inhabitants per square mile (103/km²). There were 80,551 housing units at an average density of 112 per square mile (43/km²). The racial makup of the county was 93.90% White, 2.57% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. 1.42%. ^[16] were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 76,753 households 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.20% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.40% were non-families. 27.50% of households were one person and 8.90% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99.

Age spread: 25.30% under the age of 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males.

The median household income was $46,206 and the median family income was $56,494. Males had a median income of $38,525 versus $26,403 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,977. About 4.30% of families and 6.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.60% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The Linn County Board of Supervisors consists of three members elected by district to overlapping four-year terms. ^[17]

The current supervisors are:

Name	District	First elected
Kirsten Running-Marquardt	District 1	2022
Ben Rogers	District 2	2008
Louis Zumbach	District 3	2020

The Board of Supervisors operates as both the executive and legislative branches of Linn County government and oversees the following departments directly: Communications, Community Services, Engineering/Secondary Road, Facilities, Finance & Budget, Human Resources, Information Technology, LIFTS (para-transit transportation), Planning & Development, Policy & Administration, Purchasing, Risk Management, Soil & Water Conservation, Sustainability, and Veteran Affairs. Conservation and Public Health report to independent boards appointed by the Board of Supervisors. The County Attorney, Auditor, Recorder, Sheriff, and Treasurer are elected separately. ^[18]

Presidentially, as Iowa shifted dramatically from competitive to firmly Republican during the Donald Trump era in the mid-to-late 2010s, this is one of the state's few remaining Democratic strongholds. It last voted Republican during the landslide reelection of Ronald Reagan in 1984, and has been won by the Democrats by a margin of at least 9% in every subsequent election.

United States presidential election results for Linn County, Iowa ^[19]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	54,237	44.11%	66,358	53.97%	2,364	1.92%
2020	53,364	41.87%	70,874	55.61%	3,220	2.53%
2016	48,390	41.32%	58,935	50.33%	9,773	8.35%
2012	47,622	40.20%	68,581	57.90%	2,250	1.90%
2008	43,626	38.48%	68,037	60.01%	1,706	1.50%
2004	49,442	44.65%	60,442	54.58%	856	0.77%
2000	40,417	43.90%	48,897	53.11%	2,750	2.99%
1996	30,958	37.28%	45,497	54.79%	6,580	7.92%
1992	30,215	33.99%	38,567	43.39%	20,103	22.62%
1988	33,129	43.18%	42,993	56.04%	596	0.78%
1984	41,061	51.12%	38,528	47.97%	726	0.90%
1980	36,254	46.35%	31,950	40.84%	10,020	12.81%
1976	36,513	47.79%	38,252	50.07%	1,632	2.14%
1972	36,503	52.78%	31,370	45.36%	1,287	1.86%
1968	30,918	47.99%	29,898	46.40%	3,614	5.61%
1964	21,845	35.22%	40,106	64.66%	78	0.13%
1960	34,200	55.30%	27,614	44.65%	25	0.04%
1956	33,402	60.60%	21,667	39.31%	47	0.09%
1952	31,383	58.72%	21,818	40.83%	240	0.45%
1948	20,881	48.45%	20,995	48.71%	1,222	2.84%
1944	21,293	50.03%	21,123	49.63%	146	0.34%
1940	23,581	54.54%	19,531	45.17%	123	0.28%
1936	19,129	48.06%	19,724	49.55%	953	2.39%
1932	18,733	50.75%	17,693	47.93%	489	1.32%
1928	25,452	68.24%	11,715	31.41%	132	0.35%
1924	22,371	64.49%	5,941	17.13%	6,378	18.39%
1920	20,036	72.02%	6,932	24.92%	853	3.07%
1916	8,212	55.67%	6,131	41.56%	408	2.77%
1912	4,326	33.83%	5,422	42.41%	3,038	23.76%
1908	6,938	54.22%	5,493	42.93%	364	2.84%
1904	8,131	65.36%	3,600	28.94%	709	5.70%
1900	7,745	59.10%	5,019	38.30%	342	2.61%
1896	7,335	57.14%	5,283	41.16%	218	1.70%
1892	5,602	50.85%	5,032	45.67%	383	3.48%
1888	5,247	53.19%	4,373	44.33%	244	2.47%
1884	4,840	52.48%	4,306	46.69%	77	0.83%
1880	4,508	58.52%	2,875	37.32%	320	4.15%

Communities

Cities

• Alburnett
• Bertram
• Cedar Rapids
• Center Point
• Central City
• Coggon
• Ely
• Fairfax
• Hiawatha
• Lisbon
• Marion
• Mount Vernon
• Palo
• Prairieburg
• Robins
• Springville
• Walford
• Walker

Unincorporated communities

• Covington
• Lafayette
• Paris
• Toddville
• Troy Mills
• Waubeek
• Western
• Whittier
• Viola

Ghost towns

• Ivanhoe

Townships

• Bertram
• Boulder
• Brown
• Buffalo
• Clinton
• College
• Fairfax
• Fayette
• Franklin
• Grant
• Jackson
• Linn
• Maine
• Marion
• Monroe
• Otter Creek
• Putnam
• Spring Grove
• Washington

Population ranking

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

†county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2020 Census)
1	† Cedar Rapids	City	137,710
2	Marion	City	41,535
3	Hiawatha	City	7,183
4	Mount Vernon	City	4,527
5	Robins	City	3,353
6	Fairfax	City	2,828
7	Center Point	City	2,579
8	Ely	City	2,328
9	Lisbon	City	2,233
10	Palo	City	1,407
11	Walford (partially in Benton County )	City	1,366
12	Central City	City	1,264
13	Springville	City	1,154
14	Coggon	City	701
15	Walker	City	688
16	Alburnett	City	675
17	Bertram	City	269
18	Prairieburg	City	160

See also

• Iowa portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Linn County, Iowa
• USS Linn County (LST-900)

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. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 187.
4. United States Office of Management and Budget. "Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses" (PDF). pp. 5, 36. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 14, 2006. Retrieved July 21, 2006.
5. Brewer, Luther; Barthinus, Wick (1911). History of Linn County Iowa. Chicago: The Pioneer Publishing Company. pp. 10–12.
6. "WI: Individual County Chronologies". publications.newberry.org. Archived from the original on April 14, 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
7. "History of Linn County". Archived from the original on May 3, 2009.
8. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
9. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
13. "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 18, 2014.
14. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
15. "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.
16. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
17. "Board of Supervisors". Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved February 18, 2009.
18. "Linn County, IA – Official Website | Official Website". www.linncounty.org. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
19. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 9, 2018.

External links

• Linn County government's website
• The History of Linn county, Iowa Western Historical Company(1878 copyright expired) This searchable and pdf downloadable book was scanned into the public domain by Google books.
• History of Linn County Iowa by Luther A. Brewer and Barthinius L. Wick The Pioneer Publishing Company(1911 copyright expired) This searchable and pdf downloadable book was scanned into the public domain by Google books.

42°04′43″N91°35′59″W / 42.07861°N 91.59972°W / 42.07861; -91.59972