Mitchell County, Iowa

Mitchell County
County
Mitchell County Courthouse in Osage
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 43°21′20″N92°47′23″W / 43.355555555556°N 92.789722222222°W / 43.355555555556; -92.789722222222
Country	United States
State	Iowa
Founded	1851
Named for	John Mitchel
Seat	Osage
Largest city	Osage
Area
• Total	470 sq mi (1,200 km2)
• Land	469 sq mi (1,210 km2)
• Water	0.4 sq mi (1 km2)  0.09%
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,565
• Density	22/sq mi (8.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	mitchellcounty.iowa.gov

Mitchell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,565. ^[1] The county seat is Osage. ^[2] It is not clear whom the county is named after: the county website mentions John Mitchell, an early surveyor, and an Irish patriot John Mitchel. ^[3]

History

Mitchell County was founded in 1851. It was named after John Mitchel, an Irish patriot. ^[4] The county's courthouse was completed in 1858, ^[5] and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The courthouse has since been razed.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 470 square miles (1,200 km²), of which 469 square miles (1,210 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km²) (0.09%) is water. ^[6]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 218
• Iowa Highway 9

Adjacent counties

• Mower County, Minnesota (north)
• Howard County (east)
• Floyd County (south)
• Cerro Gordo County (southwest)
• Worth County (west)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	3,409		—
1870	9,582		181.1%
1880	14,363		49.9%
1890	13,299		−7.4%
1900	14,916		12.2%
1910	13,435		−9.9%
1920	13,921		3.6%
1930	14,065		1.0%
1940	14,121		0.4%
1950	13,945		−1.2%
1960	14,043		0.7%
1970	13,108		−6.7%
1980	12,329		−5.9%
1990	10,928		−11.4%
2000	10,874		−0.5%
2010	10,776		−0.9%
2020	10,565		−2.0%
2023 (est.)	10,518	[7]	−0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1790-1960 [9] 1900-1990 [10] 1990-2000 [11] 2010-2018 [12]

Population of Mitchell County from US census data

2020 census

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

The 2020 census recorded a population of 10,565 in the county, with a population density of 22.8027/sq mi (8.8042/km²). 97.47% of the population reported being of one race. 93.84% were non-Hispanic White, 0.40% were Black, 1.83% were Hispanic, 0.11% were Native American, 0.44% were Asian, 0.04% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 3.35% were some other race or more than one race. There were 4,847 housing units, of which 4,382 were occupied. ^[1]

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,776 in the county, with a population density of 22.9805/sq mi (8.8728/km²). There were 4,850 housing units, of which 4,395 were occupied. ^[13]

2000 census

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Mitchell County's 99% White population makes it the county with the smallest percentage of minorities nationally. ^[14]

As of the census ^[15] of 2000, there were 10,874 people, 4,294 households, and 2,984 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile (8.9 people/km²). There were 4,594 housing units at an average density of 10 units per square mile (3.9 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 99.27% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races, and 0.21% from two or more races; 0.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,294 households, out of which 30.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.80% were married couples living together, 5.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.50% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 24.20% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 21.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.70 males; for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,843, and the median income for a family was $41,233. Males had a median income of $29,601 versus $22,054 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,809. About 7.00% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.50% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Starting with Michael Dukakis's win in 1988, Mitchell County became a Democratic leaning county, voting for Democrats in all presidential elections through 2012. Mitchell County was the whitest county in the United States that voted for President Barack Obama, both in 2008 and 2012. ^[16] In 2016, Trump became the first Republican to win it since Ronald Reagan in 1984, winning it by a 24% margin, the largest margin for a presidential candidate since 1968. He won it again in 2020, by an even larger 28% margin, the largest margin for any candidate since 1952. 2020 also marked the first time since 1960 that a Democrat was elected president without carrying Mitchell County.

United States presidential election results for Mitchell County, Iowa ^[17]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	3,677	63.16%	2,053	35.26%	92	1.58%
2016	3,190	58.89%	1,888	34.85%	339	6.26%
2012	2,643	47.31%	2,831	50.68%	112	2.01%
2008	2,469	42.82%	3,179	55.13%	118	2.05%
2004	2,646	48.28%	2,785	50.82%	49	0.89%
2000	2,388	46.26%	2,650	51.34%	124	2.40%
1996	1,877	37.01%	2,596	51.19%	598	11.79%
1992	1,933	36.15%	2,177	40.71%	1,237	23.13%
1988	2,338	44.52%	2,870	54.66%	43	0.82%
1984	3,144	54.74%	2,531	44.07%	68	1.18%
1980	3,401	58.00%	2,040	34.79%	423	7.21%
1976	2,887	49.00%	2,906	49.32%	99	1.68%
1972	3,395	57.44%	2,449	41.43%	67	1.13%
1968	3,533	60.60%	2,103	36.07%	194	3.33%
1964	2,489	39.06%	3,868	60.69%	16	0.25%
1960	3,915	57.59%	2,873	42.26%	10	0.15%
1956	4,175	61.29%	2,630	38.61%	7	0.10%
1952	5,050	69.78%	2,175	30.05%	12	0.17%
1948	3,021	49.37%	2,873	46.95%	225	3.68%
1944	3,406	55.54%	2,696	43.97%	30	0.49%
1940	3,947	56.49%	3,025	43.29%	15	0.21%
1936	2,765	41.87%	3,610	54.67%	228	3.45%
1932	2,527	38.59%	3,940	60.16%	82	1.25%
1928	3,534	59.90%	2,308	39.12%	58	0.98%
1924	2,892	46.93%	400	6.49%	2,871	46.58%
1920	4,476	83.95%	773	14.50%	83	1.56%
1916	1,963	64.38%	1,033	33.88%	53	1.74%
1912	590	20.33%	1,082	37.28%	1,230	42.38%
1908	1,932	65.09%	988	33.29%	48	1.62%
1904	2,158	74.93%	634	22.01%	88	3.06%
1900	2,450	70.40%	981	28.19%	49	1.41%
1896	2,498	69.80%	1,031	28.81%	50	1.40%

Economy

In January 2017, Mitchell County supervisors denied an application for an Iowa Select contracted farm in Lincoln Township. It was planned for 5,000-hogs. ^[18]

Communities

Cities

• Carpenter
• McIntire
• Mitchell
• Orchard
• Osage
• St. Ansgar
• Stacyville

Census-designated places

• Little Cedar
• Meyer
• Mona
• New Haven
• Otranto
• Toeterville

Townships

• Burr Oak
• Cedar
• Douglas
• East Lincoln
• Jenkins
• Liberty
• Mitchell
• Newburg
• Osage
• Otranto
• Rock
• St. Ansgar
• Stacyville
• Union
• Wayne
• West Lincoln

Population ranking

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

†county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2020 Census)
1	† Osage	City	3,627
2	St. Ansgar	City	1,160
3	Riceville (partially in Howard County )	City	806
4	Stacyville	City	458
5	Mitchell	City	124
6	McIntire	City	113
7	Carpenter	City	87
8	New Haven	CDP	77
9	Orchard	City	68
10	Little Cedar	CDP	64
11	Toeterville	CDP	53
12	Mona	CDP	35
13	Otranto	CDP	27
14	Meyer	CDP	14

See also

• Iowa portal

• Mitchell County Courthouse
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Mitchell County, Iowa

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. county website
4. Mitchell County Archived July 3, 2007, at archive.today
5. "Mitchell County Courthouse". Iowa Judicial Branch. Archived from the original on July 26, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States 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. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
10. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
11. "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 20, 2014.
12. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
13. "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.
14. Census Bureau data, cited in "Minorities now in the majority in nearly 10% of U.S. counties", Associated Press August 8, 2007, Lexington Herald-Leader p A8
15. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
16. Buchanan, Larry; McDonald, Brent; Parlapiano, Alicia (January 26, 2016). "Rural Voters Can Swing the Iowa Caucuses. Meet Five of Them". The New York Times . Retrieved August 10, 2019.
17. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
18. "Mitchell". Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement. January 31, 2017. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2017.

External links

• Official site of Mitchell County, Iowa

43°21′20″N92°47′23″W / 43.35556°N 92.78972°W / 43.35556; -92.78972