Winneshiek County, Iowa

Winneshiek County, Iowa
County
The Courthouse and Civil War Monument located in Decorah
Flag
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Coordinates: 43°17′00″N 91°52′00″W / 43.283333333333°N 91.866666666667°W / 43.283333333333; -91.866666666667
Country United States
State Iowa
Founded1847
Named afterChief Winneshiek
SeatDecorah
Largest cityDecorah
Area
 • Total
690 sq mi (1,800 km2)
 • Land690 sq mi (1,800 km2)
 • Water0.3 sq mi (0.78 km2)  0.04%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
20,070
 • Estimate 
(2024)
19,723
 • Density29/sq mi (11/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewinneshiekcounty.iowa.gov
  • Iowa county number 96[1]

Winneshiek County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,070.[2] The county seat is Decorah.[3]

History

A largely rural and agricultural county, Winneshiek County has a rich cultural history from Czech, Slovak, English, Irish, German, Swiss, and Norwegian immigrants that have settled within its boundaries.[4]

The county was originally settled in 1848 in present-day Bloomfield Township (near Castalia, Iowa) and in Washington Township (near Fort Atkinson, Iowa). It was organized in 1847, and named after a chief of the Ho-Chunk tribe.

In 1980, Winneshiek County reported a population of 21,842. Like much of Iowa during the 1980s it witnessed a population loss, dropping to 20,847 according to the 1990 United States Census. However, during the 1990s the county experienced some mild growth and was able to rise above the 21,000 mark once again.

Government and elected officials

As of 2010, the Winneshiek County government had a total of 785 employees and staff.

Politics

Like all Iowa counties, Winneshiek is governed by an elected partisan Board of Supervisors. Winneshiek County's Board of Supervisors has five members elected by single-member districts of equal population. Other elected officials are the county attorney, auditor, sheriff and treasurer. The offices for the supervisors and county officers are located in the County Courthouse at the county seat.

Political culture

United States presidential election results for Winneshiek County, Iowa[5]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1896 3,422 61.75% 2,033 36.68% 87 1.57%
1900 3,486 64.72% 1,835 34.07% 65 1.21%
1904 3,383 68.96% 1,467 29.90% 56 1.14%
1908 2,767 56.79% 2,008 41.22% 97 1.99%
1912 802 15.63% 2,105 41.03% 2,223 43.33%
1916 2,876 57.87% 1,956 39.36% 138 2.78%
1920 6,684 75.98% 1,933 21.97% 180 2.05%
1924 4,154 43.96% 1,510 15.98% 3,786 40.06%
1928 5,084 52.46% 4,535 46.79% 73 0.75%
1932 3,348 32.40% 6,823 66.03% 162 1.57%
1936 4,489 40.15% 5,980 53.48% 712 6.37%
1940 6,208 53.35% 5,405 46.45% 24 0.21%
1944 5,318 53.76% 4,557 46.06% 18 0.18%
1948 4,594 47.54% 4,905 50.76% 164 1.70%
1952 7,154 66.64% 3,560 33.16% 22 0.20%
1956 6,192 59.20% 4,251 40.64% 17 0.16%
1960 5,737 54.48% 4,786 45.45% 7 0.07%
1964 3,941 40.38% 5,811 59.55% 7 0.07%
1968 5,600 60.09% 3,364 36.10% 355 3.81%
1972 5,877 56.23% 4,401 42.11% 174 1.66%
1976 4,765 52.08% 4,158 45.45% 226 2.47%
1980 5,033 54.10% 3,201 34.40% 1,070 11.50%
1984 5,277 57.96% 3,724 40.90% 104 1.14%
1988 4,194 48.07% 4,443 50.92% 88 1.01%
1992 3,331 34.61% 3,791 39.39% 2,502 26.00%
1996 3,532 40.27% 4,122 47.00% 1,116 12.73%
2000 4,647 49.35% 4,339 46.08% 431 4.58%
2004 5,324 49.37% 5,354 49.65% 106 0.98%
2008 4,273 37.87% 6,829 60.52% 182 1.61%
2012 4,622 41.70% 6,256 56.44% 206 1.86%
2016 5,344 47.03% 5,254 46.24% 764 6.72%
2020 6,235 51.68% 5,617 46.56% 212 1.76%
2024 6,427 53.65% 5,321 44.42% 231 1.93%

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 690 square miles (1,800 km2), of which 690 square miles (1,800 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.04%) is water.[6]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850546—
186013,9422,453.5%
187023,57069.1%
188023,9381.6%
189022,528−5.9%
190023,7315.3%
191021,729−8.4%
192022,0911.7%
193021,630−2.1%
194022,2632.9%
195021,639−2.8%
196021,6510.1%
197021,7580.5%
198021,8760.5%
199020,847−4.7%
200021,3102.2%
201021,056−1.2%
202020,070−4.7%
2024 (est.)19,723[7] −1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10]
1990–2000[11] 2010–2020[12]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 20,070, a population density of 28.9/sq mi (11.2/km2), and 8,916 housing units, of which 8.4% were vacant and 8,170 were occupied.[13]

The median age was 42.6 years, 19.3% of residents were under the age of 18, and 21.7% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.4 males.[13]

There were 8,170 households, of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 53.2% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Among occupied housing units, 75.9% were owner-occupied and 24.1% were renter-occupied, with a homeowner vacancy rate of 1.0% and a rental vacancy rate of 5.6%.[13]

97.2% of the population reported being of a single race: 93.9% White, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.5% from some other race, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.9% of the population.[14]

39.8% of residents lived in urban areas while 60.2% lived in rural areas.[15]

Winneshiek County Racial Composition[16]
Race Number Percent
White (NH) 18,705 93.2%
Black or African American (NH) 119 0.6%
Native American (NH) 19 0.1%
Asian (NH) 178 0.9%
Pacific Islander (NH) 12 0.06%
Other/Mixed (NH) 452 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino 585 3%

2010 census

As of the 2010 census recorded a population of 21,056 in the county, with a population density of 30.5/sq mi (11.8/km2). There were 8,721 housing units, of which 7,997 were occupied.[17]

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 21,310 people, 7,734 households, and 5,189 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile (12 people/km2). There were 8,208 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (4.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.85% White, 0.51% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. 0.80% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.3% were of German, 31.7% Norwegian, 5.5% Irish and 5.1% Czech ancestry.

There were 7,734 households, out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 16.7% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,908, and the median income for a family was $45,966. Males had a median income of $29,278 versus $21,240 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,047. About 5.1% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities

Townships

Ghost towns

Population ranking

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

† county seat

Rank City/town/etc. Municipal type Population (2020 Census)
1 † Decorah City 7,587
2 Calmar City 1,125
3 Ossian City 802
4 Spillville City 385
5 Fort Atkinson City 312
6 Ridgeway City 275
7 Burr Oak CDP 171
8 Castalia City 145
9 Jackson Junction City 37

Education

The following school districts have their administrative headquarters in the county:[18][19]

North Winneshiek Community School District was in the county,[20] until it merged with Decorah CSD on July 1, 2018.[21] The Decorah district and the Mabel-Canton Public Schools in Minnesota have an agreement where people who live in the Decorah district but closer to the Mabel-Canton schools than to Decorah schools can enroll in Mabel-Canton schools.[22]

The following school districts have their administrative headquarters outside of the county but serve sections of Winneshiek County:[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Iowa County Names and Numbers". Iowa Department of Administrative Services. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  2. ^ a b "2020 Census State Redistricting Data". census.gov. United states Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  4. ^ Bailey, Edwin C. (1913). Past and Present of Winneshiek County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement. Decorah Genealogy Association.
  5. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  10. ^ Forstall, Richard L. (April 20, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved January 7, 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 January 7, 2014.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Winneshiek County, Iowa". www.census.gov. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  13. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  14. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  15. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  16. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Winneshiek County, Iowa".
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ a b "Comprehensive Plan" (PDF). Winneshiek County. December 2016. p. 90. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 6, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2020. - (PDF p. 91/512) See "Figure 8: School Districts in Winneshiek County" in section "Public Schools"
  19. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Winneshiek County, IA" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 20, 2022. Retrieved July 19, 2022. - Text list
  20. ^ "SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Winneshiek County, IA" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 19, 2022. - Text list
  21. ^ "Iowa Educational Directory 2019-2020 School Year" (PDF). Iowa Department of Education. p. 175. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020. (PDF p. 177/186) - From section "REORGANIZATION & DISSOLUTION ACTIONS SINCE 1965-66"
  22. ^ "Mabel-Canton, Decorah sign enrollment agreement for students on the border". Bluff Country Newspaper Group. February 8, 2019. Archived from the original on February 9, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
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