Pottawattamie County, Iowa Explained

County:Pottawattamie County
State:Iowa
Ex Image:Pottawattamie County IA Courthouse.jpg
Ex Image Size:240px
Founded Year:1848
Founded Date:September 21
Seat Wl:Council Bluffs
Largest City Wl:Council Bluffs
Area Total Sq Mi:959
Area Land Sq Mi:950
Area Water Sq Mi:8.9
Area Percentage:0
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:93667
Pop Est As Of:2023
Population Est:93179
Density Sq Mi:auto
Time Zone:Central
District:3rd
Web:https://www.pottcounty-ia.gov/

Pottawattamie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. At the 2020 census, the population was 93,667,[1] making it the tenth-most populous county in Iowa. The county takes its name from the Potawatomi Native American tribe. The county seat is Council Bluffs.[2] [3]

Pottawattamie County is included in the Omaha–Council Bluffs, NE–IA Metropolitan Statistical Area.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (0.9%) is water.[5] It is the second-largest county in Iowa by area after Kossuth County.[6] Pottawattamie County is located within Iowa's Loess Hills, and was the site of Kanesville along The Mormon Trail[7]

Due to movement of the Missouri River and a Supreme Court ruling, part of the county, Carter Lake, actually lies on the far side of the Missouri River. This part of the county cannot be reached by road without entering Nebraska; no direct bridge exists.[8]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 93,667 in the county, with a population density of . 94.09% of the population reported being of one race. There were 39,852 housing units, of which 37,284 were occupied.[1]

Pottawattamie County Racial Composition[9] !Race!Num.!Perc.
White (NH)79,18184.53%
Black or African American (NH)1,8362%
Native American (NH)3910.42%
Asian (NH)7730.83%
Pacific Islander (NH)760.08%
Other/Mixed (NH)3,7504%
Hispanic or Latino7,6608.2%

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 93,158 in the county, with a population density of . There were 39,330 housing units, of which 36,775 were occupied.[10]

2000 census

At the 2000 census,[11] there were 87,704 people, 33,844 households and 23,623 families residing in the county. The population density was 92/mi2. There were 35,761 housing units at an average density of 38/mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 95.98% White, 0.77% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.27% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. 3.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 33,844 households, of which 32.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.60% were married couples living together, 11.80% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.20% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.03.

26.00% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.60 males.

The median household income was $40,089 and the median family income was $47,105. Males had a median income of $31,642 vand females $24,243. The per capita income was $19,275. About 6.40% of families and 8.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.00% of those under age 18 and 6.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated community

Census-designated places

Townships

Population ranking

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

county seat

RankCity/Town/etc.Municipal typePopulation (2020 Census)
1 Council BluffsCity62,799
2Carter LakeCity3,791
3AvocaCity1,683
4OaklandCity1,524
5TreynorCity1,032
6UnderwoodCity954
7NeolaCity918
8CarsonCity766
9WalnutCity747
10CrescentCity628
11MindenCity600
12MacedoniaCity267
13HancockCity200
14McClellandCity146
15BentleyCDP93
16WestonCDP78
17LovelandCDP36
18Shelby (partially in Shelby County) City11 (727 total)

Law enforcement

Pottawattamie County is served by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office consisting of 51 sworn deputies, 13 reserve deputies, 92 detention officers and eight civilian support staff. Its headquarters is located in Council Bluffs, Iowa.[12]

Politics

Pottawattamie County is a strongly Republican county. The county last backed a Democratic presidential candidate in 1964 as the party won nationally by a landslide, & only voted Democratic in four other elections prior to that. Some recent elections were more competitive, with Barack Obama losing the county in 2008 by less than 1,000 votes. However, Donald Trump won the county by 21% in 2016 and by 17% in 2020.

Education

School districts include:[13]

There is also a state-operated school, Iowa School for the Deaf.

Former school districts:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 Census State Redistricting Data . census.gov . United states Census Bureau . August 12, 2021.
  2. http://www.pottcounty.com/html/History.asp Pottawattamie County, Iowa
  3. Web site: Find a County. June 7, 2011. National Association of Counties.
  4. Web site: Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses. July 21, 2006. United States Office of Management and Budget. United States Office of Management and Budget. 5, 36.. PDF . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20060514003222/http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/bulletins/fy2006/b06-01.pdf . May 14, 2006.
  5. Web site: US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990. United States Census Bureau. April 23, 2011. February 12, 2011.
  6. Web site: NACo - Find a county. National Association of Counties. April 30, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20050410090510/http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=%2Fcffiles%2Fcounties%2Fstate.cfm&state.cfm&statecode=IA. April 10, 2005. dead.
  7. Web site: Pottawattamie. June 26, 2021. Loess Hills National Scenic Byway. en.
  8. Web site: September 28, 2013. A History of Carter Lake. September 14, 2020. Adam Fletcher Sasse. en.
  9. Web site: P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Pottawattamie County, Iowa.
  10. Web site: Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20201016010401/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-17.pdf . October 16, 2020 . live. United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. August 15, 2022.
  11. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 31, 2008.
  12. Web site: Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office. May 2, 2016.
  13. Web site: 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Pottawattamie County, IA. https://web.archive.org/web/20220720023133/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st19_ia/schooldistrict_maps/c19155_pottawattamie/DC20SD_C19155.pdf . July 20, 2022 . live. U.S. Census Bureau. July 19, 2022. - Text list
  14. Web site: SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Pottawattamie County, IA. https://web.archive.org/web/20220815230219/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st19_ia/c19155_pottawattamie/DC10SD_C19155_001.pdf . August 15, 2022 . live. U.S. Census Bureau. July 19, 2022. - Text list