Riverton, Iowa Explained

Official Name:Riverton, Iowa
Settlement Type:City
Mapsize:250x200px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Fremont
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:1.56
Area Land Km2:1.56
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Total Sq Mi:0.60
Area Land Sq Mi:0.60
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:245
Population Density Km2:156.98
Population Density Sq Mi:406.30
Timezone:Central (CST)
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Elevation Ft:968
Coordinates:40.6869°N -95.5686°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:51650
Area Code:712
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:19-67575
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:2396387

Riverton is a city in Fremont County, Iowa, United States, along the East Nishnabotna River. The population was 245 at the time of the 2020 census.[2]

History

Riverton was laid out in 1870.[3] The land on which the town was platted originally belonged to Coleman and Grazilla (Zimmerman) Smith. The Smith family went on to establish the first bank in Riverton.

The 1881 robbery of the Sexton Bank at Riverton was initially suspected to be the work of Jesse James, but it was soon correctly attributed to the outlaw Poke Wells.[4]

Geography

Riverton is located along the East Nishnabotna River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.59sqmi, all land.[5]

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census[6] of 2010, there were 304 people, 120 households, and 83 families residing in the city. The population density was 515.3PD/sqmi. There were 131 housing units at an average density of 222/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.7% White, 0.7% African American, 0.7% Asian, 1.6% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population.

There were 120 households, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.8% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.08.

The median age in the city was 40.2 years. 26.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.3% were from 25 to 44; 27.7% were from 45 to 64; and 16.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.6% male and 48.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 304 people, 125 households, and 76 families residing in the city. The population density was 508.1sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 144 housing units at an average density of 240.7sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 98.68% White, 0.33% Asian, and 0.99% from two or more races.

There were 125 households, out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.13.

27.0% are under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,500, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $28,000 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,854. About 11.0% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.9% of those under the age of eighteen and 20.5% of those 65 or over.

Education

Riverton is within the Sidney Community School District.[8]

Prior to 2016, Riverton was in the Farragut Community School District,[9] which operated Nishnabotna High School.[10] The Farragut district closed in 2016.[11]

Transportation

While there is no fixed-route transit service in Riverton, intercity bus service is provided by Jefferson Lines in nearby Shenandoah.[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. March 16, 2022.
  2. Web site: 2020 Census State Redistricting Data . census.gov . United states Census Bureau . 12 August 2021.
  3. Book: History of Fremont County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc. . Iowa Historical Company . 1881. 564.
  4. Settle, William A. Jesse James Was His Name: Or, Fact and Fiction Concerning the Careers of the Notorious James Brothers of Missouri. University of Nebraska Press, 1977. .
  5. Web site: US Gazetteer files 2010. United States Census Bureau. 2012-05-11. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt. 2012-01-25.
  6. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. 2012-05-11.
  7. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. 2008-01-31.
  8. "Sidney Iowa Department of Education School District Boundary Verification 2017 - 2018." Iowa Department of Education. Retrieved on June 18, 2018.
  9. "SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Fremont County, IA." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on June 18, 2018. Shows the boundaries of the former Farragut district and pre-2016 Hamburg Community School District. Nishnabotna High served both areas.
  10. Web site: Peterson, Mike. What's next for Nishnabotna?. KMA Land. 2015-11-18. 2018-06-18.
  11. News: Stewart, Scott. State votes to shut down Farragut schools this summer . Daily Nonpareil. 2015-11-18. 2018-06-18.
  12. Web site: Iowa Bus Stops. September 28, 2023.