Iowa County, Wisconsin

Iowa County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,709.^[1] Its county seat and largest city is Dodgeville.^[2] When created, it was part of the Michigan Territory. Iowa County is part of the Madison, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Iowa County
County
Iowa County Courthouse in March 2013
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 43°00′N 90°08′W
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Founded	1830
Named after	Iowa people
Seat	Dodgeville
Largest city	Dodgeville
Area
• Total	768 sq mi (1,990 km2)
• Land	763 sq mi (1,980 km2)
• Water	5.4 sq mi (14 km2)  0.7%
Population  (2020)[1]
• Total	23,709
• Estimate  (2023)	23,956
• Density	31.1/sq mi (12.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	www.iowacounty.org

History

Pendarvis House (left) and Trelawny House (right) at the Pendarvis historic site

Mineral Point high street

The county organized under the Michigan Territory government^[3][4] in 1830.^[5] It was named for the Iowa tribe.^[6][7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 768 square miles (1,990 km²), of which 763 square miles (1,980 km²) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km²) (0.7%) is water.^[8] It is drained by tributaries of the Pecatonica River,^[9] which has its headwaters in the county. The highest point in the county is West Blue Mound at 1,716 ft. above sea level. The lowest point is the Wisconsin river at the Grant County line at 667 ft. above sea level.

Rivers and streams

• Harker Creek

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 14
• U.S. Highway 18
• U.S. Highway 151
• Highway 23 (Wisconsin)
• Highway 39 (Wisconsin)
• Highway 78 (Wisconsin)
• Highway 80 (Wisconsin)
• Highway 130 (Wisconsin)
• Highway 133 (Wisconsin)
• Highway 191 (Wisconsin)

Railroads

• Wisconsin and Southern Railroad

Buses

Iowa County is served by Lamers Connect which offers two buses a day, one traveling east to Madison and Milwaukee and one west to Dubuque via its Dodgeville stop.

Airport

• Iowa County Airport (KMRJ) serves the county and surrounding communities.

Adjacent counties

• Richland County - northwest
• Sauk County - northeast
• Dane County - east
• Green County - southeast
• Lafayette County - south
• Grant County - west

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	3,978		—
1850	9,525		139.4%
1860	18,967		99.1%
1870	24,544		29.4%
1880	23,628		−3.7%
1890	22,117		−6.4%
1900	23,114		4.5%
1910	22,497		−2.7%
1920	21,504		−4.4%
1930	20,039		−6.8%
1940	20,595		2.8%
1950	19,610		−4.8%
1960	19,631		0.1%
1970	19,306		−1.7%
1980	19,802		2.6%
1990	20,150		1.8%
2000	22,780		13.1%
2010	23,687		4.0%
2020	23,709		0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12] 1990–2000[13] 2010[14] 2020[1]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020,^[1] the population was 23,709. The population density was 31.1 people per square mile (12.0 people/km²). There were 10,905 housing units at an average density of 14.3 units per square mile (5.5 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.2% White, 0.8% Asian, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 1.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Iowa County.

As of the census^[15] of 2000, there were 22,780 people, 8,764 households, and 6,213 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile (12 people/km²). There were 9,579 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.70% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. 0.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.6% were of German, 17.2% Norwegian, 11.6% English, 11.3% Irish and 7.9% American ancestry.

There were 8,764 households, out of which 34.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.10% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.70 males.

Politics

United States presidential election results for Iowa County, Wisconsin^[16]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	6,631	45.18%	7,750	52.80%	296	2.02%
2020	5,909	42.23%	7,828	55.95%	255	1.82%
2016	4,809	39.18%	6,669	54.33%	797	6.49%
2012	4,287	34.20%	8,105	64.66%	142	1.13%
2008	3,829	31.99%	7,987	66.73%	153	1.28%
2004	5,348	42.64%	7,122	56.79%	72	0.57%
2000	4,221	40.04%	5,842	55.42%	478	4.53%
1996	2,866	32.14%	4,690	52.60%	1,360	15.25%
1992	3,288	32.39%	4,467	44.01%	2,396	23.60%
1988	4,240	49.60%	4,268	49.93%	40	0.47%
1984	4,983	56.01%	3,843	43.19%	71	0.80%
1980	4,068	45.24%	4,154	46.20%	770	8.56%
1976	4,195	48.34%	4,252	49.00%	231	2.66%
1972	4,387	57.53%	3,131	41.06%	108	1.42%
1968	4,005	54.03%	2,897	39.08%	511	6.89%
1964	3,275	41.42%	4,620	58.43%	12	0.15%
1960	5,143	59.16%	3,547	40.80%	4	0.05%
1956	5,201	61.79%	3,176	37.73%	40	0.48%
1952	6,211	69.38%	2,722	30.41%	19	0.21%
1948	3,745	48.05%	3,917	50.26%	132	1.69%
1944	4,608	56.00%	3,585	43.57%	35	0.43%
1940	4,978	54.46%	4,025	44.04%	137	1.50%
1936	3,623	39.84%	4,988	54.85%	483	5.31%
1932	3,113	39.63%	4,621	58.82%	122	1.55%
1928	5,484	63.26%	3,129	36.09%	56	0.65%
1924	3,291	40.07%	689	8.39%	4,233	51.54%
1920	5,428	81.42%	942	14.13%	297	4.45%
1916	2,271	48.78%	2,230	47.90%	155	3.33%
1912	1,886	40.26%	2,103	44.90%	695	14.84%
1908	2,986	56.18%	2,077	39.08%	252	4.74%
1904	3,328	64.58%	1,639	31.81%	186	3.61%
1900	3,270	62.51%	1,743	33.32%	218	4.17%
1896	3,115	57.42%	2,060	37.97%	250	4.61%
1892	2,274	45.53%	2,336	46.77%	385	7.71%

Iowa County historically tilted Republican for much of the 20th century. However, it has swung heavily to the Democrats since the 1970s. It has supported the Democratic presidential candidate in all but one election since 1976, and is one of the most Democratic counties in Wisconsin.

Parks and recreation

The county has several parks, including Arena Pines-Sand Barrens State Natural Area, Pine Cliff State Natural Area, Blue Mound State Park, Tower Hill State Park, Black Hawk Lake Recreation Area and Governor Dodge State Park.^[17][18]

Communities

Iowa County Department of Transportation building in Dodgeville

Cities

• Dodgeville
• Mineral Point

Villages

• Arena
• Avoca
• Barneveld
• Blanchardville (mostly in Lafayette County)
• Cobb
• Highland
• Hollandale
• Linden
• Livingston (mostly in Grant County)
• Montfort (mostly in Grant County)
• Muscoda (mostly in Grant County)
• Rewey
• Ridgeway

Towns

• Arena
• Brigham
• Clyde
• Dodgeville
• Eden
• Highland
• Linden
• Mifflin
• Mineral Point
• Moscow
• Pulaski
• Ridgeway
• Waldwick
• Wyoming

Census-designated place

• Edmund

Unincorporated communities

• Clyde
• Coon Rock
• Helena
• Hyde
• Jonesdale
• Middlebury
• Mifflin
• Moscow
• Pleasant Ridge
• Waldwick
• Wyoming

Ghost towns

• Adamsville
• Dirty Hollow
• Minersville
• Pendarvis

Notable people

• Gilbert L. Laws, Nebraska Secretary of State and US Congressman^[19]

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Iowa County, Wisconsin
• Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program