Polk County, Iowa
Polk County, Iowa | ||
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Polk County Court House | ||
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Location in the state of Iowa | ||
Iowa's location in the U.S. | ||
Founded | 1846 | |
Seat | Des Moines | |
Area | ||
• Total | 591.90 sq mi (1,533 km2) | |
• Land | 569.35 sq mi (1,475 km2) | |
• Water | 22.55 sq mi (58 km2), 3.81% | |
Population | ||
• (2010) | 430,640 | |
• Density | 756/sq mi (292/km²) | |
Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 | |
Website | www.polkcountyiowa.gov | |
Footnotes: Population[1] |
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 430,640 in the 2010 census, an increase from 374,601 in the 2000 census, making it the most populous county in Iowa.[1] The county seat is Des Moines,[2] which is also the capital city of Iowa. Polk County is one of the five counties that make up the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.[3]
History
Polk County was formed on January 13, 1846. It was named after President James K. Polk.
The first courthouse, a two-story structure, was built in 1846. Construction of a second courthouse was begun in 1858. Due to construction delays and the onset of the Civil War, the structure was not completed until 1866. The present courthouse was erected in 1906 in the Beaux Arts style. It was dedicated on October 31, 1906. In 1962, an extensive renovation was undertaken.[4]
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 591.90 square miles (1,533.0 km2), of which 569.35 square miles (1,474.6 km2) (or 96.19%) is land and 22.55 square miles (58.4 km2) (or 3.81%) is water.[5] The county is bisected by the Des Moines River
Major highways
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Adjacent counties
- Boone County (northwest)
- Story County (north)
- Jasper County (east)
- Marion County (southeast)
- Warren County (south)
- Madison County (southwest)
- Dallas County (west)
Economy
The Iowa Department of Corrections Iowa Correctional Institution for Women is located in Mitchellville and in Polk County.[6]
Demographics
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1850 | 4,513 | ||
1860 | 11,625 | 157.6% | |
1870 | 27,857 | 139.6% | |
1880 | 42,395 | 52.2% | |
1890 | 65,410 | 54.3% | |
1900 | 82,624 | 26.3% | |
1910 | 110,438 | 33.7% | |
1920 | 154,029 | 39.5% | |
1930 | 172,837 | 12.2% | |
1940 | 195,835 | 13.3% | |
1950 | 226,010 | 15.4% | |
1960 | 266,315 | 17.8% | |
1970 | 286,101 | 7.4% | |
1980 | 303,170 | 6.0% | |
1990 | 327,140 | 7.9% | |
2000 | 374,601 | 14.5% | |
2010 | 430,640 | 15.0% | |
Est. 2012 | 443,710 | 3.0% | |
2012 Estimate[8] |
2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 430,640 in the county, with a population density of 756.371/sq mi (292.037/km2). There were 182,262 housing units, of which 170,197 were occupied.[1]
2000 census
As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 374,601 people, 149,112 households, and 96,624 families residing in the county. The population density was 658 people per square mile (254/km²). There were 156,447 housing units at an average density of 275 per square mile (106/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.34% White, 4.84% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 2.63% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.22% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. 4.40% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.9% were of German, 10.6% Irish, 9.0% English and 8.4% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 149,112 households out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.20% were non-families. 28.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 32.20% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $46,116, and the median income for a family was $56,560. Males had a median income of $37,182 versus $28,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,654. About 5.30% of families and 7.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.70% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Unincorporated communities
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See also
- Polk County Courthouse
- Iowa State Capitol
- Terrace Hill also known as Hubbell Mansion, Benjamin F. Allen House, or the Iowa Governor's Mansion.
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Polk County, Iowa
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010". United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ United States Office of Management and Budget. "Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses" (PDF). pp. 5, 36. Archived from the original on 2006-05-14. Retrieved 2006-07-21.
- ↑ Polk County
- ↑ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
- ↑ "Iowa Correctional Institution for Women." Iowa Department of Corrections. Retrieved on November 29, 2010.
- ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Census.gov. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Polk County, Iowa. |
- Polk County government's website
- [Historic Polk County Church: Ankeny Christian Church, Dave Clark pastor]
Boone County | Story County | |||
Dallas County | Jasper County | |||
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Madison County | Warren County | Marion County |
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Coordinates: 41°41′06″N 93°34′13″W / 41.68500°N 93.57028°W