Union County, Iowa
Union County | |
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UTC−5 (CDT) | |
Congressional district | 3rd |
Website | unioncountyiowa |
Union County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 12,138.[1] The county seat is Creston.[2] Organized at a time of tensions before the Civil War, the county was named in 1853 for the union that people wanted to preserve. Union County peaked in population at the 1900 Census. Its economy is based on agriculture and related industries.
History
The first permanent European-American settlers came in 1849 and 1850.
The first village was Petersville, founded in 1853, the same year that the county was organized. The county was named for the union which many people wanted to preserve, at a time of rising tensions between the North and the South.[4]
After the
The county has a fair each year. In the late 19th century, southwestern Iowa claimed the title of Bluegrass Capital, having cultivated bluegrass throughout the area. In 1889 the Bluegrass Association was founded, made up of representatives of the 18 counties in this region. They built a Bluegrass Palace on the Union County Fairgrounds. It was designed by Louis Syberkro, an artist, and constructed by J. C. Woodruff, both of Creston. Made of sod and baled hay on a wood frame, the building was 100 feet square, with corner turrets and a central tower 92 feet high. It held exhibits of farm products and resource commodities from counties of the association, including wood, coal, sandstone, and marble. The palace was such a success that the Bluegrass Association commissioned a larger one the following year, which supplied about three times as much space. In a separate wing was an auditorium large enough to hold 2,000 people.[5]
Geography
According to the
Major highways
- U.S. Highway 34
- U.S. Highway 169
- Iowa Highway 25
Adjacent counties
- Adair County (northwest)
- Madison County (northeast)
- Clarke County (east)
- Ringgold County (south)
- Adams County (west)
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 2,012 | — | |
1870 | 5,986 | 197.5% | |
1880 | 14,980 | 150.3% | |
1890 | 16,900 | 12.8% | |
1900 | 19,928 | 17.9% | |
1910 | 16,616 | −16.6% | |
1920 | 17,268 | 3.9% | |
1930 | 17,435 | 1.0% | |
1940 | 16,280 | −6.6% | |
1950 | 15,651 | −3.9% | |
1960 | 13,712 | −12.4% | |
1970 | 13,557 | −1.1% | |
1980 | 13,858 | 2.2% | |
1990 | 12,750 | −8.0% | |
2000 | 12,309 | −3.5% | |
2010 | 12,534 | 1.8% | |
2020 | 12,138 | −3.2% | |
2023 (est.) | 11,906 | [7] | −1.9% |
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2018[12] |
2020 census
The 2020 census recorded a population of 12,138 in the county, with a population density of 28.5794/sq mi (11.0346/km2). 96.37% of the population reported being of one race. 90.34% were non-Hispanic White, 0.97% were Black, 3.29% were Hispanic, 0.31% were Native American, 0.54% were Asian, 0.06% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 4.49% were some other race or more than one race. There were 5,784 housing units, of which 5,169 were occupied.[1]
2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 12,534 in the county, with a population density of 29.5342/sq mi (11.4032/km2). There were 5,937 housing units, of which 5,271 were occupied.[13]
2000 census
As of the
There were 5,242 households, out of which 27.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.10% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.00% were non-families. 31.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.30% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 18.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,905, and the median income for a family was $41,453. Males had a median income of $27,700 versus $20,760 for females. The
Communities
Cities
Unincorporated communities
Townships
Census-designated place
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Union County.[1]
† county seat
Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | † Creston | City | 7,536 |
2 | Afton | City | 874 |
3 | Lorimor | City | 386 |
4 | Cromwell | City | 105 |
5 | Arispe | City | 96 |
6 | Shannon City (partially in Ringgold County) | City | 67 (73 total) |
7 | Thayer | City | 51 |
8 | Kent | CDP | 37 |
Politics
Union County was a bellwether county from 1952 to 2016, backing the nationwide winner in every election in that span except for 1960 and 1988. The county is now safely Republican, as Donald Trump won it in 2020 with nearly 65% of the vote and a margin of victory of nearly 32%, turning in the best performance and margin of victory for a candidate of any party since Dwight D. Eisenhower won the county in 1952 during his nationwide landslide.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 4,010 | 64.83% | 2,061 | 33.32% | 114 | 1.84% |
2016 | 3,525 | 60.44% | 1,922 | 32.96% | 385 | 6.60% |
2012 | 2,813 | 47.22% | 3,043 | 51.08% | 101 | 1.70% |
2008 | 2,781 | 47.02% | 3,000 | 50.73% | 133 | 2.25% |
2004 | 3,165 | 52.94% | 2,747 | 45.95% | 66 | 1.10% |
2000 | 3,003 | 52.32% | 2,540 | 44.25% | 197 | 3.43% |
1996 | 2,156 | 38.11% | 2,787 | 49.27% | 714 | 12.62% |
1992 | 2,224 | 36.45% | 2,565 | 42.04% | 1,313 | 21.52% |
1988 | 2,751 | 45.54% | 3,236 | 53.57% | 54 | 0.89% |
1984 | 3,583 | 54.49% | 2,875 | 43.72% | 118 | 1.79% |
1980 | 3,372 | 56.40% | 2,182 | 36.49% | 425 | 7.11% |
1976 | 2,873 | 48.30% | 2,955 | 49.68% | 120 | 2.02% |
1972 | 3,734 | 62.47% | 2,112 | 35.34% | 131 | 2.19% |
1968 | 3,365 | 57.05% | 2,137 | 36.23% | 396 | 6.71% |
1964 | 2,502 | 39.95% | 3,751 | 59.89% | 10 | 0.16% |
1960 | 4,417 | 61.85% | 2,720 | 38.08% | 5 | 0.07% |
1956 | 4,666 | 62.21% | 2,828 | 37.70% | 7 | 0.09% |
1952 | 5,742 | 68.92% | 2,566 | 30.80% | 24 | 0.29% |
1948 | 4,138 | 55.81% | 3,218 | 43.40% | 58 | 0.78% |
1944 | 4,566 | 61.29% | 2,861 | 38.40% | 23 | 0.31% |
1940 | 5,421 | 62.54% | 3,229 | 37.25% | 18 | 0.21% |
1936 | 4,647 | 53.42% | 3,938 | 45.27% | 114 | 1.31% |
1932 | 3,043 | 42.96% | 3,967 | 56.01% | 73 | 1.03% |
1928 | 5,432 | 66.71% | 2,651 | 32.56% | 60 | 0.74% |
1924 | 4,250 | 54.15% | 1,166 | 14.86% | 2,432 | 30.99% |
1920 | 4,466 | 65.63% | 2,228 | 32.74% | 111 | 1.63% |
1916 | 2,050 | 49.95% | 1,985 | 48.37% | 69 | 1.68% |
1912 | 1,096 | 28.15% | 1,528 | 39.25% | 1,269 | 32.60% |
1908 | 2,207 | 52.36% | 1,843 | 43.72% | 165 | 3.91% |
1904 | 2,674 | 62.16% | 1,322 | 30.73% | 306 | 7.11% |
1900 | 2,462 | 50.86% | 2,218 | 45.82% | 161 | 3.33% |
1896 | 2,196 | 46.83% | 2,425 | 51.72% | 68 | 1.45% |
See also
References
- ^ a b c "2020 Census State Redistricting Data". census.gov. United states Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "Petersville and other early settlements", Union County Early Settlers and the Mormons, 2012-2014, Iowa GenWeb
- ^ "Union County History", 2012-2014, Iowa GenWeb
- ^ Adapted from original article from The Goldfinch 6, No. 1 (October 1984). Iowa City: State Historical Society of Iowa
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ "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 July 20, 2014.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
External links
- Union County website
- City-Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Union County