Osceola County, Iowa
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Osceola County ( ) is a
county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
located in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
. As of the 2020 census the population was 6,192, making it the state's fifth-least populous county. It is named for
Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, ...
war chief
Osceola Osceola (1804 – January 30, 1838, Vsse Yvholv in Muscogee language, Creek, also spelled Asi-yahola), named Billy Powell at birth, was an influential leader of the Seminole people in Florida. His mother was Muscogee, and his great-grandfa ...
. The
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
is Sibley, named for H. H. Sibley of
Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
.


History

Osceola County was formed in 1871. It was named after the eponymous chief of the
Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, ...
. It is the smallest and most recent county in Iowa. In the same year the first settler arrived, Captain Eldred Huff, and laid his claim. On January 1, 1872, the county government conferred for the first time. The first courthouse, constructed of wood, was built in November of the following year and simultaneously served as the conference chamber, school and church. In September 1903, the second
courthouse A courthouse or court house is a structure which houses judicial functions for a governmental entity such as a state, region, province, county, prefecture, regency, or similar governmental unit. A courthouse is home to one or more courtrooms, ...
was finished and was wired for electricity in October 1915.


Geography

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.2%) is water. It is the third-smallest county in Iowa by land area and smallest by total area. The highest natural point in Iowa, Hawkeye Point at , is located in Osceola County.


Major highways

* U.S. Highway 59 * Iowa Highway 9 * Iowa Highway 60


Adjacent counties

* Nobles County, Minnesota (northwest) * Jackson County, Minnesota (northeast) * Dickinson County (east) * O'Brien County (south) * Lyon County (west)


Demographics


2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 6,192 in the county, with a population density of . 94.95% of the population reported being of one race. There were 2,878 housing units, of which 2,599 were occupied.


2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 6,462 in the county, with a population density of . There were 2,990 housing units, of which 2,682 were occupied.


2000 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 7,003 people, 2,778 households, and 1,941 families residing in the county. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 3,012 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 98.04%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.11%
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.26% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.84% from other races, and 0.53% from two or more races. 1.78% of the population were
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race. There were 2,778 households, out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.00% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 5.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.03. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 26.20% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 18.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.30 males. The median income for a household in the county was $34,274, and the median income for a family was $41,977. Males had a median income of $29,624 versus $20,522 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the county was $16,463. About 6.00% of families and 7.00% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 7.90% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.


Communities


Cities

* Ashton * Harris * Melvin * Ocheyedan * Sibley


Townships

* Allison *
Baker A baker is a tradesperson who baking, bakes and sometimes Sales, sells breads and other products made of flour by using an oven or other concentrated heat source. The place where a baker works is called a bakery. History Ancient histo ...
* East Holman * Fairview * Gilman * Goewey * Harrison * Horton * Ocheyedan *
Viola The viola ( , () ) is a string instrument of the violin family, and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins, and have a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the ...
* West Holman * Wilson


Unincorporated communities

* Allendorf * Cloverdale * May City


Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Osceola County. † ''county seat''


Politics

In presidential elections, Osceola County voters have cast their lot chiefly with Republican candidates for office, with the last Democrat to win the county being
Lyndon Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after assassination of John F. Kennedy, the assassination of John F. Ken ...
in
1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...
.


See also

* Osceola County Courthouse * National Register of Historic Places listings in Osceola County, Iowa


References


External links


Official Osceola County websiteOsceola County Economic Development
* {{coord, 43, 22, 40, N, 95, 37, 40, W, region:US-IA_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki, display=title Iowa placenames of Native American origin 1871 establishments in Iowa Populated places established in 1871