Ayrshire () is a city in

Palo Alto County, Iowa Palo Alto County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,996. The county seat is Emmetsburg. It is named after the Battle of Palo Alto, the first major battle of the Mexican–American War. G ...

, United States. The population was 133 at the 2020 census.

History

In the 1880s the Des Moines and Fort Dodge Railroad (later part of

Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway The Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway (M&StL) was an American Railroad classes#Class I, Class I railroad that built and operated lines radiating south and west from Minneapolis, Minnesota for 90 years from 1870 to 1960. The railway never reached ...

), having reached

Fort Dodge Fort Dodge is a city in and the county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 24,871 in the 2020 census, a decrease from 25,136 in 2000. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Ce ...

, began building to the northwest. In October 1882 the rails reached the location of Ayrshire, and a depot was built the following month. The railroad had acquired 80 acres for a townsite, and by 1883 several businesses had been established. Ayrshire was incorporated on September 20, 1895. At one time it had two banks, two grocery stores, blacksmith shop, livery stable, creamery, hotel, at least two barber shops; Lutheran, Catholic, Methodist and Baptist churches; five gas stations, grain elevator, two cafes, a locker plant, a pharmacy, a lumber yard, two beer halls and several other businesses. It had both a Catholic and a public high school. The Catholic high school closed in 1947. The lower grades closed in 1968. The public school closed in the spring of 1982. The public school mascot was the Ayrshire Beavers. In 1972, the town drew national attention for having the youngest mayor in America. Jody Smith was nineteen when he was elected mayor. The rail line, by then part of the

Chicago and North Western Railway The Chicago and North Western was a Railroad classes#Class I, Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of t ...

, was abandoned in the 1980s, and torn up. The town celebrated its Quasquicentennial in 2007.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2020 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 2020, there were 133 people, 70 households, and 32 families residing in the city. 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 615.9 inhabitants per square mile (237.8/km²). There were 80 housing units at an average density of 370.5 per square mile (143.0/km²). The

racial Race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 16th century, when it was used to refer to groups of va ...

makeup of the city was 97.7%

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 ...

, 0.0% Black or African American, 0.0% Native American, 0.0% Asian, 0.0%

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 ...

, 0.0% from other races and 2.3% from two or more races.

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...

persons of any race comprised 4.5% of the population. Of the 70 households, 25.7% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 22.9% 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, 14.3% were cohabitating couples, 32.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 30.0% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 54.3% of all households were non-families. 41.4% of all households were made up of individuals, 20.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 44.8 years. 25.6% of the residents were under the age of 20; 6.0% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 18.8% were from 25 and 44; 29.3% were from 45 and 64; and 20.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.4% male and 49.6% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 143 people, 75 households, and 34 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 95 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 100.0%

. There were 75 households, of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.7% were

living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 54.7% were non-families. 52.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.91 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age in the city was 48.8 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.2% were from 25 to 44; 30.1% were from 45 to 64; and 25.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.4% male and 47.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 202 people, 89 households, and 55 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 98 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 100.00%

. There were 89 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were

living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.96. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $27,500, and the median income for a family was $30,893. Males had a median income of $26,750 versus $15,000 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 city was $13,371. None of the families and 4.8% of the population were living 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 no under eighteens and 7.1% of those over 64.

Population trends

The number of residents decreased from 202 in 2000 to 143 in the 2010 census, less than half the population a century earlier, 329 in 1900 and 337 in 1910.Thirteenth Census of the United States taken in the year 1910, Vol. II "Population 1910", p. 599. U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of the Census.

Education

Ruthven-Ayrshire Community School District Ruthven-Ayrshire Community School District is a rural state school, public school district headquartered in Ruthven, Iowa. Also serving Ayrshire, Iowa, Ayrshire, the district is located in Palo Alto County, Iowa, Palo Alto and Clay County, Iow ...

serves the community. It was a part of the Ayrshire Community School District until July 1, 1983, when it merged into Ruthven-Ayrshire.REORGANIZATION & DISSOLUTION ACTIONS SINCE 1965-66
."

Iowa Department of Education The Iowa Department of Education sets the standards for all public institutions of education in Iowa and accredits private as well as public schools. It is headquartered in Des Moines. Organization As of 2020, the Iowa Department of Education c ...

. Retrieved on July 20, 2018.

References

External links

Historic photographs of Ayrshire

{{authority control Cities in Iowa Cities in Palo Alto County, Iowa Populated places established in 1895 1895 establishments in Iowa