Carroll 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 20,760.
Its
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
Carroll.
The county is named in honor of
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Charles Carroll (September 19, 1737 – November 14, 1832), known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton or Charles Carroll III, was an American politician, planter, and signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was the only Catholic signatory ...
, signer of the
Declaration of Independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...
.
History
Carroll County was formed on January 15, 1851, from sections of Pottawattamie County. It was named after
Charles Carroll of
Carrollton,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
, the only Roman Catholic and longest-living signer of the Declaration of Independence. In 1855, the county government was established in Carrollton and in 1858, the first courthouse was built. In 1869, the seat was moved to Carroll City (today Carroll) which was centrally located and connected to the
Chicago and North Western Transportation Company
The Chicago and North Western was a 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 track in seven states befor ...
. The courthouse was destroyed in 1886 by fire. The present courthouse was erected in 1965. However the courthouse is set to go under construction in the near future.
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 (0.1%) is water.
Major highways
*
U.S. Highway 30
*
U.S. Highway 71
*
Iowa Highway 141
Iowa Highway 141 (Iowa 141) is an east–west highway in the western and central portions of the state. It is the most direct link between Sioux City, Iowa, Sioux City and Des Moines, Iowa, Des Moines. It also serves as an limited-access r ...
Adjacent counties
*
Sac County (northwest)
*
Calhoun County (northeast)
*
Greene County (east)
*
Guthrie County (southeast)
*
Audubon County (south)
*
Crawford County (west)
Demographics
2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 20,760 in the county, with a population density of . 97.14% of the population reported being of one race. 91.28% were non-Hispanic White, 1.26% were Black, 2.86% were Hispanic, 0.15% were Native American, 0.36% were Asian, 0.00% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 4.08% were some other race or more than one race. There were 9,490 housing units of which 8,764 were occupied.
[
]
2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 20,816 in the county, with a population density of . There were 9,376 housing units, of which 8,683 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 21,421 people, 8,486 households, and 5,668 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 9,019 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 98.87% 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 ...
, 0.18% 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 ...
, 0.10% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 0.31% from two or more races. 0.54% 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 8,486 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% 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, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. 29.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.90% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 18.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,275, and the median income for a family was $47,040. Males had a median income of $30,074 versus $21,528 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 $18,595. About 4.50% of families and 6.50% 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 6.10% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
* Arcadia
*Breda
Breda ( , , , ) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. ...
* Carroll
* Coon Rapids
* Dedham
* Glidden
* Halbur
* Lanesboro
* Lidderdale
* Manning
* Ralston
* Templeton
* Willey
Townships
Carroll County is divided into sixteen townships:
* Arcadia
* Eden
* Ewoldt
* Glidden
* Grant
* Jasper
Jasper, an aggregate of microgranular quartz and/or cryptocrystalline chalcedony and other mineral phases, is an opaque, impure variety of silica, usually red, yellow, brown or green in color; and rarely blue. The common red color is due to ...
* Kniest
* Maple River
* Newton
* Pleasant Valley
* Richland
* Roselle
* Sheridan
* Union
* Washington
* Wheatland
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Carroll County.[
† ''county seat''
]
Politics
See also
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Carroll County, Iowa
References
External links
Carroll County government's website
St. Anthony Regional Hospital
{{authority control
1851 establishments in Iowa
Populated places established in 1851