Manchester is a city in Delaware Township and 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 ...

of Delaware County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,065 at the time of the 2020 census. Manchester is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 20 and State Highway 13 and is the largest community in Delaware County. It is home to the Delaware County Fair.

History

Manchester was founded in the 1850s. It was originally called Burrington after its founder, Levings Burrington, who settled there in 1852. The name was subsequently changed to Manchester. The county courthouse was built in 1894 for $38,000. The clock in the tower was paid for with contributions from 700 county citizens. C.E. Bell designed the Romanesque Revival building, which is constructed of red pressed brick. The main body of the building measures 76 by 100 feet. The tower and spire are 135 feet (41 m) high, and the walls of the building are 18 inches (45.7 cm) thick. The decorative metal ceilings on the first floor and the elaborate woodwork are original to the building. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource.

Geography

The community is located along the Maquoketa River. 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 , of which is land and is water.

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 5,065 people, 2,228 households, and 1,312 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 1,047.0 inhabitants per square mile (404.2/km²). There were 2,395 housing units at an average density of 495.1 per square mile (191.1/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 93.0%

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 ...

, 1.8% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% 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 ...

, 0.8% from other races and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 2.2% of the population. Of the 2,228 households, 25.1% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% 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, 5.8% were cohabitating couples, 30.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 19.7% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 41.1% of all households were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 43.9 years. 24.0% of the residents were under the age of 20; 5.2% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 21.8% were from 25 and 44; 24.7% were from 45 and 64; and 24.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 5,179 people, 2,199 households, and 1,391 families living in the city. The

was . There were 2,341 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.7%

, 0.6%

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 ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races.

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 made up 0.9% of the population. There were 2,199 households, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were

living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.7% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age in the city was 41.1 years. 24.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.8% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 20.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 5,257 people, 2,167 households, and 1,397 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 2,315 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.99%

, 0.10%

, 0.15% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.04%

, 0.06% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population. There were 2,167 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were

living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.99. Age spread: 26.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $31,099, and the median income for a family was $39,219. Males had a median income of $33,506 versus $17,990 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 $18,811. About 8.4% of families and 9.8% 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 12.0% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Manchester serves as the county seat of Delaware County, which is a major employer. Manchester's largest area employers include; XL Specialized Trailers, Henderson Products, Regional Medical Center, and West Delaware Community School District, with many other strong small businesses throughout Delaware County. Agriculture is a major component of the local economy. Manchester is located within of

Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States, and 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 u ...

, Waterloo and

Dubuque Dubuque (, ) is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 59,667 at the 2020 United States census. The city lies along the Mississippi River at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a region ...

, three of the state's larger cities.

Parks and recreation

Manchester completed the construction phase of a Whitewater Park in the spring of 2015 and opened the park on June 20, 2015. The park is located on a section of the Maquoketa River that runs through the downtown district. Manchester is home to the Manchester Trout Hatchery, which dates back to the 1890s. The facility also functions as the Iowa DNR NE Regional Office for Fisheries, Wildlife and Law Enforcement.

Education

Manchester is part of the West Delaware County Community School District in Delaware County, which includes West Delaware High School, Middle School and Lambert Elementary. The school's mascot is the Hawks. In addition, St. Mary's Catholic School also serves PreK-6th. West Delaware High School was designated by the United States Department of Education as a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School. This coveted award is based on their overall academic excellence. Just two high schools were awarded this designation in the State of Iowa in 2012. West Delaware's Lambert Elementary and Middle School were recognized as a HealthierUS Bronze School in 2014, which is also nationally recognized.

Notable people

* Robert Gallery, former NFL offensive lineman with the

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...

Elizabeth Wilson Elizabeth Welter Wilson (April 4, 1921 – May 9, 2015) was an American actress whose career spanned nearly 60 years, including memorable roles in film and television. In 1972 she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for ...

, member of the

Iowa House of Representatives The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly, the upper house being the Iowa Senate. There are 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state, formed ...

References

External links

City of ManchesterManchester Chamber of Commerce
Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Manchester * {{authority control Cities in Iowa Cities in Delaware County, Iowa County seats in Iowa 1852 establishments in Iowa Populated places established in 1852