West Union is a city in Fayette County,

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 ...

, United States. The population was 2,490 at the time of the 2020 census. It is 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 Fayette County.

History

Originally called Knob Prairie, the community was founded by William Wells, naming it for his hometown, also called West Union, in

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

. The

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was invented here.

Geography

West Union is located at (42.962035, -91.810055). 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. The city lies at the junction of

U.S. Route 18 U.S. Highway 18 (US 18) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway in the Midwestern United States. The western terminus is in Orin, Wyoming, at an interchange with Interstate 25 (I-25). Its eastern terminus is in Downtow ...

with Iowa Highways 56 and

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. West Union is the home of the North Fayette Valley Community School District, which comprises the communities of West Union; Clermont;

Elgin Elgin may refer to: Places Canada * Elgin County, Ontario * Elgin Settlement, a 19th-century community for freed slaves located in present-day North Buxton and South Buxton, Ontario * Elgin, a village in Rideau Lakes, Ontario * Elgin, Manit ...

; Wadena; Hawkeye; Fayette, the unincorporated town of

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and the surrounding rural areas. North Fayette and Valley Community Schools combined services in 2013 with the high school in West Union and the middle school in Elgin. The new school's mascot is called the Tigerhawks, due to the merging of the schools mascots, the Valley Tigers and the North Fayette Hawks. This agreement came about as a result of low enrollment and less state aid. The agreement was intended to last until the end of the 2015–2016 school year, when the school boards could decide to either: continue the whole-grade sharing agreement, end the agreement and go back to the North Fayette and Valley school districts, or officially consolidate the two districts. In July, 2018, after overwhelming majorities from both districts agreed to the merger, the district officially became North Fayette Valley.

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 2,490 people, 1,103 households, and 570 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 906.5 inhabitants per square mile (350.0/km²). There were 1,232 housing units at an average density of 448.5 per square mile (173.2/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 92.9%

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, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.0%

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, 1.6% from other races and 2.9% 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 3.5% of the population. Of the 1,103 households, 21.8% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.8% 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, 6.5% were cohabitating couples, 30.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 23.3% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 48.3% of all households were non-families. 41.8% of all households were made up of individuals, 19.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 42.0 years. 22.2% of the residents were under the age of 20; 6.9% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 23.7% were from 25 and 44; 23.1% were from 45 and 64; and 24.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.9% male and 49.1% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 2,486 people, 1,106 households, and 626 families living in the city. The

was . There were 1,240 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.4%

, 1.1%

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 ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.3%

, 0.6% from other races, and 0.6% 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 were 2.0% of the population. There were 5,106 households, of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were

living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.4% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.80. The median age in the city was 42.4 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.1% were from 25 to 44; 24.9% were from 45 to 64; and 22.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 2,549 people, 1,107 households, and 660 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,198 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.41%

, 0.24%

, 0.24% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 1.22% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.37% of the population. There were 1,107 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were

living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.3% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.87. Age spread: 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $34,515, and the median income for a family was $45,128. Males had a median income of $30,246 versus $20,677 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 $17,937. About 6.0% of families and 9.1% 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 5.9% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

West Union is a part of the North Fayette Valley Community School District. It was previously a part of the North Fayette Community School District, which merged into the North Fayette Valley district on July 1, 2018.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 29, 2018.

Notable people

* Lucien Lester Ainsworth (1831–1902),

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Iowa's 3rd congressional district Iowa's 3rd congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers its southwestern quadrant, which roughly consists of an area stretching from Des Moines, Iowa, Des ...

George Willis Botsford George Willis Botsford (May 9, 1862 – December 13, 1917) was an American classicist, ancient historian, and professor of history, specializing in Greek and Roman history. He is known for his textbooks on Greek and Roman history. Biography Georg ...

(1862–1917), classical scholar and history professor at

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

Robert B. Kamm Robert B. Kamm (January 22, 1919 – October 10, 2008) served as the 13th president of Oklahoma State University from July 1, 1966 to January 31, 1977. He was the unsuccessful Republican Party (United States), Republican nominee for the United St ...

(1919–2008), former President of

Oklahoma State University–Stillwater Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...

Addie Dickman Miller Adaline "Addie" Dickman Miller (July 26, 1859 — 1936) was an American college professor, a founder of the town of Ruskin, Florida, and the co-founder and vice-president of the town's Ruskin College. She patented a design for a dish washer and s ...

(1859–1936), College founder and inventor *

Paul Peek Paul Edward Peek Jr. (June 23, 1937 – April 3, 2001) was an early rockabilly pioneer. Peek was born in High Point, North Carolina, and was raised in Greenville, South Carolina. Paul learned to play the guitar, steel guitar, and bass while h ...

(1904–1987),

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of the

California Supreme Court The Supreme Court of California is the highest and final court of appeals in the courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sac ...

References

External links

West Union Chamber of Commerce
including official city information

comprehensive statistical data about West Union {{authority control Cities in Fayette County, Iowa Cities in Iowa County seats in Iowa