A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Winneshiek County | |
|---|---|
 Courthouse and Civil War Monument located in Decorah | |
 Flag | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Iowa | |
 Iowa's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 43°17′00″N 91°52′00″W / 43.283333333333°N 91.866666666667°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| Founded | 1847 |
| Named for | Chief Winneshiek |
| Seat | Decorah |
| Largest city | Decorah |
| Area | |
| • Total | 690 sq mi (1,800 km2) |
| • Land | 690 sq mi (1,800 km2) |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2) 0.04% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 20,070 |
| • Density | 29/sq mi (11/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | winneshiekcounty |
Winneshiek County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,070.[1] The county seat is Decorah.[2]
History
A largely rural and agricultural county, Winneshiek County has a rich cultural history from Czech, Slovak, English, Irish, German, Swiss, and Norwegian immigrants that have settled within its boundaries.[3]
The county was originally settled in 1848 in present-day Bloomfield Township (near Castalia, Iowa) and in Washington Township (near Fort Atkinson, Iowa). It was organized in 1847, and named after a chief of the Winnebago tribe.
In 1980, Winneshiek County reported a population of 21,842. Like much of Iowa during the 1980s it witnessed a population loss, dropping to 20,847 according to the 1990 United States Census. However, during the 1990s the county experienced some mild growth and was able to rise above the 21,000 mark once again.
Government and elected officials
As of 2010, the Winneshiek County government had a total of 785 employees and staff.
Politics
Like all Iowa counties, Winneshiek is governed by an elected partisan Board of Supervisors. Winneshiek County's Board of Supervisors has five members elected by single-member districts of equal population. Other elected officials are the county attorney, auditor, sheriff and treasurer. The offices for the supervisors and county officers are located in the County Courthouse at the county seat.
Political culture
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 6,235 | 51.68% | 5,617 | 46.56% | 212 | 1.76% |
| 2016 | 5,344 | 47.03% | 5,254 | 46.24% | 764 | 6.72% |
| 2012 | 4,622 | 41.70% | 6,256 | 56.44% | 206 | 1.86% |
| 2008 | 4,273 | 37.87% | 6,829 | 60.52% | 182 | 1.61% |
| 2004 | 5,324 | 49.37% | 5,354 | 49.65% | 106 | 0.98% |
| 2000 | 4,647 | 49.35% | 4,339 | 46.08% | 431 | 4.58% |
| 1996 | 3,532 | 40.27% | 4,122 | 47.00% | 1,116 | 12.73% |
| 1992 | 3,331 | 34.61% | 3,791 | 39.39% | 2,502 | 26.00% |
| 1988 | 4,194 | 48.07% | 4,443 | 50.92% | 88 | 1.01% |
| 1984 | 5,277 | 57.96% | 3,724 | 40.90% | 104 | 1.14% |
| 1980 | 5,033 | 54.10% | 3,201 | 34.40% | 1,070 | 11.50% |
| 1976 | 4,765 | 52.08% | 4,158 | 45.45% | 226 | 2.47% |
| 1972 | 5,877 | 56.23% | 4,401 | 42.11% | 174 | 1.66% |
| 1968 | 5,600 | 60.09% | 3,364 | 36.10% | 355 | 3.81% |
| 1964 | 3,941 | 40.38% | 5,811 | 59.55% | 7 | 0.07% |
| 1960 | 5,737 | 54.48% | 4,786 | 45.45% | 7 | 0.07% |
| 1956 | 6,192 | 59.20% | 4,251 | 40.64% | 17 | 0.16% |
| 1952 | 7,154 | 66.64% | 3,560 | 33.16% | 22 | 0.20% |
| 1948 | 4,594 | 47.54% | 4,905 | 50.76% | 164 | 1.70% |
| 1944 | 5,318 | 53.76% | 4,557 | 46.06% | 18 | 0.18% |
| 1940 | 6,208 | 53.35% | 5,405 | 46.45% | 24 | 0.21% |
| 1936 | 4,489 | 40.15% | 5,980 | 53.48% | 712 | 6.37% |
| 1932 | 3,348 | 32.40% | 6,823 | 66.03% | 162 | 1.57% |
| 1928 | 5,084 | 52.46% | 4,535 | 46.79% | 73 | 0.75% |
| 1924 | 4,154 | 43.96% | 1,510 | 15.98% | 3,786 | 40.06% |
| 1920 | 6,684 | 75.98% | 1,933 | 21.97% | 180 | 2.05% |
| 1916 | 2,876 | 57.87% | 1,956 | 39.36% | 138 | 2.78% |
| 1912 | 802 | 15.63% | 2,105 | 41.03% | 2,223 | 43.33% |
| 1908 | 2,767 | 56.79% | 2,008 | 41.22% | 97 | 1.99% |
| 1904 | 3,383 | 68.96% | 1,467 | 29.90% | 56 | 1.14% |
| 1900 | 3,486 | 64.72% | 1,835 | 34.07% | 65 | 1.21% |
| 1896 | 3,422 | 61.75% | 2,033 | 36.68% | 87 | 1.57% |
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 690 square miles (1,800 km2), of which 690 square miles (1,800 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.04%) is water.[5]
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Fillmore County, Minnesota (northwest)
- Houston County, Minnesota (northeast)
- Allamakee County (east)
- Fayette County (south)
- Chickasaw County (southwest)
- Howard County (west)
- Clayton County (southeast)
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 546 | — | |
| 1860 | 13,942 | 2,453.5% | |
| 1870 | 23,570 | 69.1% | |
| 1880 | 23,938 | 1.6% | |
| 1890 | 22,528 | −5.9% | |
| 1900 | 23,731 | 5.3% | |
| 1910 | 21,729 | −8.4% | |
| 1920 | 22,091 | 1.7% | |
| 1930 | 21,630 | −2.1% | |
| 1940 | 22,263 | 2.9% | |
| 1950 | 21,639 | −2.8% | |
| 1960 | 21,651 | 0.1% | |
| 1970 | 21,758 | 0.5% | |
| 1980 | 21,876 | 0.5% | |
| 1990 | 20,847 | −4.7% | |
| 2000 | 21,310 | 2.2% | |
| 2010 | 21,056 | −1.2% | |
| 2020 | 20,070 | −4.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 19,815 | [6] | −1.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2018[11] | |||
2020 census
The 2020 census recorded a population of 20,070 in the county, with a population density of 28.878/sq mi (11.1500/km2). 97.20% of the population reported being of one race. There were 8,916 housing units, of which 8,170 were occupied.[1]