Madison County, Iowa

Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,548.[1] The county seat is Winterset.[2]

Madison County
Madison County courthouse
Madison County courthouse
Map of Iowa highlighting Madison County
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Map of the United States highlighting Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°20′N 94°01′W / 41.33°N 94.01°W / 41.33; -94.01
Country United States
State Iowa
Founded1846
Named forJames Madison
SeatWinterset
Largest cityWinterset
Area
 • Total562 sq mi (1,460 km2)
 • Land561 sq mi (1,450 km2)
 • Water1.2 sq mi (3 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total16,548
 • Density29/sq mi (11/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitemadisoncounty.iowa.gov

Madison County is included in the Des MoinesWest Des Moines, IA Metropolitan Statistical Area.[3]

Madison County is famous for being the county where John Wayne was born, and for a number of covered bridges. These bridges were featured in Robert James Waller's 1992 novella The Bridges of Madison County, as well as the 1995 film and 2014 musical based on it.

History

Madison County was formed on January 13, 1846. It has been self-governed since 1849. It was named after James Madison (1751–1836), the fourth President of the United States (between 1809 and 1817).[4] Hiram Hurst was the first European-American settler in Madison County, having come from Missouri about April 15, 1846.[5]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 562 square miles (1,460 km2), of which 561 square miles (1,450 km2) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) (0.2%) is water.[6]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18501,179
18607,339522.5%
187013,88489.2%
188017,22424.1%
189015,977−7.2%
190017,71010.8%
191015,621−11.8%
192015,020−3.8%
193014,331−4.6%
194014,5251.4%
195013,131−9.6%
196012,295−6.4%
197011,558−6.0%
198012,5979.0%
199012,483−0.9%
200014,01912.3%
201015,67911.8%
202016,5485.5%
2023 (est.)16,971[7]2.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2018[12]
Population of Madison County from US census data

2020 census

2022 US Census population pyramid for Madison County from ACS 5-year estimates

The 2020 census recorded a population of 16,548 in the county, with a population density of 29.3556/sq mi (11.3343/km2). 95.99% of the population reported being of one race. 92.42% were non-Hispanic White, 0.30% were Black, 1.91% were Hispanic, 0.15% were Native American, 0.51% were Asian, 0.08% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 4.63% were some other race or more than one race. There were 6,913 housing units, of which 6,436 were occupied.[1]

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 15,679 in the county, with a population density of 27.9413/sq mi (10.7882/km2). There were 6,554 housing units, of which 6,025 were occupied.[13]

2000 census

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 14,019 people, 5,326 households, and 3,925 families in the county. The population density was 25 inhabitants per square mile (9.7/km2). There were 5,661 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (3.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.57% White, 0.09% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. 0.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 5,326 households 34.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.90% were married couples living together, 7.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.30% were non-families. 22.70% of households were one person and 11.70% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.04.

The age distribution was 27.10% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males.

The median household income was $41,845 and the median family income was $48,289. Males had a median income of $31,126 versus $24,095 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,357. About 4.60% of families and 6.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.60% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.

Covered bridges

Hogback Bridge, one of the five remaining covered bridges in Madison County

There are six extant covered bridges in Madison County, of the original nineteen:

The remaining covered bridges were designed by Harvey P. Jones and George K. Foster, with the following exceptions: Eli Cox built the Cutler-Donahoe Bridge, and J. P. Clark built the Imes Bridge.

Tunnel

Madison County is home to the only highway tunnel in Iowa, Harmon Tunnel, through the neck of an incised meander of the Middle River in Pammel Park.[15]

Communities

Incorporated Communities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Madison County.[1]

county seat

RankCity/Town/etc.Municipal typePopulation (2020 Census)
1 WintersetCity5,353
2EarlhamCity1,410
3St. CharlesCity640
4TruroCity509
5PattersonCity176
6East PeruCity115
7MacksburgCity97
8Bevington (partially in Warren County)City57

Politics

For most of its history, Madison County has primarily supported the Republican Party in presidential elections. From 1880 to 1960, the county only failed to back the party's candidate in 1932 when Herbert Hoover was defeated in a national landslide for reelection by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The county was much more of a swing area between 1964 & 1996, voting for the national winner in every presidential election between 1964 & 2004 aside from 1988 when Michael Dukakis was boosted to an inflated margin of victory statewide by a farm crisis. Since the start of the second millennium, Republicans have carried the county in every presidential election. Donald Trump also produced the county's strongest Republican presidential victory since 1952 in 2016, winning by a margin of over 30 percent.

United States presidential election results for Madison County, Iowa[16][17]
YearRepublicanDemocraticThird party
No. %No. %No. %
20206,50766.24%3,13431.90%1831.86%
20165,36062.07%2,67831.01%5986.92%
20124,63854.84%3,63042.92%1902.25%
20084,57953.99%3,73344.02%1691.99%
20044,53856.70%3,38042.23%861.07%
20003,66252.55%3,09344.38%2143.07%
19962,55040.30%3,07048.52%70711.17%
19922,42139.37%2,52541.06%1,20319.56%
19882,41041.11%3,42158.36%310.53%
19843,16850.60%3,06748.99%260.42%
19803,32051.79%2,49638.93%5959.28%
19762,68145.36%3,10952.61%1202.03%
19723,48059.35%2,23438.10%1502.56%
19683,15155.49%2,19238.60%3365.92%
19642,25038.93%3,51860.87%120.21%
19603,80458.26%2,72241.69%30.05%
19563,88359.34%2,65240.53%90.14%
19524,96769.48%2,13129.81%510.71%
19483,20752.38%2,82746.17%891.45%
19443,73759.20%2,55040.39%260.41%
19404,47758.91%3,09440.71%290.38%
19364,18855.04%3,36544.22%560.74%
19322,66347.09%2,92351.69%691.22%
19284,36466.15%2,17833.02%550.83%
19244,19160.80%1,36719.83%1,33519.37%
19204,46568.83%1,89929.27%1231.90%
19161,87151.26%1,71146.88%681.86%
19121,27433.79%1,18531.43%1,31134.77%
19082,42559.54%1,40434.47%2445.99%
19042,60263.20%1,19028.90%3257.89%
19002,59055.67%1,90740.99%1553.33%
18962,31350.28%2,22448.35%631.37%

See also

References

External links

41°20′N 94°01′W / 41.33°N 94.01°W / 41.33; -94.01