Buena Vista County, Iowa

Buena Vista County, Iowa
County
Buena Vista County Courthouse
Buena Vista County Courthouse
Map of Iowa highlighting Buena Vista County
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Coordinates: 42°44′06″N 95°09′01″W / 42.735°N 95.150277777778°W / 42.735; -95.150277777778
Country United States
State Iowa
Founded1851
Named afterBattle of Buena Vista
SeatStorm Lake
Largest cityStorm Lake
Area
 • Total
580 sq mi (1,500 km2)
 • Land575 sq mi (1,490 km2)
 • Water5.3 sq mi (14 km2)  0.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
20,823
 • Estimate 
(2024)
20,816 Decrease
 • Density36.2/sq mi (14.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitebuenavistacounty.iowa.gov
  • Iowa county number 11[1]

Buena Vista County (/ˈbjuːnə ˈvɪstə/; Spanish pronunciation: [ˈbwena ˈβista]) is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,823.[2] Its county seat is Storm Lake.[3] The county is named for the final victory of Field General Zachary Taylor in the Mexican–American War.

Buena Vista County comprises the Storm Lake, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Buena Vista County was formed on January 15, 1851, from open land. It was named in memory of the Battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican-American War ending in 1848; the victorious United States annexed considerable territory as a result.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 580 square miles (1,500 km2), of which 575 square miles (1,490 km2) is land and 5.3 square miles (14 km2) (0.9%) is water.[5] The North Raccoon River originates in the county, north of Marathon.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
186057—
18701,5852,680.7%
18807,537375.5%
189013,54879.8%
190016,97525.3%
191015,981−5.9%
192018,55616.1%
193018,6670.6%
194019,8386.3%
195021,1136.4%
196021,1890.4%
197020,693−2.3%
198020,7740.4%
199019,965−3.9%
200020,4112.2%
201020,260−0.7%
202020,8232.8%
2024 (est.)20,816[6]0.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9]
1990–2000[10] 2010-2018[11]
Population of Buena Vista County from US census data

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Buena Vista County had a population of 20,823 and a population density of 36.0/sq mi (13.9/km2). 89.44% of the population reported being of one race. There were 8,141 housing units, of which 7,447 were occupied.[12]

The median age was 35.7 years. 26.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.8 males.[12]

There were 7,447 households in the county, of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.3% were married-couple households, 18.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[12]

There were 8,141 housing units, of which 8.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.7% were owner-occupied and 29.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.2%.[12]

57.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 43.0% lived in rural areas.[13]

The racial makeup of the county was 60.5% White, 2.8% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 9.2% Asian, 3.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 13.4% from some other race, and 10.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 28.5% of the population.[14]

Buena Vista County Racial Composition[14]
Race Number Percent
White (NH) 11,377 54.63%
Black or African American (NH) 550 2.7%
Native American (NH) 29 0.14%
Asian (NH) 1,889 9.1%
Pacific Islander (NH) 614 3%
Other/Mixed (NH) 429 2.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5,925 28.5%
2022 US Census population pyramid for Buena Vista County from ACS 5-year estimates

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 20,260 in the county, with a population density of 35.5/sq mi (13.7/km2). There were 8,237 housing units, of which 7,522 were occupied.[15]

2000 census

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 20,411 people, 7,499 households, and 5,121 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile (14 people/km2). There were 8,145 housing units at an average density of 14 units per square mile (5.4 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.00% White, 0.35% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 4.33% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 5.75% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. 12.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2005 Census estimates of the racial origins of Buena Vista County's population indicated it had the lowest percentage of non-Hispanic Whites of any county in Iowa. The non-Hispanic whites constituted 76.1% of the county's population, with African-Americans being 1.3%, Asians 3.9% and Latinos 18.6% of the population.[17]

There were 7,499 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.50% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.70% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.40% under the age of 18, 12.20% from 18 to 24, 25.40% from 25 to 44, 20.20% from 45 to 64, and 16.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,300, and the median income for a family was $41,549. Males had a median income of $29,172 versus $20,252 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,042. About 7.60% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.60% of those under age 18 and 7.60% of those age 65 or over.

Law enforcement

Law enforcement is the responsibility of the Buena Vista County Sheriff's Office (BVSO). The department provides law enforcement services for all areas of Buena Vista County, as well as providing for courthouse security, operating the county jail, and performing civil procedures. The current Sheriff is Kory Elston.[18] The staff includes a mix of full-time deputies and reserve deputies.

The Buena Vista County Sheriff's Office is located at 411 Expansion Blvd in Storm Lake, Iowa.[19]

Reserve officers from the Buena Vista County Sheriff's Office received the Donald H. Mackaman Outstanding Unit Award at the 2013 state reserve conference.[20]

Communities

Cities

Townships

Buena Vista County is divided into sixteen townships:

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Buena Vista County.[2]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2020 Census)
1 † Storm Lake City 11,269
2 Alta City 2,087
3 Newell City 906
4 Sioux Rapids City 748
5 Lakeside City 700
6 Albert City City 677
7 Marathon City 230
8 Rembrandt City 209
9 Linn Grove City 163
10 Truesdale City 69

Politics

Buena Vista County has mostly voted Republican throughout its history, only failing to back the party's candidates in a presidential election eight times throughout its history. The first of these instances was in 1912 when the Republican vote was split between incumbent William Howard Taft & former President Theodore Roosevelt, who won a majority of the county's votes as a third-party candidate. Five of the instances were national landslides for the Democratic Party in all four of Franklin D. Roosevelt's victories as well as Lyndon B. Johnson's 1964 landslide. The other two Democratic victories were in 1948 as Harry S. Truman narrowly won the county & statewide by a similar margin, & 40 years later in 1988 as Michael Dukakis was boosted statewide by the 1980s farm crisis despite his national landslide loss.

United States presidential election results for Buena Vista County, Iowa[21]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№  % №  % №  %
1896 2,568 67.63% 1,178 31.02% 51 1.34%
1900 2,632 71.25% 936 25.34% 126 3.41%
1904 2,483 76.17% 605 18.56% 172 5.28%
1908 2,337 65.94% 1,054 29.74% 153 4.32%
1912 755 20.77% 921 25.34% 1,959 53.89%
1916 2,045 57.38% 1,454 40.80% 65 1.82%
1920 4,927 78.58% 1,204 19.20% 139 2.22%
1924 3,812 52.38% 683 9.39% 2,782 38.23%
1928 5,087 65.47% 2,609 33.58% 74 0.95%
1932 3,162 38.51% 4,835 58.89% 213 2.59%
1936 3,334 37.95% 5,287 60.18% 164 1.87%
1940 4,576 48.69% 4,784 50.90% 39 0.41%
1944 3,993 48.06% 4,277 51.47% 39 0.47%
1948 3,959 46.61% 4,340 51.10% 194 2.28%
1952 7,539 69.72% 3,254 30.09% 20 0.18%
1956 6,470 61.25% 4,083 38.65% 10 0.09%
1960 6,351 63.54% 3,637 36.38% 8 0.08%
1964 3,747 41.65% 5,245 58.30% 5 0.06%
1968 5,599 61.87% 3,051 33.71% 400 4.42%
1972 5,685 61.25% 3,460 37.28% 136 1.47%
1976 5,126 53.58% 4,227 44.18% 214 2.24%
1980 5,272 54.49% 3,468 35.84% 936 9.67%
1984 5,193 55.22% 4,109 43.69% 103 1.10%
1988 4,170 47.25% 4,580 51.90% 75 0.85%
1992 3,863 41.73% 3,374 36.45% 2,020 21.82%
1996 3,636 45.65% 3,420 42.94% 909 11.41%
2000 4,354 54.58% 3,297 41.33% 326 4.09%
2004 4,887 57.56% 3,520 41.46% 83 0.98%
2008 4,223 50.15% 4,075 48.40% 122 1.45%
2012 4,554 54.32% 3,700 44.14% 129 1.54%
2016 4,903 59.23% 2,856 34.50% 519 6.27%
2020 5,056 61.91% 2,961 36.26% 150 1.84%
2024 4,962 65.84% 2,462 32.67% 113 1.50%

Education

School districts include:[22]

Former school districts:

See also

References

  1. ^ "Iowa County Names and Numbers". Iowa Department of Administrative Services. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "2020 Census State Redistricting Data". census.gov. United states Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ History of the Origin of the Place Names in Nine Northwestern States. 1908. p. 12.
  5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  6. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  11. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  12. ^ a b c d "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  13. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  14. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  15. ^ "Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010 - State – County". United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  16. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  17. ^ "Buena Vista County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  18. ^ "Buena Vista County". www.bvcountyiowa.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  19. ^ "Buena Vista County Sheriff". Buena Vista County, Iowa. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
  20. ^ "BV County Sheriff Reserve Officers Bring Home Honors". Storm Lake Pilot Tribune. April 29, 2013. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  21. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  22. ^ Geography Division (December 18, 2020). 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Buena Vista County, IA (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 30, 2025. - Text list
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h "Reorganization and Dissolution Action Since 1965-66". Iowa Department of Education. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
  24. ^ a b Geography Division (November 30, 2010). SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Buena Vista County, IA (PDF) (Map). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 30, 2025. - Text list

42°44′06″N 95°09′01″W / 42.73500°N 95.15028°W / 42.73500; -95.15028

allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_Lake,_IA_Micropolitan_Statistical_Area