Editing Britt, Iowa

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Britt, Iowa
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|motto                    = 
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_map                = 
|mapsize                  = 
|map_caption              = 
<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = [[USA]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Iowa|County]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Iowa]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Hancock County, Iowa|Hancock]]
<!-- Government -->
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_19.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 16, 2022}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 3.53
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.36
|area_land_km2            = 3.53
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.36
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
|population_total         = 2044
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_density_km2   = 579.28
|population_density_sq_mi = 1500.73
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = −6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = −5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1227
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 50423
|area_code                = [[Area code 641|641]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 19-08605
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2393421<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2393421}}</ref>
|website                  = [http://www.brittiowa.com/ City of Britt, Iowa Website]
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Britt''' is a city in [[Hancock County, Iowa]], United States, and is the home of the [[National Hobo Convention]] and the Hobo Museum. The population was 2,044 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name=cen2020>{{cite web |title=2020 Census State Redistricting Data |url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/data/01-Redistricting_File--PL_94-171/Iowa/ |website=census.gov |publisher=United states Census Bureau |access-date=12 August 2021}}</ref>

==History==
A train depot was built at Britt in 1870, with tracks running from east to west through the town.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/historyofkossuth00unio | title=History of Kossuth, Hancock, and Winnebago Counties, Iowa | publisher=Union Publishing Company | year=1884 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofkossuth00unio/page/658 658]}}</ref> The first train line running through the town was the [[Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad|Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul]] line, followed by the [[Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad|Iowa, Chicago and Eastern]] line. As of 2019, the [[Canadian Pacific Railway|Canadian Pacific]] Railway runs through the town, mostly carrying grain.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/last-great-american-hobos-180971913/|title=The Last of the Great American Hobos|last=MacGregor|first=Jeff|date=May 2019|website=Smithsonian Magazine|language=en|access-date=2019-06-10}}</ref>

Britt was [[plat]]ted in 1878.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_TncUAAAAYAAJ | title=History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa | publisher=Pioneer Publishing Company | year=1917 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_TncUAAAAYAAJ/page/n322 276]}}</ref> It is believed to be named for a railroad engineer or brakeman.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=7188 |title= Profile for Britt, Iowa, IA|publisher= ePodunk|accessdate= September 2, 2012}}</ref> Britt was incorporated as a city on June 23, 1881.

[[Hobo]]s have convened in Britt since 1900 for the [[National Hobo Convention]], which celebrates the history of hobos and their way of life through contests, craft shows, communal eating, and a [[parade]].<ref name=":0" />

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.26|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2012-05-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archivedate=2012-01-25 }}</ref>

===Climate===

According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Britt has a [[hot-summer humid continental climate]], abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.

{{Weather box
|location = Britt, Iowa, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–2020
|single line = Yes
|collapsed = Y
|Jan record high F = 65
|Feb record high F = 63
|Mar record high F = 83
|Apr record high F = 94
|May record high F = 108
|Jun record high F = 104
|Jul record high F = 109
|Aug record high F = 111
|Sep record high F = 101
|Oct record high F = 93
|Nov record high F = 79
|Dec record high F = 67
|year record high =

|Jan avg record high F = 42.3
|Feb avg record high F = 47.1
|Mar avg record high F = 66.4
|Apr avg record high F = 79.6
|May avg record high F = 88.1
|Jun avg record high F = 91.4
|Jul avg record high F = 91.7
|Aug avg record high F = 89.4
|Sep avg record high F = 87.3
|Oct avg record high F = 81.2
|Nov avg record high F = 65.3
|Dec avg record high F = 47.4
|year avg record high F = 92.3

|Jan high F = 23.7
|Feb high F = 27.9
|Mar high F = 41.1
|Apr high F = 56.5
|May high F = 69.1
|Jun high F = 79.3
|Jul high F = 82.4
|Aug high F = 79.5
|Sep high F = 73.4
|Oct high F = 59.7
|Nov high F = 43.2
|Dec high F = 29.8
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 15.0
|Feb mean F = 19.1
|Mar mean F = 31.9
|Apr mean F = 45.4
|May mean F = 58.3
|Jun mean F = 68.8
|Jul mean F = 72.2
|Aug mean F = 69.4
|Sep mean F = 61.9
|Oct mean F = 48.6
|Nov mean F = 34.0
|Dec mean F = 21.3
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 6.3
|Feb low F = 10.3
|Mar low F = 22.7
|Apr low F = 34.3
|May low F = 47.6
|Jun low F = 58.4
|Jul low F = 62.0
|Aug low F = 59.2
|Sep low F = 50.3
|Oct low F = 37.4
|Nov low F = 24.7
|Dec low F = 12.9
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -14.2
|Feb avg record low F = -10.1
|Mar avg record low F = 1.4
|Apr avg record low F = 20.9
|May avg record low F = 33.7
|Jun avg record low F = 46.7
|Jul avg record low F = 51.9
|Aug avg record low F = 49.3
|Sep avg record low F = 35.6
|Oct avg record low F = 22.9
|Nov avg record low F = 7.9
|Dec avg record low F = -7.8
|year avg record low F = -14.7

|Jan record low F = -36
|Feb record low F = -34
|Mar record low F = -26
|Apr record low F = 5
|May record low F = 19
|Jun record low F = 32
|Jul record low F = 41
|Aug record low F = 30
|Sep record low F = 20
|Oct record low F = -3
|Nov record low F = -17
|Dec record low F = -27
|year record low F =

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.77
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.48
|Mar precipitation inch = 2.14
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.88
|May precipitation inch = 4.48
|Jun precipitation inch = 5.41
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.24
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.57
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.21
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.56
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.43
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.13
|year precipitation inch =

|Jan snow inch = 10.7
|Feb snow inch = 7.2
|Mar snow inch = 3.7
|Apr snow inch = 1.7
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.4
|Nov snow inch = 2.3
|Dec snow inch = 10.8
|year snow inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 6.9
|Feb precipitation days = 5.9
|Mar precipitation days = 7.5
|Apr precipitation days = 10.7
|May precipitation days = 13.3
|Jun precipitation days = 11.8
|Jul precipitation days = 10.1
|Aug precipitation days = 9.6
|Sep precipitation days = 9.2
|Oct precipitation days = 8.4
|Nov precipitation days = 6.6
|Dec precipitation days = 7.4

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 5.6
|Feb snow days = 4.3
|Mar snow days = 2.2
|Apr snow days = 0.9
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.4
|Nov snow days = 2.3
|Dec snow days = 5.4

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name=NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/us-climate-normals/#dataset=normals-monthly&timeframe=30&location=IA&station=USC00130923
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access
|access-date = July 24, 2022
}}
</ref>
|date = July 2022
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=dmx
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data
|access-date = July 24, 2022
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations
|title= Historical populations
|type= USA
|align= left
|1880|345
|1890|818
|1900|1540
|1910|1303
|1920|1619
|1930|1593
|1940|1813
|1950|1908
|1960|2042
|1970|2069
|1980|2185
|1990|2133
|2000|2052
|2010|2069
|2020|2044
|source={{center|U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name=cen2020/>}}|footnote=Source: {{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|title=U.S. Census website|access-date=2020-03-29}} and [http://data.iowadatacenter.org/datatables/PlacesAll/plpopulation18502000.pdf Iowa Data Center]
}}
[[File:BrittIowaPopPlot.png|thumb|left|alt=The population of Britt, Iowa from US census data|The population of Britt, Iowa from US census data]]

===2020 census===
As of the [[United States census|census]] of 2020,<ref>{{cite web |title=2020 Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/2020/2020-census-main.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> there were 2,044 people, 891 households, and 533 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 1,500.3 inhabitants per square mile (579.3/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 959 housing units at an average density of 703.9 per square mile (271.8/km<sup>2</sup>). The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|racial]] makeup of the city was 89.7% [[White Americans|White]], 1.3% [[African Americans|Black or African American]], 0.2% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.2% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.0% [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 1.8% from other races and 6.8% from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] persons of any race comprised 8.6% of the population.

Of the 891 households, 23.6% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.2% were cohabitating couples, 27.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 18.5% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 40.2% of all households were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, 21.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older.

The median age in the city was 47.8 years. 22.5% of the residents were under the age of 20; 3.9% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 20.5% were from 25 and 44; 23.2% were from 45 and 64; and 30.0% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2012-05-11}}</ref> of 2010, there were 2,069 people, 886 households, and 547 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1642.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 979 housing units at an average density of {{convert|777.0|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 93.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.6% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 4.5% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.3% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 7.7% of the population.

There were 886 households, of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.3% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age in the city was 43.7 years. 24.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22% were from 25 to 44; 24.7% were from 45 to 64; and 24% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.5% male and 53.5% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 2,052 people, 873 households, and 552 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,680.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 930 housing units at an average density of {{convert|761.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 94.7% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 4.8% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.2% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 5.8% of the population.

There were 873 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 24.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,150, and the median income for a family was $41,495. Males had a median income of $28,027 versus $20,611 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $16,130. About 5.7% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 10.2% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
[[West Hancock Community School District]] operates public schools in Britt.<ref>"[https://educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/SDRP2017_WEST%20HANCOCK.pdf WEST HANCOCK] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427130717/https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/SDRP2017_WEST%20HANCOCK.pdf |date=April 27, 2018 }}." [[Iowa Department of Education]]. Retrieved on September 15, 2018.</ref> The district formed on July 1, 1994 with the merger of the Britt and Kanawha districts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/District%20Reorganization%20History%20final.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124738/https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/District%20Reorganization%20History%20final.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2019-02-09|title=REORGANIZATION & DISSOLUTION ACTIONS SINCE 1965-66|publisher=[[Iowa Department of Education]]|accessdate=2020-03-22}}</ref>

==In popular culture==

Britt is mentioned as being the location of a prom in the song "Prom Night" by The Perfect Theory, written by Adam Young of [[Owl City]] fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://myspace.com/perfecttheory/music/song/prom-night-24353074-24154259|title = Prom Night}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==

{{Commons category|Britt, Iowa}} <!-- for current and future use if material is uploaded -->
* [http://www.brittiowa.com/ City of Britt, Iowa Website] Portal style website, Government, Business, Library, Recreation and more

{{Hancock County, Iowa}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Iowa]]
[[Category:Cities in Hancock County, Iowa]]
[[Category:1878 establishments in Iowa]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1878]]