Editing Tama County, Iowa

{{short description|County in Iowa, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Tama County
 | state                = Iowa
 | ex image             = Tama county courthouse.jpg
 | ex image size        = 250px
 | ex image cap         = [[Tama County Courthouse]] in Toledo
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1843
 | founded date         = 
 | seat wl              = Toledo
 | largest city wl      = Tama
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 722
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 721
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 1.1
 | area percentage      = 0.1
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 17135
 | population_density_sq_mi  = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = www.tamacounty.iowa.gov
 | district             = 1st
 | named for            = [[Taimah]]
}}
[[File:Taimah.jpg|thumb|Taimah, from A.R. Fulton's ''Red Men of Iowa'' 1882]]

'''Tama County''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|eɪ|m|ə}} is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Iowa]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 17,135.<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=August 12, 2021}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Toledo, Iowa|Toledo]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county was formed on February 17, 1843<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ccfrussia.ru/?mod=city&id=131|title=City Community Description Congressional district Overview Population District type Geographical location/Climate Closest major city Political structure History Cultural institutions/events Distinguishing features Existing ties with Russia<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=ccfrussia.ru|access-date=April 11, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100919170213/http://ccfrussia.ru/?mod=city&id=131|archive-date=September 19, 2010}}</ref> and named for [[Taimah]], a leader of the [[Meskwaki]] people.<ref>[https://archive.today/20070703140822/http://www.iowacounties.org/About%20Us/AboutCoGov/County%20Pages/Tama.htm Tama County<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|722|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|721|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.1|sqmi}} (0.1%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

===Major highways===
*[[Image:US 30.svg|x20px]] [[U.S. Route 30 in Iowa|U.S. Highway 30]]
*[[Image:US 63.svg|x20px]] [[U.S. Route 63 in Iowa|U.S. Highway 63]]
*[[Image:Circle sign 8.svg|x20px]] [[Iowa Highway 8]]
*[[Image:Elongated circle 21.svg|x20px]] [[Iowa Highway 21]]
*[[Image:Elongated circle 96.svg|x20px]] [[Iowa Highway 96]]
*[[Image:Elongated circle 146.svg|x20px]] [[Iowa Highway 146]]

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Grundy County, Iowa|Grundy County]]  (northwest)
*[[Black Hawk County, Iowa|Black Hawk County]]  (northeast)
*[[Benton County, Iowa|Benton County]]  (east)
*[[Poweshiek County, Iowa|Poweshiek County]]  (south)
*[[Marshall County, Iowa|Marshall County]]  (west)
*[[Iowa County, Iowa|Iowa County]] (southeast)
*[[Jasper County, Iowa|Jasper County]] (southwest)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 8
|1860= 5285
|1870= 16131
|1880= 21585
|1890= 22052
|1900= 24585
|1910= 22156
|1920= 21861
|1930= 21987
|1940= 22428
|1950= 21688
|1960= 21413
|1970= 20147
|1980= 19533
|1990= 17419
|2000= 18103
|2010= 17767
|2020= 17135
|estyear=2023
|estimate=16833
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 2, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 20, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 20, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ia190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 20, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 20, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2018<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19/19171.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 20, 2014|archive-date=December 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219000444/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19/19171.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}
[[File:TamaCountyIowaPop2020.png|thumb|right|Population of Tama County from US census data]]

===2020 census===
[[File:TamaCountyIA2022PopPyr.png|thumb|left|2022 US Census [[population pyramid]] for Tama County from [[American Community Survey|ACS]] 5-year estimates]]
The 2020 census recorded a population of 17,135 in the county, with a population density of {{Pop density|17135|722.010510|sqmi|km2}}. 93.80% of the population reported being of one race. There were 7,575 housing units, of which 6,784 were occupied.<ref name=cen2020/>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Tama County Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title =P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Tama County, Iowa|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Tama%20County,%20Iowa&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (NH)
|13,284
|77.52%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (NH)
|125
|0.73%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] (NH)
|1,258
|7.34%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] (NH)
|80
|0.5%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|2
|0.01%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] (NH)
|582
|3.4%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|1,804
|10.53%
|}

===2010 census===
The 2010 census recorded a population of 17,767 in the county, with a population density of {{Pop density|17767|723.3|sqmi|km2}}. There were 7,766 housing units, of which 6,947 were occupied.<ref name="USCB">{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST05&prodType=table|title=Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010 - State &ndash; County|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] American FactFinder|access-date=March 26, 2011|archive-date=September 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929225050/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST05&prodType=table|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 17,767 people, 7,018 households, and 4,968 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|25|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 7,583 housing units at an average density of {{convert|10|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 90.38% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.25% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 6.09% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.18% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.90% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.18% from two or more races. 3.75% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 7,018 households, out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,419, and the median income for a family was $43,646. Males had a median income of $30,723 versus $22,597 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $17,097. About 7.60% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
School districts include:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st19_ia/schooldistrict_maps/c19171_tama/DC20SD_C19171.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721161949/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st19_ia/schooldistrict_maps/c19171_tama/DC20SD_C19171.pdf |archive-date=July 21, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Tama County, IA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 21, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st19_ia/schooldistrict_maps/c19171_tama/DC20SD_C19171_SD2MS.txt Text list] - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st19_ia/c19171_tama/DC10SD_C19171_001.pdf 2010 Map], [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st19_ia/c19171_tama/DC10SD_C19171_SD2MS.txt 2010 Text list]</ref>
* [[Belle Plaine Community School District]]
* [[Benton Community School District]]
* [[East Marshall Community School District]]
* [[GMG Community School District]]
* [[Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District]]
* [[Grundy Center Community School District]]
* [[North Tama County Community School District]]
* [[South Tama County Community School District]]
* [[Union Community School District]]

There is also a [[Bureau of Indian Education]] (BIE)-affiliated tribal school, [[Meskwaki Settlement School]].

The largest of which is South Tama Community School District, at the 3A designation. Second largest is North Tama Community Schools. Lastly both GMG and Meskwaki Settlement School with an eight-man designation.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}<ref>South Tama County | Home of the Trojans! Web. March 26, 2011.<http://www.s-tama.k12.ia.us/></ref><ref>Meskwaki Settlement School. Web. March 26, 2011.<http://www.msswarriors.org/></ref><ref>Welcome to North Tama County Community Schools. Web. March 26, 2011.<http://www.n-tama.k12.ia.us/></ref><ref>New Page 1. Web. March 26, 2011.<http://www.garwin.k12.ia.us/>.</ref>

==Communities==

===Cities===
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Chelsea, Iowa|Chelsea]]
*[[Clutier, Iowa|Clutier]]
*[[Dysart, Iowa|Dysart]]
*[[Elberon, Iowa|Elberon]]
*[[Garwin, Iowa|Garwin]]
*[[Gladbrook, Iowa|Gladbrook]]
*[[Le Grand, Iowa|Le Grand]]
*[[Lincoln, Iowa|Lincoln]]
*[[Montour, Iowa|Montour]]
*[[Tama, Iowa|Tama]]
*[[Toledo, Iowa|Toledo]]
*[[Traer, Iowa|Traer]]
*[[Vining, Iowa|Vining]]
{{div col end}}

[[File:Meskwaki Settlement, Iowa.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Meskwaki Settlement water tower]]

===Unincorporated communities===
*[[Buckingham, Iowa|Buckingham]]
*[[Long Point, Iowa|Long Point]]
*[[Meskwaki Settlement, Iowa|Meskwaki Settlement]]

===Townships===
Tama County is divided into twenty-one [[Township (United States)|townships]]:
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Buckingham Township, Tama County, Iowa|Buckingham]]
* [[Carlton Township, Tama County, Iowa|Carlton]]
* [[Carroll Township, Tama County, Iowa|Carroll]]
* [[Clark Township, Tama County, Iowa|Clark]]
* [[Columbia Township, Tama County, Iowa|Columbia]]
* [[Crystal Township, Tama County, Iowa|Crystal]]
* [[Geneseo Township, Tama County, Iowa|Geneseo]]
* [[Grant Township, Tama County, Iowa|Grant]]
* [[Highland Township, Tama County, Iowa|Highland]]
* [[Howard Township, Tama County, Iowa|Howard]]
* [[Indian Village Township, Tama County, Iowa|Indian Village]]
* [[Lincoln Township, Tama County, Iowa|Lincoln]]
* [[Oneida Township, Tama County, Iowa|Oneida]]
* [[Otter Creek Township, Tama County, Iowa|Otter Creek]]
* [[Perry Township, Tama County, Iowa|Perry]]
* [[Richland Township, Tama County, Iowa|Richland]]
* [[Salt Creek Township, Tama County, Iowa|Salt Creek]]
* [[Spring Creek Township, Tama County, Iowa|Spring Creek]]
* [[Tama Township, Tama County, Iowa|Tama]]
* [[Toledo Township, Tama County, Iowa|Toledo]]
* [[York Township, Tama County, Iowa|York]]
{{div col end}}

===Population ranking===
The population ranking of the following table is based on the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] of Tama County.<ref name=cen2020/>

'''†''' ''county seat''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Rank
!City/Town/etc.
!Municipal type
!Population (2020 Census)

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 1
|'''[[Tama, Iowa|Tama]]''' 
| City
| 3,130
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 2
|'''†''' '''[[Toledo, Iowa|Toledo]]''' 
| City
| 2,369
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 3
|'''[[Traer, Iowa|Traer]]''' 
| City
| 1,583
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 4
|'''[[Dysart, Iowa|Dysart]]''' 
| City
| 1,281
|- style="background-color:#FFFF99;"
| 5
|'''[[Meskwaki Settlement, Iowa|Sac and Fox/Meskwaki Settlement]]''' 
| [[AIAN (U.S. Census)|AIAN]]
| 1,120
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 6
|'''[[Le Grand, Iowa|Le Grand]]'''  (''mostly in [[Marshall County, Iowa|Marshall County]]'')
| City
| 905
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 7
|'''[[Gladbrook, Iowa|Gladbrook]]''' 
| City
| 799
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 8
|'''[[Garwin, Iowa|Garwin]]''' 
| City
| 481
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 9
|'''[[Chelsea, Iowa|Chelsea]]''' 
| City
| 229
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 10
|'''[[Clutier, Iowa|Clutier]]''' 
| City
| 213
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 11
|'''[[Montour, Iowa|Montour]]''' 
| City
| 203
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 12
|'''[[Elberon, Iowa|Elberon]]''' 
| City
| 184
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 13
|'''[[Lincoln, Iowa|Lincoln]]''' 
| City
| 121
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 14
|'''[[Vining, Iowa|Vining]]''' 
| City
| 54
|}

==Notable people==
*[[George R. Struble]] (1836–1918). Iowa judge and politician from Toledo. Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, 1881–1883. Ardent [[Prohibition in the United States|prohibitionist]]. Brother of [[John T. Struble]] of [[Johnson County, Iowa|Johnson County]], and Congressman [[Isaac S. Struble]] of [[Plymouth County, Iowa|Plymouth County]]. Biography in the ''Journal of the House, memorial resolution of March 23, 1921.''
*[[Michael Emerson]], born in [[Cedar Rapids, Iowa|Cedar Rapids]] and raised in [[Toledo, Iowa|Toledo]], Emerson has been on Broadway and appeared on ''[[Lost (2004 TV series)|Lost]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0256237/bio|title=Michael Emerson|website=IMDb|access-date=April 28, 2018}}</ref>
*[[Clifford Berry]] (1918-1963), born in [[Gladbrook, Iowa|Gladbrook]], was a graduate student at [[Iowa State University|Iowa State]] when he and [[John Vincent Atanasoff]] created the [[Atanasoff–Berry computer|Atanasoff–Berry Computer]] (ABC), the first digital electronic computer, in 1939.

==Politics==
Between 1888 and 1984, Tama County was a reliable bellwether county, backing the nationwide winner in every presidential election except for 1916 and 1960. For the next seven election cycles, from 1988 to 2012, Tama County backed the Democratic candidate in each election, although [[George W. Bush]] came extremely close to winning the county in both 2000 and 2004, losing by slim margins of just 11 and 31 votes respectively. In 2016, [[Donald Trump]] moved the county back into the Republican camp, taking nearly 57% of the county's vote and winning it by more than 20%, the best margin in the county for any candidate since [[Ronald Reagan]] won the county during his 1980 landslide. Though Trump's margin of victory dropped slightly to just over 19% in 2020, he increased his vote share to almost 59%, the best vote share for a candidate of either party in Tama County since the 1964 landslide victory of [[Lyndon B. Johnson]].
{{PresHead|place=Tama County, Iowa|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 11, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|5,379|3,070|167|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|5,303|3,577|168|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|4,971|3,196|585|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|4,098|4,768|151|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|3,820|4,899|133|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|4,456|4,487|58|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|4,034|4,045|236|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|2,986|3,994|772|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|2,948|3,573|1,809|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|3,362|4,584|66|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,882|4,061|47|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|4,840|3,049|713|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|4,379|4,580|148|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|5,058|3,693|129|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|4,955|3,767|531|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,543|6,057|8|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|5,535|4,950|1|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|5,952|4,795|26|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|7,061|4,076|17|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|4,763|5,115|150|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|5,249|5,286|32|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|5,865|5,996|32|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|4,737|6,625|160|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|4,051|6,704|165|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|5,589|4,798|45|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|5,177|2,180|2,010|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|6,352|2,552|169|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|3,061|2,572|102|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1,179|2,446|1,840|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|2,774|2,550|248|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|3,127|2,360|186|Iowa}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|3,290|2,736|129|Iowa}}
{{PresFoot|1896|Republican|3,054|2,596|83|Iowa}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Iowa}}
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Tama County, Iowa]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
<!-- for current and future use if material is uploaded -->
*[http://iagenweb.org/tama/ IAGenWeb] History, Biographies, Records and more

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Tama County, Iowa
|North     = 
|Northeast = [[Black Hawk County, Iowa|Black Hawk County]]
|East      = [[Benton County, Iowa|Benton County]]
|Southeast = [[Iowa County, Iowa|Iowa County]]
|South     = [[Poweshiek County, Iowa|Poweshiek County]]
|Southwest = 
|West      = [[Marshall County, Iowa|Marshall County]]
|Northwest = [[Grundy County, Iowa|Grundy County]]
}}

{{Tama County, Iowa}}
{{Iowa}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|42|04|43|N|92|31|53|W|region:US-IA_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki|display=title}}

[[Category:Tama County, Iowa| ]]
[[Category:Iowa placenames of Native American origin]]
[[Category:1843 establishments in Iowa Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1843]]