Plymouth County, Iowa

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Plymouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,698.<ref name=cen2020>Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat is Le Mars.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Plymouth County was named after Plymouth, Massachusetts.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Plymouth County is part of the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Plymouth County was formed on January 15, 1851. Settlement began in the county in 1856. In October 1859, the first courthouse was built in Melbourne, formerly located in the southeast quarter of section 34, Plymouth Township, about five to six miles due south of Merrill.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The first public school opened its doors there with 32 pupils. In 1872 the county seat was moved to Le Mars and a courthouse and jail were built there in 1873. The present Plymouth County Courthouse was built in 1900 of red sandstone.<ref name="History">Template:Cite web</ref>

During the Great Depression, farmers in the county organized the Farmers Holiday Group, to keep farm products off the market until the desired price was met. A radical group among them abducted Judge Bradley from his court chamber and threatened to hang him in the front of the courthouse. Bradley was freed, but the governor ordered the national guard to Plymouth County and declared a state of emergency, which effectively ended the group.<ref name="History"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.1%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is the fourth-largest county by area in Iowa.

Adjacent counties

Transportation

Major highways

Airport

Le Mars Municipal Airport is located in Plymouth County, two nautical miles (3.7 km) southwest of the central business district of Le Mars.

Demographics

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File:PlymouthCountyIowaPop2020.png

Population of Plymouth County from US census data

2020 census

File:PlymouthCountyIA2022PopPyr.png

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

The 2020 census recorded a population of 25,698 in the county, with a population density of Template:Pop density. 95.81% of the population reported being of one race. There were 10,818 housing units, of which 10,171 were occupied.<ref name=cen2020/>

Plymouth County Racial Composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	22,941	89.3%
Black or African American (NH)	354	1.4%
Native American (NH)	48	0.2%
Asian (NH)	111	0.43%
Pacific Islander (NH)	117	0.5%
Other/Mixed (NH)	631	2.5%
Hispanic or Latino	1,496	6%

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 24,986 in the county, with a population density of Template:Pop density. There were 10,550 housing units, of which 9,875 were occupied.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2000 census

As of the census<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 24,849 people, 9,372 households, and 6,804 families in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 9,880 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 98.16% White, 0.29% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 1.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 9,372 households 35.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.30% were married couples living together, 6.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 24.00% of households were one person and 12.00% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.12.

The age distribution was 28.30% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.70 males.

The median household income was $41,638 and the median family income was $50,009. Males had a median income of $33,566 versus $22,558 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,442. About 4.40% of families and 6.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.70% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.

Points of interest

The Pappas Telecasting Tower,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with a height of Template:Convert, is one of the tallest masts in the world.

Notable people

William G. Kirchner, Minnesota state legislator and banker
Ralph Klemme, Iowa state legislator and farmer
Jim Nicholson, Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Republican National Chairman and U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican
Johnny Niggeling,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Major league baseball pitcher
Paul Rust, actor and comedian
Thomas Starzl, innovator in organ transplant surgery
Isaac S. Struble, Congressman (1883–1891) after whom Struble is named
William Garner Waddel, South Dakota State Senator

Communities

Cities

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Unincorporated communities

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Adaville
Brookdale
Crathorne
Ellendale
James
Mammen
Melbourne
Millnerville
Neptune
O'Leary
Potosia
Ruble
Seney
Union Center
West Le Mars
Wren
Yeomans

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Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Plymouth County.<ref name=cen2020/>

† county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2020 Census)
1	† Le Mars	City	10,571
2	Remsen	City	1,678
3	Akron	City	1,558
4	Kingsley	City	1,396
5	Hinton	City	935
6	Merrill	City	717
7	Brunsville	City	129
8	Westfield	City	123
9	Oyens	City	92
10	Craig	City	79
11	Struble	City	67
12	Sioux City (almost entirely in Woodbury County)	City	6 (85,797 total)