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Clayton County, Iowa
Snow on road, Clayton County, Iowa
Winter scene near Elkader
Map of Iowa highlighting Clayton County
Location in the state of Iowa
Map of the U.S
Iowa's location in the U.S.
Founded 1837
Named for John M. Clayton
Seat Elkader
Largest city Guttenberg
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

793 sq mi (2,054 km²)
779 sq mi (2,018 km²)
14 sq mi (36 km²), 1.8
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

17,043
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.claytoncountyia.gov

Clayton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,043.[1] Its county seat is Elkader.[2] The county was established in 1837 and was named in honor of John M. Clayton,[3] United States Senator from Delaware and later Secretary of State under President Zachary Taylor.

Geography[]

Clayton County Route W68 IA

Route W68 shield

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 793 square miles (2,050 km2), of which 779 square miles (2,020 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (1.8%) is water.[4] It is the fifth-largest county in Iowa by area.

Adjacent counties[]

Major highways[]

  • US 18 (IA) U.S. Highway 18
  • US 52 (IA) U.S. Highway 52
  • Iowa 3 Iowa Highway 3
  • Iowa 13 Iowa Highway 13
  • Iowa 56 Iowa Highway 56
  • Iowa 76 Iowa Highway 76
  • Iowa 128 Iowa Highway 128

National protected areas[]

  • Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge (part)
  • Effigy Mounds National Monument (part)
  • Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (part)

Geology[]

Clayton County is part of the Driftless Area, a region that completely missed being ice-covered during the last ice age. Streams have deeply carved valleys, while the Mississippi River has spectacular bluffs.

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1850 3,873
1860 20,728 435.2%
1870 27,771 34.0%
1880 28,829 3.8%
1890 26,733 −7.3%
1900 27,750 3.8%
1910 25,576 −7.8%
1920 25,032 −2.1%
1930 24,559 −1.9%
1940 24,334 −0.9%
1950 22,522 −7.4%
1960 21,962 −2.5%
1970 20,606 −6.2%
1980 21,098 2.4%
1990 19,054 −9.7%
2000 18,678 −2.0%
2010 18,129 −2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2020[9]
ClaytonCountyIowaPop2020

Population of Clayton County from US census data

2020 census[]

The 2020 census recorded a population of 17,043 in the county, with a population density of 21.5323/sq mi (8.31366/km2). 97.51% of the population reported being of one race. 93.21% were non-Hispanic White, 0.93% were Black, 2.01% were Hispanic, 0.25% were Native American, 0.28% were Asian, 0.04% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 3.29% were some other race or more than one race. There were 8,758 housing units of which 7,315 were occupied.[1]

2010 census[]

The 2010 census recorded a population of 18,130 in the county, with a population density of 23.272/sq mi (8.985/km2). There were 8,999 housing units, of which 7,599 were occupied.[10]

2000 census[]

USA Clayton County, Iowa age pyramid

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Clayton County

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 18,678 people, about 7,500 households, and 1 family residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile (9/km2). There were 8,620 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.93% White, 0.14% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races. 0.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,375 households, out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% were married couples living together, 6.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.40% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 18.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,068, and the median income for a family was $40,199. Males had a median income of $27,165 versus $19,644 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,930. About 5.70% of families and 8.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.60% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities[]

Cities[]

  • Clayton
  • Edgewood
  • Elkader
  • Elkport
  • Farmersburg
  • Garber
  • Garnavillo
  • Guttenberg
  • Luana
  • Marquette
  • McGregor
  • Monona
  • North Buena Vista
  • Osterdock
  • Postville
  • St. Olaf
  • Strawberry Point
  • Volga

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Beulah
  • Ceres
  • Clayton Center
  • Communia
  • Eckards
  • Fairview
  • Froelich
  • Giard
  • Gunder
  • Hardin
  • Highland
  • Littleport
  • McGregor Heights
  • Mederville
  • Millville
  • Motor
  • Osborne
  • Saint Sebald
  • Thomasville
  • Turkey River
  • Updegraff
  • Watson
  • Wood

Townships[]

Clayton County is divided into these townships:

  • Boardman
  • Buena Vista
  • Cass
  • Clayton
  • Cox Creek
  • Elk
  • Farmersburg
  • Garnavillo
  • Giard
  • Grand Meadow
  • Highland
  • Jefferson
  • Lodomillo
  • Mallory
  • Marion
  • Mendon
  • Millville
  • Monona
  • Read
  • Sperry
  • Volga
  • Wagner

Population ranking[]

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

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2020 Census)
1 Postville (partially in Allamakee County) City 2,503
2 Guttenberg City 1,817
3 Monona City 1,471
4 Elkader City 1,209
5 Strawberry Point City 1,155
6 Edgewood (partially in Delaware County) City 909
7 Garnavillo City 763
8 McGregor City 742
9 Marquette City 429
10 Luana City 301
11 Farmersburg City 271
12 Volga City 203
13 North Buena Vista City 109
14 St. Olaf City 106
15 Garber City 76
16 Clayton City 45
17 Osterdock City 43
18 Elkport City 29

Politics[]

United States presidential election results for Clayton County, Iowa[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 6,106 63.64% 3,340 34.81% 148 1.54%
2016 5,317 58.24% 3,237 35.46% 575 6.30%
2012 4,164 45.57% 4,806 52.59% 168 1.84%
2008 3,651 40.61% 5,195 57.79% 144 1.60%
2004 4,312 47.03% 4,736 51.66% 120 1.31%
2000 4,034 47.07% 4,238 49.45% 299 3.49%
1996 2,944 35.93% 4,284 52.28% 966 11.79%
1992 3,044 33.12% 3,742 40.72% 2,404 26.16%
1988 3,839 46.58% 4,320 52.41% 83 1.01%
1984 5,029 58.80% 3,446 40.29% 78 0.91%
1980 5,115 55.56% 3,297 35.81% 794 8.62%
1976 4,826 54.80% 3,804 43.19% 177 2.01%
1972 5,447 60.20% 3,366 37.20% 235 2.60%
1968 5,132 57.81% 3,168 35.68% 578 6.51%
1964 3,923 41.08% 5,624 58.89% 3 0.03%
1960 6,441 58.25% 4,612 41.71% 4 0.04%
1956 6,529 59.76% 4,384 40.12% 13 0.12%
1952 7,669 67.22% 3,730 32.70% 9 0.08%
1948 5,151 50.94% 4,857 48.04% 103 1.02%
1944 5,855 57.61% 4,259 41.91% 49 0.48%
1940 7,443 59.86% 4,973 40.00% 18 0.14%
1936 5,017 41.00% 6,731 55.01% 488 3.99%
1932 3,725 33.46% 7,347 65.99% 62 0.56%
1928 6,774 61.28% 4,231 38.28% 49 0.44%
1924 4,168 41.48% 1,556 15.48% 4,325 43.04%
1920 6,747 77.50% 1,808 20.77% 151 1.73%
1916 3,347 57.54% 2,379 40.90% 91 1.56%
1912 1,239 21.14% 2,919 49.80% 1,703 29.06%
1908 2,773 47.04% 3,026 51.33% 96 1.63%
1904 3,339 54.59% 2,628 42.96% 150 2.45%
1900 3,366 53.07% 2,884 45.47% 92 1.45%
1896 3,302 52.16% 2,910 45.96% 119 1.88%
1892 2,443 41.63% 3,337 56.86% 89 1.52%
1888 2,576 43.19% 3,311 55.52% 77 1.29%
1884 2,536 43.97% 3,219 55.81% 13 0.23%
1880 3,098 55.02% 2,419 42.96% 114 2.02%



See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Clayton County, Iowa
  • Clayton County Courthouse

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "2020 Census State Redistricting Data". United states Census Bureau. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/data/01-Redistricting_File--PL_94-171/Iowa/. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off.. pp. 84. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ. 
  4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html. 
  5. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  6. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  7. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ia190090.txt. 
  8. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  9. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19/19043.html. 
  10. ^ "Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010 - State -- County". United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST05&prodType=table. 
  11. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  12. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 

External links[]

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Coordinates: 42°50′37″N 91°20′36″W / 42.84361, -91.34333


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Clayton County, Iowa. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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