Calhoun County, Iowa


Calhoun County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,927, and was estimated to be 9,711 in 2024. The county seat and largest city is Rockwell City.

History

Calhoun County was formed on January 15, 1851, from open land originally named Fox County. It was renamed in 1853 after the seventh US vice president secessionist John C. Calhoun. When the tracks of the Illinois Central Railroad were laid through the county in 1870, the county seat was moved from Lake City to Rockwell City. The first train reached Rockwell City on August 7, 1882, and the population count doubled in the same year. The first courthouse, built of wood, burned to the ground in 1884 and the county government moved into a nearby hotel. In 1913, the current courthouse was built.
On July 6, 1893, Pomeroy was struck by a tornado that measured F5 on the Fujita scale. With a damage path wide and long, the tornado destroyed about 80% of the homes in Pomeroy. The tornado killed 71 people and injured 200.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. It is the 48th largest county in Iowa by total area.

Ecology

Calhoun County is located entirely within the Des Moines Lobe of the Western Corn Belt Plains ecoregion, as defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. One of the flattest regions in Iowa, the Des Moines Lobe ecoregion is a distinctive area naturally defined by Wisconsin glaciation but modified by humans for extensive agriculture. In general, the land is level to gently rolling with some areas of relief defined by glacial features like moraines, hummocky knobs, and kettles, and outwash deposits. The lobe does not have any loess deposits like the Loess Hills to the west.
The stream network is poorly developed and widely spaced, with major rivers carving valleys that are relatively deep and steep-sided. Almost all of the natural lakes of Iowa are found in the northern part of this region. Most of the region has been converted from wet prairie to agricultural use with substantial surface water drainage. Only a small fraction of the wetlands remain, and many natural lakes have been drained as a result of agricultural drainage projects via drainage tiles or ditches.

Major highways

As of the second quarter of 2025, the median home value in Calhoun County was $128,711.
As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 3,886 estimated households in Calhoun County with an average of 2.35 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $66,875. Approximately 8.6% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Calhoun County has an estimated 54.3% employment rate, with 21.5% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 93.7% holding a high school diploma. There were 4,794 housing units at an average density of.
The top five reported languages were English, Spanish, Indo-European, Asian and Pacific Islander, and Other.
The median age in the county was 42.7 years.

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 9,927 people, 4,070 households, and 2,578 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 4,771 housing units at an average density of.
The median age was 44.3 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 109.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 109.7 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 94.3% White, 1.5% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.4% of the population.
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 4,070 households in the county, of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.2% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 4,771 housing units, of which 14.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 79.1% were owner-occupied and 20.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.1%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 9,670 people, 4,242 households, and _ families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 5,108 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 98.51% White, 0.23% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from some other races and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.93% of the population.

2000 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 11,115 people, 4,513 households, and 3,014 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 5,219 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 98.06% White, 0.69% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from some other races and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.90% of the population.
There were 4,513 households, out of which 27.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 6.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. 30.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.10% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 24.80% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 22.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,286, and the median income for a family was $41,583. Males had a median income of $28,787 versus $20,095 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,498. 10.10% of the population and 7.10% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.50% of those under the age of 18 and 8.50% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Communities

Cities

Calhoun County is divided into sixteen townships:
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census and the 2024 estimate of Calhoun County.
† county seat
RankCity/Town/etc.Municipal typePopulation
Population
1† 'Rockwell CityCity2,2402,185
2Lake CityCity1,7311,656
3MansonCity1,7091,646
4Twin LakesCDP316535
5PomeroyCity526511
6LohrvilleCity381366
7Farnhamville City383364
8Lytton City282274
9SomersCity128121
10KnierimCity5353
11RinardCity3838
12JolleyCity2828
13Yetter'City1919

Politics

Politically, Calhoun County has favored the Republicans since 1896, usually only voting Democratic when the party won national victories. It first voted for the Democrats in 1932 when Franklin D. Roosevelt won in a landslide victory against Herbert Hoover. In 2000, Calhoun County voted for George W. Bush and has voted for the Republicans ever since. In 2016 Donald Trump won 67.2% percent of the vote in Calhoun County, the highest vote share since Dwight D. Eisenhower's victory in 1952. In 2020 and 2024, Trump increased it to 70.2% and 72.7% respectively, the highest percentages for any party in the county since Warren G. Harding a century earlier.

Education

School districts include:
; Former districts: