Cedar County, Iowa


Cedar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,505. Its county seat is Tipton. The county is named for the Cedar River, which runs through the county.
Cedar County is located between the Cedar Rapids, Quad Cities, and Iowa City metropolitan areas, also known as the "Tri-Metro" county. It is the only Iowa county that shares its name with a tree.

History

Cedar County was formed on December 21, 1837, from sections of Dubuque County. It was named for the Cedar River.
In 1840, the City of Tipton, the current county seat, was established.
Before the Civil War, the area around West Branch was an active focal point of the Underground Railroad, a network for the freeing of slaves from the southern states.
The former US President Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch in Cedar County.
In 1931, Cedar County was the battleground for the Iowa Cow War, where multiple violent disputes over the testing of cattle for bovine tuberculosis occurred.
The Cedar County Sheriff's House and Jail is believed to be the last jail and residence combination still in use when it closed in 2001. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. Rock Creek flows through Cedar County.

Major highways

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 18,505 and a population density of. The median age was 43.6 years, 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18, and 20.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.0 males age 18 and over.
96.29% of the population reported being of one race. The racial makeup of the county was 94.4% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 3.7% from two or more races. Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino] residents of any race comprised 2.5% of the population.
There were 7,594 households in the county, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 54.4% were married-couple households, 17.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 8,190 housing units, of which 7.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.2% were owner-occupied and 19.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.5%.
Less than 0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 13,956 in the county, with a population density of. There were 8,064 housing units, of which 7,511 were occupied.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,187 people, 7,147 households, and 5,138 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 7,570 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 98.47% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. 0.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 7,147 households, out of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.60% were married couples living together, 6.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% 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 2.96.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.30% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 16.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,198, and the median income for a family was $48,850. Males had a median income of $32,008 versus $23,260 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,200. About 4.00% of families and 5.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.00% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Cedar County is divided into seventeen townships:
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Cedar County.
† county seat
RankCity/Town/etc.Municipal typePopulation
1† 'TiptonCity3,149
2Wilton City2,924
3West Branch City2,509
4Durant City1,871
5ClarenceCity1,039
6MechanicsvilleCity1,020
7LowdenCity807
8StanwoodCity637
9BennettCity347
10Rochester'CDP142

Notable people

Cedar County, like nearby Louisa County, is a reliable bellwether for the state of Iowa, having voted for the statewide winner in every presidential election since 1952.

Education

School districts include: