Mitchell County was founded in 1851. It is not clear whom the county is named after; the county website mentions John Mitchel, an early surveyor, and an Irish patriot.[3][4] The county's courthouse was completed in 1858,[5] and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The courthouse has since been razed.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 470 square miles (1,200 km2), of which 469 square miles (1,210 km2) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) (0.09%) is water.[6]
The 2020 census recorded a population of 10,565 in the county, with a population density of 22.8027/sq mi (8.8042/km2). 97.47% of the population reported being of one race. 93.84% were non-Hispanic White, 0.40% were Black, 1.83% were Hispanic, 0.11% were Native American, 0.44% were Asian, 0.04% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 3.35% were some other race or more than one race. There were 4,847 housing units, of which 4,382 were occupied.[1]
2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,776 in the county, with a population density of 22.9805/sq mi (8.8728/km2). There were 4,850 housing units, of which 4,395 were occupied.[13]
2000 census
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Mitchell County's 99% White population makes it the county with the smallest percentage of minorities nationally.[14]
As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 10,874 people, 4,294 households, and 2,984 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile (8.9 people/km2). There were 4,594 housing units at an average density of 10 units per square mile (3.9 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 99.27% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races, and 0.21% from two or more races; 0.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,294 households, out of which 30.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.80% were married couples living together, 5.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.40% 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 3.02.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.50% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 24.20% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 21.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.70 males; for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,843, and the median income for a family was $41,233. Males had a median income of $29,601 versus $22,054 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,809. About 7.00% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.50% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Starting with Michael Dukakis's win in 1988, Mitchell County became a Democratic leaning county, voting for Democrats in all presidential elections through 2012. Mitchell County was the whitest county in the United States that voted for President Barack Obama, both in 2008 and 2012.[16]
In 2016, Trump became the first Republican to win the county since Ronald Reagan in 1984, winning it by a 24% margin, the largest margin for a presidential candidate since 1968. He won it again in 2020, by an even larger 28% margin, the largest margin for any candidate since 1952. 2020 also marked the first time since 1960 that a Democrat was elected president without carrying Mitchell County.
United States presidential election results for Mitchell County, Iowa[17]
In January 2017, Mitchell County supervisors denied an application for an Iowa Select contracted farm in Lincoln Township. It was planned for 5,000-hogs.[18]
^Census Bureau data, cited in "Minorities now in the majority in nearly 10% of U.S. counties", Associated Press August 8, 2007, Lexington Herald-Leader p A8
