Shelby County, Iowa
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,746.[1] The county seat and the largest city is Harlan.[2] Its name is in honor of Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky.
History
[edit]Shelby County was established on January 15, 1851. It was named after General Isaac Shelby, a hero in the American Revolutionary War and the first Governor of Kentucky.
Early settlement in Shelby County began in 1848 in Galand's Grove.[3] On February 4, 1855, Shelbyville was designated as the county seat. In April 1859, the county seat was moved to Harlan. One year later, the first courthouse was erected, and a second courthouse was constructed in 1875. In 1892, construction of the present courthouse began, this time using stone and building it three stories high. Construction was completed in 1893, with the dedication on September 14. The 1892 Shelby County Courthouse and the surrounding buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 23, 1994.[4] In 1978, the building was extensively restored and continues to serve as the courthouse.
Starting in the 1870s, many Danish immigrants came to settle in Elk Horn in the southeastern portion of the county, and in Kimballton in adjoining Audubon County. More people with Danish ancestry live in this area today than any other rural community aside from Denmark itself.[5]
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 591 square miles (1,530 km2), of which 591 square miles (1,530 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (0.1%) is water.[6]
Major highways
[edit]- File:US 59.svg U.S. Highway 59
- File:Elongated circle 37.svg Iowa Highway 37
- File:Elongated circle 44.svg Iowa Highway 44
- File:Elongated circle 173.svg Iowa Highway 173
- File:Elongated circle 191.svg Iowa Highway 191
- County Highway M16
- County Highway F58
- County Highway F32
- County Highway F24
- County Highway M36
Attractions
[edit]Adjacent counties
[edit]- Crawford County (north)
- Audubon County (east)
- Cass County (southeast)
- Pottawattamie County (south)
- Harrison County (west)
Demographics
[edit]2020 census
[edit]
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 11,746 and a population density of Template:Pop density.[7] 96.51% of the population reported being of one race. The racial makeup of the county was 93.6% White (including 90.06% non-Hispanic White), 0.5% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 1.6% some other race, and 3.5% from two or more races; Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.5% of the population. Combined, 5.07% were some other race or more than one race.[8]
The median age was 46.4 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.9 males age 18 and over.[7]
40.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 59.9% lived in rural areas.[9]
There were 4,981 households in the county, of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.7% were married-couple households, 18.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 5,421 housing units, of which 4,981 were occupied, yielding an 8.1% vacancy rate; 77.2% of occupied housing units were owner-occupied and 22.8% were renter-occupied, the homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.1%.[7]
2010 census
[edit]The 2010 census recorded a population of 12,167 in the county, with a population density of Template:Pop density. There were 5,542 housing units, of which 5,085 were occupied.[10]
2000 census
[edit]As of the census of 2000, there were 13,173 people, 5,173 households, and 3,703 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile (8.5 people/km2). There were 5,459 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (3.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.68% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.18% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. 0.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 5,173 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.30% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.40% under the age of 18, 5.70% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 20.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,442, and the median income for a family was $44,681. Males had a median income of $29,402 versus $20,296 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,969. About 4.30% of families and 6.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.00% of those under age 18 and 7.60% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
[edit]Cities
[edit]Census-designated places
[edit]Other unincorporated places
[edit]Townships
[edit]Population ranking
[edit]The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Shelby County.[1]
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
Population (2024 Estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Harlan | City | 4,893 | 4,869 |
| 2 | Shelby (partially in Pottawattamie County) | City | 716 (727 total) | 716 (730 total) |
| 3 | Elk Horn | City | 601 | 595 |
| 4 | Earling | City | 397 | 400 |
| 5 | Irwin | City | 319 | 304 |
| 6 | Defiance | City | 245 | 253 |
| 7 | Panama | City | 235 | 244 |
| 8 | Portsmouth | City | 182 | 188 |
| 9 | Westphalia | City | 126 | 122 |
| 10 | Tennant | City | 78 | 72 |
| 11 | Kirkman | City | 56 | 52 |
| 12 | Corley | CDP | 31 | 38 |
| 13 | Jacksonville | CDP | 29 | 32 |
Politics
[edit]| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1896 | 2,019 | 47.85% | 2,175 | 51.55% | 25 | 0.59% |
| 1900 | 2,182 | 51.47% | 2,010 | 47.42% | 47 | 1.11% |
| 1904 | 2,310 | 57.69% | 1,584 | 39.56% | 110 | 2.75% |
| 1908 | 1,973 | 49.34% | 1,935 | 48.39% | 91 | 2.28% |
| 1912 | 872 | 22.63% | 1,841 | 47.78% | 1,140 | 29.59% |
| 1916 | 1,898 | 47.50% | 2,060 | 51.55% | 38 | 0.95% |
| 1920 | 4,621 | 70.55% | 1,882 | 28.73% | 47 | 0.72% |
| 1924 | 3,252 | 47.96% | 2,297 | 33.88% | 1,231 | 18.16% |
| 1928 | 3,459 | 48.85% | 3,604 | 50.90% | 18 | 0.25% |
| 1932 | 2,478 | 32.86% | 4,940 | 65.52% | 122 | 1.62% |
| 1936 | 3,490 | 42.40% | 4,264 | 51.80% | 477 | 5.80% |
| 1940 | 4,613 | 54.53% | 3,811 | 45.05% | 36 | 0.43% |
| 1944 | 3,873 | 55.86% | 2,978 | 42.95% | 82 | 1.18% |
| 1948 | 3,301 | 47.60% | 3,499 | 50.45% | 135 | 1.95% |
| 1952 | 5,135 | 64.68% | 2,762 | 34.79% | 42 | 0.53% |
| 1956 | 4,425 | 56.78% | 3,300 | 42.35% | 68 | 0.87% |
| 1960 | 4,210 | 55.08% | 3,427 | 44.83% | 7 | 0.09% |
| 1964 | 2,928 | 41.03% | 4,148 | 58.12% | 61 | 0.85% |
| 1968 | 3,886 | 58.65% | 2,365 | 35.69% | 375 | 5.66% |
| 1972 | 4,052 | 62.93% | 2,259 | 35.08% | 128 | 1.99% |
| 1976 | 3,301 | 52.72% | 2,851 | 45.54% | 109 | 1.74% |
| 1980 | 4,147 | 64.03% | 1,892 | 29.21% | 438 | 6.76% |
| 1984 | 4,200 | 64.25% | 2,291 | 35.05% | 46 | 0.70% |
| 1988 | 3,019 | 51.52% | 2,806 | 47.88% | 35 | 0.60% |
| 1992 | 2,809 | 42.92% | 2,094 | 32.00% | 1,641 | 25.08% |
| 1996 | 3,056 | 51.44% | 2,176 | 36.63% | 709 | 11.93% |
| 2000 | 3,655 | 60.83% | 2,179 | 36.26% | 175 | 2.91% |
| 2004 | 4,256 | 63.81% | 2,355 | 35.31% | 59 | 0.88% |
| 2008 | 3,488 | 54.04% | 2,863 | 44.35% | 104 | 1.61% |
| 2012 | 3,911 | 60.33% | 2,469 | 38.08% | 103 | 1.59% |
| 2016 | 4,362 | 68.48% | 1,662 | 26.09% | 346 | 5.43% |
| 2020 | 4,697 | 69.12% | 1,959 | 28.83% | 139 | 2.05% |
| 2024 | 4,600 | 70.71% | 1,811 | 27.84% | 94 | 1.45% |
| 2016 | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "2020 Census State Redistricting Data". census.gov. United states Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
- ↑ A brief history, Shelby County Iowa website
- ↑ Shelby County Attractions
- ↑ Dane, IOWA Pathways, Retrieved 25 March 2025
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ↑ "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010" (PDF). United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
- ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
Further reading
[edit]- "History of Shelby County, Iowa". Biographical history of Shelby and Audubon counties, Iowa. Chicago: W. S. Dunbar & Company. 1889. pp. 229–292. LCCN rc01000975. (Template:Internet Archive Template:Internet Archive Template:HathiTrust Catalog)
- White, Edward Speer (1915). Past and present of Shelby County, Iowa. Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company. (Template:Internet Archive Template:Internet Archive Template:HathiTrust Catalog)
- Moe, Edward O., and Carl Cleveland Taylor. Culture of a contemporary rural community: Irwin, Iowa (US Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Agricultural Economics, 1942) online
External links
[edit] |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shelby County, Iowa. |
Template:Shelby County, Iowa Template:Iowa Coordinates: 41°40′53″N 95°18′46″W / 41.68139°N 95.31278°W