Johnson County, Iowa

Johnson County is located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2010 census, the population was 130,882[1] making it the fifth-most populous county in Iowa. The county seat is Iowa City,[2] home of the University of Iowa.

Johnson County
U.S. county
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°40′00″N 91°35′00″W
Country United States
State Iowa
FoundedDecember 21, 1837
Named forLulu Johnson, Richard Mentor Johnson
SeatIowa City
Largest cityIowa City
Area
 • Total623 sq mi (1,610 km2)
 • Land614 sq mi (1,590 km2)
 • Water9.1 sq mi (24 km2)  1.5%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total130,882
 • Estimate 
(2019)
151,140
 • Density210/sq mi (81/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district2nd

Johnson County is included in the Iowa City metropolitan area, which is also included in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Corridor Combined Statistical Area.[3]

History

Johnson County was established in December 1837 by the legislature of the Wisconsin Territory, one of thirteen counties established by that body in a comprehensive act.[4] The county's area was partitioned from Dubuque County, and was not initially provided with a civil government, instead being governed by Cedar County officials. It was named for the US Vice President Richard M. Johnson.[5] In 2020 the county board of supervisors unanimously renamed the county after historian Lulu Merle Johnson.[6] It is one of two counties named after an African American, along with King County, Washington.

The first courthouse in the county was a two-story log cabin structure, built in 1838 in the settlement of Napoleon,[7] about two miles south of the current courthouse.[8] The building stood across from what later would become the James McCollister Farmstead on land later owned by Philip Clark.

Old Johnson County Courthouse, Iowa City, 1857-1899

After Iowa City was established by fiat as the new territorial capitol of Iowa, the county seat was removed there.[9] The second Johnson County Courthouse, the first in Iowa City, was built on Lot 8 Block 8 of the County Seat Addition to Iowa City in 1842 for $3,690.[8] This location was in the southeast corner of the intersection of Harrison and Clinton Streets. The building was 56 x 28 feet and two stories tall.[10] It was built by James Trimble, who had previously built the first jail.[8]

A third courthouse was built in 1857 in the courthouse square on Clinton Street between Court and Harrison Streets. It was used until 1901, after cracks appeared in its south wall in 1899.[11] The building was apparently built of brick with stone and wood ornamentation.[12]

The Richardsonian Romanesque style courthouse in use today was designed by the firm of Rush, Bowman and Rush of Grand Rapids, Michigan.[13] It was bid at a cost of $111,000 and built by the firm Rowson & Son of Johnson County.[14] The cornerstone was laid in December 1899.[15] The building's tower was based on Henry Hobson Richardson's design for the spire of Trinity Church in Boston.[16] The building was dedicated on June 8, 1901.[17] The currently unused jail that stands to the west of the courthouse was designed by C.L. Wundt of Burlington, Iowa on behalf of the Stewart Iron Works in Cleveland and bid for $14,000.[18]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 623 square miles (1,610 km2), of which 614 square miles (1,590 km2) is land and 9.1 square miles (24 km2) (1.5%) is water.[19]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18504,472—
186017,573293.0%
187024,89841.7%
188025,4292.1%
189023,082−9.2%
190024,8177.5%
191025,9144.4%
192026,4622.1%
193030,27614.4%
194033,1919.6%
195045,75637.9%
196053,66317.3%
197072,12734.4%
198081,71713.3%
199096,11917.6%
2000111,00615.5%
2010130,88217.9%
2019 (est.)151,140[20]15.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[21]
1790-1960[22] 1900-1990[23]
1990-2000[24] 2010-2019[1]

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 130,882 in the county, with a population density of 212.9964/sq mi (82.2384/km2). There were 55,967 housing units, of which 52,715 were occupied.[25]

2000 census
2000 Census Age Pyramid for Johnson County

As of the census[26] of 2000, there were 111,006 people, 44,080 households, and 23,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 181 people per square mile (70/km2). There were 45,831 housing units at an average density of 75 per square mile (29/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.13% White, 2.90% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 4.12% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. 2.51% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 44,080 households, out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.90% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.50% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.97.

Age spread: 20.10% under the age of 18, 23.40% from 18 to 24, 30.80% from 25 to 44, 18.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,060, and the median income for a family was $60,112. Males had a median income of $36,279 versus $29,793 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,220. About 5.20% of families and 15.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.10% of those under age 18 and 3.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Largely due to the presence of the University of Iowa, Johnson County is considered the most liberal county in Iowa and a stronghold of the Democratic Party. It has been the strongest Democratic county in the state since 1984. This trend predates the recent swing toward the Democrats in counties influenced by college towns. The last Republican to win the county in a presidential election was Richard Nixon in 1960, and the last Republican to even get 40 percent of the county's vote was Ronald Reagan in 1984. As a measure of how strongly Democratic the county has been, Democrats easily carried it even in the national Republican landslides of 1972, 1984 and 1988.

Johnson County's Democratic bent is just as pronounced at the state level. It is often the lone county to vote Democratic in statewide Republican landslides, such as Senator Chuck Grassley's re-elections in 2010 and 2016 or Governor Terry Branstad's re-election in 2014.

Presidential Elections Results
Presidential Elections Results[27][28]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 27.3% 22,925 70.6% 59,177 2.1% 1,749
2016 27.4% 21,044 65.3% 50,200 7.4% 5,696
2012 31.2% 23,698 66.7% 50,666 2.1% 1,613
2008 28.4% 20,732 69.9% 51,027 1.7% 1,230
2004 34.8% 22,715 64.0% 41,847 1.2% 811
2000 33.9% 17,899 59.1% 31,174 7.0% 3,696
1996 29.3% 13,402 61.0% 27,888 9.7% 4,442
1992 27.1% 14,041 55.4% 28,656 17.5% 9,077
1988 34.6% 15,453 64.4% 28,759 1.0% 435
1984 41.5% 18,677 57.7% 26,000 0.8% 367
1980 31.7% 13,642 46.8% 20,122 21.5% 9,233
1976 41.6% 16,090 52.2% 20,208 6.2% 2,412
1972 40.9% 14,823 57.7% 20,922 1.4% 491
1968 43.9% 11,384 52.2% 13,541 3.9% 1,019
1964 31.7% 6,860 68.1% 14,717 0.2% 41
1960 50.8% 10,927 49.1% 10,563 0.1% 18
1956 56.3% 11,298 43.7% 8,767 0.1% 11
1952 58.0% 11,231 41.7% 8,067 0.3% 52
1948 43.8% 7,139 52.8% 8,611 3.4% 553
1944 42.9% 6,396 56.6% 8,434 0.5% 67
1940 44.3% 7,206 55.4% 9,017 0.3% 55
1936 38.2% 5,629 59.7% 8,794 2.2% 320
1932 37.9% 5,484 60.5% 8,764 1.6% 235
1928 50.3% 7,288 49.5% 7,181 0.2% 29
1924 44.5% 5,741 35.5% 4,570 20.0% 2,580
1920 52.2% 5,696 46.1% 5,032 1.8% 195
1916 42.2% 2,704 57.0% 3,650 0.8% 49
1912 28.0% 1,645 56.5% 3,327 15.5% 914
1908 44.8% 2,758 53.9% 3,314 1.3% 79
1904 48.3% 2,963 50.3% 3,085 1.5% 91
1900 48.1% 3,010 50.9% 3,182 1.1% 66
1896 47.1% 2,910 51.3% 3,170 1.7% 104
1892 39.4% 2,179 58.3% 3,227 2.4% 131
1888 40.2% 2,051 59.5% 3,038 0.4% 19
1884 38.7% 2,019 60.4% 3,151 0.9% 46
1880 44.9% 2,400 51.7% 2,766 3.4% 180

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Townships

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Johnson County.[29]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 † Iowa City City 67,862
2 Coralville City 18,907
3 North Liberty City 13,374
4 West Branch (mostly in Cedar County) City 2,322
5 Solon City 2,037
6 Tiffin City 1,947
7 Lone Tree City 1,300
8 University Heights City 1,051
9 Swisher City 879
10 Oxford City 807
11 Hills City 703
12 Shueyville City 577
13 Frytown CDP 165

Notable natives

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. United States Office of Management and Budget. "Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses" (PDF). pp. 5, 36. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 14, 2006. Retrieved July 21, 2006.
  4. The other counties created on December 21, 1837: Benton, Buchanan, Cedar, Clayton, Clinton, Delaware, Fayette, Jackson, Jones, Keokuk, Linn, and Scott.
  5. History of Johnson County, Iowa 1836-1882 (1883). Reproduction by Unigraphic Inc. pp. 165-6.
  6. "Johnson County switches its namesake from slave owner to Black scholar". The Gazette.
  7. This no longer exists as a separate settlement but as part of Iowa City. Its former existence is recognized by the present Napoleon Park, accessed via Napoleon Lane (41.63350N, 91.53147W). Napoleon Lane Google Maps (accessed 18 August 2018)
  8. Aurner, p. 492.
  9. Aurner, pp. 47, 72.
  10. Aurner, pp. 21, 492.
  11. Aurner, p. 494.
  12. Aurner, p. 65.
  13. Daily Iowa State Press, April 1, 1899, p. 5
  14. Aurner, pp. 496-7.
  15. Aurner, p. 496.
  16. "The Johnson County Courthouse". Archived from the original on June 17, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2008.
  17. Aurner, p. 496
  18. Aurner, p. 497.
  19. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  20. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  21. "U.S. Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  22. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  23. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  24. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  25. "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010". US Census Bureau – American FactFinder. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  26. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  27. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  28. http://geoelections.free.fr/. Retrieved January 13, 2021. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. "2010 U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  • Charles Ray Aurner, Leading Events in Johnson County, Iowa, History, Volume I (1912) reproduction by Torch Press, Cedar Rapids IA

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