42°44′18″N 96°13′13″W / 42.73833°N 96.22028°W / 42.73833; -96.22028

Plymouth County
County
Plymouth County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°44′18″N 96°13′13″W / 42.738333333333°N 96.220277777778°W / 42.738333333333; -96.220277777778
Country	United States
State	Iowa
Founded	January 15, 1851
Named for	Plymouth, Massachusetts
Seat	Le Mars
Largest city	Le Mars
Area
• Total	864 sq mi (2,240 km2)
• Land	863 sq mi (2,240 km2)
• Water	0.8 sq mi (2 km2)  0.1%
Population  (2020)
• Total	25,698
• Density	30/sq mi (11/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th
Website	www.co.plymouth.ia.us

Plymouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,698.^[1] The county seat is Le Mars.^[2] Plymouth County was named after Plymouth, Massachusetts.^[3]

Plymouth County is part of the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Plymouth County was formed on January 15, 1851. Settlement began in the county in 1856. In October 1859, the first courthouse was built in Melbourne, formerly located in the southeast quarter of section 34, Plymouth Township, about five to six miles due south of Merrill.^[4] The first public school opened its doors there with 32 pupils. In 1872 the county seat was moved to Le Mars and a courthouse and jail were built there in 1873. The present Plymouth County Courthouse was built in 1900 of red sandstone.^[5]

During the Great Depression, farmers in the county organized the Farmers Holiday Group, to keep farm products off the market until the desired price was met. A radical group among them abducted Judge Bradley from his court chamber and threatened to hang him in the front of the courthouse. Bradley was freed, but the governor ordered the national guard to Plymouth County and declared a state of emergency, which effectively ended the group.^[5][6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 864 square miles (2,240 km²), of which 863 square miles (2,240 km²) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) (0.1%) is water.^[7] It is the fourth-largest county by area in Iowa.

Adjacent counties

• Sioux County (north)
• Cherokee County (east)
• Woodbury County (south)
• Union County, South Dakota (west)

Transportation

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 75
• Iowa Highway 3
• Iowa Highway 12
• Iowa Highway 60
• Iowa Highway 140

Airport

Le Mars Municipal Airport is located in Plymouth County, two nautical miles (3.7 km) southwest of the central business district of Le Mars.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 25,698 in the county, with a population density of 29.7132/sq mi (11.47233/km²). 95.81% of the population reported being of one race. There were 10,818 housing units, of which 10,171 were occupied.^[1]

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 24,986 in the county, with a population density of 28.9337/sq mi (11.17137/km²). There were 10,550 housing units, of which 9,875 were occupied.^[15]

2000 census

As of the census^[16] of 2000, there were 24,849 people, 9,372 households, and 6,804 families in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11 people/km²). There were 9,880 housing units at an average density of 11 units per square mile (4.2 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.16% White, 0.29% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 1.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 9,372 households 35.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.30% were married couples living together, 6.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 24.00% of households were one person and 12.00% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.12.

The age distribution was 28.30% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.70 males.

The median household income was $41,638 and the median family income was $50,009. Males had a median income of $33,566 versus $22,558 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,442. About 4.40% of families and 6.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.70% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.

Points of interest

The Pappas Telecasting Tower,^[17] with a height of 603.5 metres (1,980 ft), is one of the tallest masts in the world.

Notable people

• William G. Kirchner, Minnesota state legislator and banker
• Ralph Klemme, Iowa state legislator and farmer
• Jim Nicholson, Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Republican National Chairman and U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican
• Johnny Niggeling,^[18] Major league baseball pitcher
• Paul Rust, actor and comedian
• Thomas Starzl, innovator in organ transplant surgery
• Isaac S. Struble, Congressman (1883–1891) after whom Struble is named
• William Garner Waddel, South Dakota State Senator

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Plymouth County.^[1]

† county seat

Politics

Like most of Northwest Iowa, Plymouth County is a Republican Party stronghold. Lyndon B. Johnson is the last Democrat to win the county in a presidential election, and in elections from 1896 on it has only been won by a Democrat nationally four other times.