Iowa - wikipedia Iowa For other uses, see Iowa ( disambiguation ). State of Iowa Flag Seal Nickname ( s ) : Hawkeye State Motto ( s ) : Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. Official language English Demonym Iowan Capital ( and largest city ) Des Moines Largest metro Des Moines metropolitan area Area Ranked 26th Total 56,272.81 sq mi ( 145,746 km ) Width 200 miles ( 322 km ) Length 310 miles ( 499 km ) % water 0.70 Latitude 40 ° 23 ′ N to 43 ° 30 ′ N Longitude 90 ° 8 ′ W to 96 ° 38 ′ W Population Ranked 30th Total 3,145,711 ( 2017 est. ) Density 54.8 / sq mi ( 21.2 / km ) Ranked 36th Median household income $60,855 ( 16th ) Elevation Highest point Hawkeye Point 1,671 ft ( 509 m ) Mean 1,100 ft ( 340 m ) Lowest point Confluence of Mississippi River and Des Moines River 480 ft ( 146 m ) Before statehood Iowa Territory Admission to Union December 28, 1846 ( 29th ) Governor Kim Reynolds ( R ) Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg ( R, Acting ) Legislature Iowa General Assembly Upper house Senate Lower house House of Representatives U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley ( R ) Joni Ernst ( R ) U.S. House delegation 1 : Rod Blum ( R ) 2 : Dave Loebsack ( D ) 3 : David Young ( R ) 4 : Steve King ( R ) ( list ) Time zone Central : UTC − 6 / − 5 ISO 3166 US - IA Abbreviations IA Website www.iowa.gov show Iowa state symbols The Flag of Iowa The Seal of Iowa Living insignia Bird Eastern goldfinch Flower Wild rose Grass Pseudoroegneria spicata Tree Bur oak Inanimate insignia Motto Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. Rock Geode Song The Song of Iowa State route marker State quarter Released in 2004 Lists of United States state symbols Iowa ( / ˈaɪ. əwə / ( listen ) ) is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri and Big Sioux rivers to the west. It is bordered by six states ; Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the east, Missouri to the south, Nebraska to the west, South Dakota to the northwest, and Minnesota to the north. In colonial times, Iowa was a part of French Louisiana and Spanish Louisiana ; its state flag is patterned after the flag of France. After the Louisiana Purchase, people laid the foundation for an agriculture - based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt. In the latter half of the 20th century, Iowa 's agricultural economy made the transition to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing, processing, financial services, information technology, biotechnology, and green energy production. Iowa is the 26th most extensive in land area and the 30th most populous of the 50 U.S states. Its capital and largest city by population is Des Moines. Iowa has been listed as one of the safest states in which to live. Its nickname is the Hawkeye State. Contents 1 Etymology 2 Geography 2.1 Boundaries 2.2 Geology and terrain 2.3 Ecology and environment 3 Climate 4 Prehistory 5 History 5.1 Early exploration and trade, 1673 -- 1808 5.2 War of 1812 and unstable U.S. control 5.3 Trade and Indian removal, 1814 -- 1832 5.4 U.S. settlement and statehood, 1832 -- 1860 5.5 Civil War, 1861 -- 1865 5.6 Agricultural expansion, 1865 -- 1930 5.7 Depression, World War II, and the rise of manufacturing, 1930 -- 1985 5.8 Reemergence as a mixed economy, 1985 -- present 6 Demographics 6.1 Population 6.2 Settlement 6.3 Birth data 6.4 Religion 6.5 Language 7 Attractions 7.1 Central Iowa 7.2 Eastern Iowa 7.3 Western Iowa 7.4 Northeast and Northern Iowa 7.5 Statewide 8 Economy 8.1 Manufacturing 8.2 Agriculture 8.3 Health insurance 8.4 Other sectors 8.5 Taxation 9 Transportation 9.1 Interstate highways 9.2 Airports with scheduled flights 9.3 Railroads 10 Law and government 10.1 State 10.2 National 10.3 Political parties 10.4 Voter trends 10.5 Presidential caucus 10.6 Civil rights 11 Sister jurisdictions 12 Education 12.1 Primary and secondary schools 12.2 Colleges and universities 13 Culture 13.1 Arts 13.2 Sports 13.2. 1 College sports 13.2. 2 Baseball 13.2. 3 Ice hockey 13.2. 4 Soccer 13.2. 5 Other sports 14 Notable Iowans 15 See also 16 Notes 17 References 18 External links Etymology Iowa derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many Native American tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Geography Main article : Geography of Iowa Boundaries See also : List of counties in Iowa Topography of Iowa, with counties and major streams Iowa is bordered by the Mississippi River on the east ; the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River on the west ; the northern boundary is a line along 43 degrees, 30 minutes north latitude. The southern border is the Des Moines River and a not - quite - straight line along approximately 40 degrees 35 minutes north, as decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in Missouri v. Iowa ( 1849 ) after a standoff between Missouri and Iowa known as the Honey War. Iowa is the only state whose east and west borders are formed entirely by rivers. Iowa has 99 counties, but 100 county seats because Lee County has two. The state capital, Des Moines, is in Polk County. Geology and terrain DeSoto Lake at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge Fountain Springs Park in Delaware County, Iowa Iowa 's bedrock geology generally increases in age from west to east. In northwest Iowa, Cretaceous bedrock can be 74 million years old ; in eastern Iowa Cambrian bedrock dates to c. 500 million years ago. Iowa is generally not flat ; most of the state consists of rolling hills. Iowa can be divided into eight landforms based on glaciation, soils, topography, and river drainage. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state, some of which are several hundred feet thick. Northeast Iowa along the Mississippi River is part of the Driftless Zone, consisting of steep hills and valleys which appear almost mountainous. Several natural lakes exist, most notably Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa ( see Iowa Great Lakes ). To the east lies Clear Lake. Man - made lakes include Lake Odessa, Saylorville Lake, Lake Red Rock, Coralville Lake, Lake MacBride, and Rathbun Lake. The state 's northwest area has many remnants of the once common wetlands, such as Barringer Slough. Ecology and environment Main article : Environment of Iowa Iowa 's natural vegetation is tallgrass prairie and savanna in upland areas, with dense forest and wetlands in flood plains and protected river valleys, and pothole wetlands in northern prairie areas. Most of Iowa is used for agriculture ; crops cover 60 % of the state, grasslands ( mostly pasture and hay with some prairie and wetland ) cover 30 %, and forests cover 7 % ; urban areas and water cover another 1 % each. There is a dearth of natural areas in Iowa ; less than 1 % of the tallgrass prairie that once covered most of Iowa remains intact ; only about 5 % of the state 's prairie pothole wetlands remain, and most of the original forest has been lost. As of 2005 Iowa ranked 49th of U.S. states in public land holdings. Threatened or endangered animals in Iowa include the interior least tern, piping plover, Indiana bat, pallid sturgeon, the Iowa Pleistocene land snail, Higgins ' eye pearly mussel, and the Topeka shiner. Endangered or threatened plants include western prairie fringed orchid, eastern prairie fringed orchid, Mead 's milkweed, prairie bush clover, and northern wild monkshood. The explosion in the number of high - density livestock facilities in Iowa has led to increased rural water contamination and a decline in air quality. Other factors negatively affecting Iowa 's environment include the extensive use of older coal - fired power plants, fertilizer and pesticide runoff from crop production, and diminishment of the Jordan Aquifer. Climate Köppen climate types in Iowa Iowa annual rainfall, in inches Iowa has a humid continental climate throughout the state ( Köppen climate classification Dfa ) with extremes of both heat and cold. The average annual temperature at Des Moines is 50 ° F ( 10 ° C ) ; for some locations in the north the figure is under 45 ° F ( 7 ° C ), while Keokuk, on the Mississippi River, averages 52 ° F ( 11 ° C ). Winters are often harsh and snowfall is common. Spring ushers in the beginning of the severe weather season. Iowa averages about 50 days of thunderstorm activity per year. The 30 year annual average Tornadoes in Iowa is 47. In 2008, twelve people were killed by tornadoes in Iowa, making it the deadliest year since 1968 and also the second most tornadoes in a year with 105, matching the total from 2001. Iowa summers are known for heat and humidity, with daytime temperatures sometimes near 90 ° F ( 32 ° C ) and occasionally exceeding 100 ° F ( 38 ° C ). Average winters in the state have been known to drop well below freezing, even dropping below − 18 ° F ( − 28 ° C ). Iowa 's all - time hottest temperature of 118 ° F ( 48 ° C ) was recorded at Keokuk on July 20, 1934 ; the all - time lowest temperature of − 47 ° F ( − 44 ° C ) was recorded at Elkader on February 3, 1996. Monthly normal high and low temperatures for various Iowa cities ( ° F ) City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Davenport 30 / 13 36 / 19 48 / 29 61 / 41 72 / 52 81 / 63 85 / 68 83 / 66 76 / 57 65 / 45 48 / 32 35 / 20 Des Moines 31 / 14 36 / 19 49 / 30 62 / 41 72 / 52 82 / 62 86 / 67 84 / 65 76 / 55 63 / 43 48 / 31 34 / 18 Keokuk 34 / 17 39 / 21 50 / 30 63 / 42 73 / 52 83 / 62 87 / 67 85 / 65 78 / 56 66 / 44 51 / 33 33 / 21 Mason City 24 / 6 29 / 12 41 / 23 57 / 35 69 / 46 79 / 57 82 / 61 80 / 58 73 / 49 60 / 37 43 / 25 28 / 11 Sioux City 31 / 10 35 / 15 47 / 26 62 / 37 73 / 49 82 / 59 86 / 63 83 / 63 76 / 51 63 / 38 46 / 25 32 / 13 Iowa has a relatively smooth gradient of varying precipitation across the state, with areas in the southeast of the state receiving an average of over 38 inches ( 97 cm ) of rain annually, and the northwest of the state receiving less than 28 inches ( 71 cm ). The pattern of precipitation across Iowa is seasonal, with more rain falling in the summer months. In Des Moines, roughly in the center of the state, over two - thirds of the 34.72 inches ( 88.2 cm ) of rain falls from April through September, and about half of the average annual precipitation falls from May through August. Prehistory Excavation of the 3,800 - year - old Edgewater Park Site. Main articles : Iowa archaeology and Indians of Iowa When American Indians first arrived in what is now Iowa more than 13,000 years ago, they were hunters and gatherers living in a Pleistocene glacial landscape. By the time European explorers and traders visited Iowa, American Indians were largely settled farmers with complex economic, social, and political systems. This transformation happened gradually. During the Archaic period ( 10,500 -- 2,800 years ago ), American Indians adapted to local environments and ecosystems, slowly becoming more sedentary as populations increased. More than 3,000 years ago, during the Late Archaic period, American Indians in Iowa began utilizing domesticated plants. The subsequent Woodland period saw an increased reliance on agriculture and social complexity, with increased use of mounds, ceramics, and specialized subsistence. During the Late Prehistoric period ( beginning about AD 900 ) increased use of maize and social changes led to social flourishing and nucleated settlements. The arrival of European trade goods and diseases in the Protohistoric period led to dramatic population shifts and economic and social upheaval, with the arrival of new tribes and early European explorers and traders. There were numerous Indian tribes living in Iowa at the time of early European exploration. Tribes which were probably descendants of the prehistoric Oneota include the Dakota, Ho - Chunk, Ioway, and Otoe. Tribes which arrived in Iowa in the late prehistoric or protohistoric periods include the Illiniwek, Meskwaki, Omaha, and Sauk. History Main article : History of Iowa Early exploration and trade, 1673 -- 1808 Iowa in 1718. Modern state area highlighted. The first known European explorers to document Iowa were Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet who traveled the Mississippi River in 1673 documenting several Indian villages on the Iowa side. The area of Iowa was claimed for France and remained a French territory until 1763. The French, before their impending defeat in the French and Indian War, transferred ownership to their ally, Spain. Spain practiced very loose control over the Iowa region, granting trading licenses to French and British traders, who established trading posts along the Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers. Iowa was part of a territory known as La Louisiane or Louisiana, and European traders were interested in lead and furs obtained by Indians. The Sauk and Meskwaki effectively controlled trade on the Mississippi in the late 18th century and early 19th century. Among the early traders on the Mississippi were Julien Dubuque, Robert La Salle, and Paul Marin. Along the Missouri River at least five French and English trading houses were built before 1808. In 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte took control of Louisiana from Spain in a treaty. After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, Congress divided the Louisiana Purchase into two parts -- the Territory of Orleans and the District of Louisiana. The latter, of which in was placed. Iowa was placed under United States jurisdiction of the Territory of Indiana, with William Henry Harrison. Much of Iowa was mapped by Zebulon Pike in 1805, but it was not until the construction of Fort Madison in 1808 that the U.S. established tenuous military control over the region. War of 1812 and unstable U.S. control Plan of Fort Madison, 1810. Fort Madison was built to control trade and establish U.S. dominance over the Upper Mississippi, but it was poorly designed and disliked by the Sauk and Ho - Chunk, many of whom allied with the British, who had not abandoned claims to the territory. Fort Madison was defeated by British - supported Indians in 1813 during the War of 1812, and Fort Shelby in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, also fell to the British. Black Hawk took part in the siege of Fort Madison. After the war, the U.S. re-established control of the region through the construction of Fort Armstrong, Fort Snelling in Minnesota, and Fort Atkinson in Nebraska. Trade and Indian removal, 1814 -- 1832 A map of Iowa Indian Territory Accessions. The U.S. encouraged settlement of the east side of the Mississippi and removal of Indians to the west. Trade continued in furs and lead, but disease and forced population movement decimated Indian cultures and economies. A disputed 1804 treaty between Quashquame and William Henry Harrison that surrendered much of Illinois to the U.S. enraged many Sauk and led to the 1832 Black Hawk War. As punishment for the uprising, and as part of a larger settlement strategy, treaties were subsequently designed to remove all Indians from Iowa. The Sauk and Meskwaki were pushed out of the Mississippi valley in 1832, out of the Iowa River valley in 1843, and out of Iowa altogether in 1846. Many Meskwaki later returned to Iowa and settled near Tama, Iowa ; the Meskwaki Settlement remains to this day. In 1856 the Iowa Legislature passed an unprecedented act allowing the Meskawki to purchase the land ; Indians were not usually permitted to do so. The Ho - Chunk were removed from Iowa in 1850, and the Dakota were removed by the late 1850s. Western Iowa around modern Council Bluffs was used as a way station for other tribes being moved west, including the Potawatomi. U.S. settlement and statehood, 1832 -- 1860 Iowa Territorial Seal. The first American settlers officially moved to Iowa in June 1833. Primarily, they were families from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia. On July 4, 1838, the U.S. Congress established the Territory of Iowa. President Martin Van Buren appointed Robert Lucas governor of the territory, which at the time had 22 counties and a population of 23,242. Almost immediately after achieving territorial status, a clamor arose for statehood. On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29th state in the Union when President James K. Polk signed Iowa 's admission bill into law. Once admitted to the Union, the state 's boundary issues resolved, and most of its land purchased from the Indians, Iowa set its direction to development and organized campaigns for settlers and investors, boasting the young frontier state 's rich farmlands, fine citizens, free and open society, and good government. Iowa has a long tradition of state and county fairs. The first and second Iowa State Fairs were held in the more developed eastern part of the state at Fairfield. The first fair was held October 25 -- 27, 1854, at a cost of around $323. Thereafter, the fair moved to locations closer to the center of the state and in 1886 found a permanent home in Des Moines. The State Fair has been held every year since except for the year 1898 due to the Spanish -- American War and the World 's Fair being held in nearby Omaha, Nebraska. The fair was also a World War II wartime casualty from 1942 -- 1945, as the fairgrounds were being used as an army supply depot. Civil War, 1861 -- 1865 Jane and Samuel Kirkwood, 1852. Iowa supported the Union during the Civil War, voting heavily for Abraham Lincoln, though there was a strong antiwar `` Copperhead '' movement among settlers of southern origins and among Catholics. There were no battles in the state, although the battle of Athens, Missouri, 1861, was fought just across the Des Moines River from Croton, Iowa, and shots from the battle landed in Iowa. Iowa sent large supplies of food to the armies and the eastern cities. Much of Iowa 's support for the Union can be attributed to Samuel J. Kirkwood, its first wartime governor. Of a total population of 675,000, about 116,000 men were subjected to military duty. Iowa contributed proportionately more men to Civil War military service than did any other state, north or south, sending more than 75,000 volunteers to the armed forces, over one - sixth of whom were killed before the Confederates surrendered at Appomattox. Most fought in the great campaigns in the Mississippi Valley and in the South. Iowa troops fought at Wilson 's Creek in Missouri, Pea Ridge in Arkansas, Forts Henry and Donelson, Shiloh, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Rossville Gap as well as Vicksburg, Iuka, and Corinth. They served with the Army of the Potomac in Virginia and fought under Union General Philip Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. Many died and were buried at Andersonville. They marched on General Nathaniel Banks ' ill - starred expedition to the Red River. Twenty - seven Iowans have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government, which was first awarded in the Civil War. Iowa had several brigadier generals and four major generals -- Grenville Mellen Dodge, Samuel R. Curtis, Francis J. Herron, and Frederick Steele -- and saw many of its generals go on to state and national prominence following the war. Agricultural expansion, 1865 -- 1930 Iowa farm, 1875. Following the Civil War, Iowa 's population continued to grow dramatically, from 674,913 people in 1860 to 1,194,020 in 1880. The introduction of railroads in the 1859s and 1860s transformed Iowa into a major agricultural producer. In 1917, the United States entered World War I and farmers as well as all Iowans experienced a wartime economy. For farmers, the change was significant. Since the beginning of the war in 1914, Iowa farmers had experienced economic prosperity. In the economic sector, Iowa also has undergone considerable change. Beginning with the first farm - related industries developed in the 1870s, Iowa has experienced a gradual increase in the number of business and manufacturing operations. Depression, World War II, and the rise of manufacturing, 1930 -- 1985 The transition from an agricultural economy to a mixed economy happened slowly. The Great Depression and World War II accelerated the shift away from smallholder farming to larger farms, and began a trend of urbanization. The period since World War II has witnessed a particular increase in manufacturing operations. While agriculture continued to be the state 's dominant industry, Iowans also produce a wide variety of products including refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens, farm implements, and food products. The Farm Crisis of the 1980s caused a major recession in Iowa, causing poverty not seen since the Depression. The crisis spurred a major, decade - long population decline. Reemergence as a mixed economy, 1985 -- present After bottoming out in the 1980s, Iowa 's economy began to become increasingly less dependent on agriculture, and by the early 21st century was characterized by a mix of manufacturing, biotechnology, finance and insurance services, and government services. The population of Iowa has increased at a faster rate than the U.S. as a whole, and Iowa now has a predominantly urban population. The Iowa Economic Development Authority, created in 2011 has replaced the Iowa Department of Economic Development and its annual reports are a source of economic information. Demographics Population Historical population Census Pop. % ± 1840 43,112 -- 1850 192,214 345.8 % 1860 674,913 251.1 % 1870 1,194,020 76.9 % 1880 1,624,615 36.1 % 1890 1,912,297 17.7 % 1900 2,231,853 16.7 % 1910 2,224,771 − 0.3 % 1920 2,404,021 8.1 % 1930 2,470,939 2.8 % 1940 2,538,268 2.7 % 1950 2,621,073 3.3 % 1960 2,757,537 5.2 % 1970 2,824,376 2.4 % 1980 2,913,808 3.2 % 1990 2,776,755 − 4.7 % 2000 2,926,324 5.4 % 3,046,355 4.1 % Est. 2017 3,145,711 3.3 % Source : 1910 -- 2010 2015 estimate The United States Census Bureau estimates the population of Iowa was 3,123,899 on July 1, 2015, a 2.55 % increase since the 2010 Census. Of the residents of Iowa, 72.2 % were born in Iowa, 23.2 % were born in a different US state, 0.5 % were born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parent ( s ), and 4.1 % were foreign born. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 29,386 people, while migration within the country produced a net loss of 41,140 people. 6.5 % of Iowa 's population were reported as under the age of five, 22.6 % under 18, and 14.7 % were 65 or older. Males made up approximately 49.6 % of the population. The population density of the state is 52.7 people per square mile. The center of population of Iowa is in Marshall County, in the city of Marshalltown. As of the 2010 Census, the population of Iowa was 3,046,355. The gender makeup of the state was 49.5 % male and 50.5 % female. 23.9 % of the population were under the age of 18 ; 61.2 % were between the ages of 18 and 64 ; and 14.9 % were 65 years of age or older. The racial makeup of Iowa as of the 2010 Census was : White : 91.3 % ( 88.7 % non-Hispanic ) Black or African American : 2.9 % American Indian and Alaska Native : 0.4 % Asian : 1.7 % Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander : 0.1 % Other race : 1.8 % Two or more races : 1.8 % Iowa Racial Breakdown of Population Racial composition 1990 2000 White 96.6 % 93.9 % 91.3 % Black or African American 1.7 % 2.1 % 2.9 % American Indian and Alaska Native 0.3 % 0.3 % 0.4 % Asian 0.9 % 1.3 % 1.7 % Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander -- -- 0.1 % Other race 0.5 % 1.3 % 1.8 % Two or more races -- 1.1 % 1.8 % Iowa population density map Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.0 % of the population in 2010 : 3.8 % were of Mexican, 0.2 % Puerto Rican, about 0.0 % Cuban, and 0.9 % other Hispanic or Latino origin. According to the 2010 -- 2015 American Community Survey, the largest ancestry groups were German ( 35.9 % ), Irish ( 13.7 % ), English ( 8.5 % ), American ( 6.2 % ), and Norwegian ( 5.2 % ). Settlement Percent population changes by counties in Iowa, 2000 -- 2009. Dark green counties have gains of more than 5 %. Iowa 's population is more urban than rural, with 61 percent living in urban areas in 2000, a trend that began in the early 20th century. Urban counties in Iowa grew 8.5 % from 2000 to 2008, while rural counties declined by 4.2 %. The shift from rural to urban has caused population increases in more urbanized counties such as Dallas, Johnson, Linn, Polk, and Scott, at the expense of more rural counties. Iowa, in common with other Midwestern states ( especially Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota ), is feeling the brunt of rural flight, although Iowa has been gaining population since approximately 1990. Some smaller communities, such as Denison and Storm Lake, have mitigated this population loss through gains in immigrant laborers. Another demographic problem for Iowa is the brain drain, in which educated young adults leave the state in search of better prospects in higher education or employment. During the 1990s, Iowa had the second highest exodus rate for single, educated young adults, second only to North Dakota. Significant loss of educated young people contributes to economic stagnation and the loss of services for remaining citizens. See also : List of cities in Iowa and List of largest Iowa cities by population Iowa 's largest cities and their surrounding areas Recorded by the United States Census Bureau Rank City 2014 city population 2010 city population Change Metropolitan Statistical Area 2016 metro population 2010 metro population 2016 metro change Des Moines 209,220 203,433 7000284467121853390 ♠ + 2.84 % Des Moines -- West Des Moines 634,725 569,633 7001114270065112099 ♠ + 11.43 % Cedar Rapids 129,195 126,326 7000227110808542980 ♠ + 2.27 % Cedar Rapids 267,799 257,940 7000382220671473990 ♠ + 3.82 % Davenport 104,589 99,685 7000491949641370320 ♠ + 4.92 % Quad Cities 386,630 379,090 7000198897359466090 ♠ + 1.99 % Sioux City 82,517 82,684 3000798026220308640 ♠ − 0.20 % Sioux City 168,806 168,563 6999144159750360400 ♠ + 0.14 % 5 Iowa City 73,415 67,862 7000818278270607999 ♠ + 8.18 % Iowa City 168,828 152,586 7001106444890094770 ♠ + 10.64 % 6 Waterloo 68,364 68,406 3001386018770283320 ♠ − 0.06 % Waterloo -- Cedar Falls 169,993 167,819 7000129544330498930 ♠ + 1.30 % 7 Council Bluffs 62,245 62,230 6998241041298409070 ♠ + 0.02 % Omaha -- Council Bluffs 924,129 865,350 7000679251170046800 ♠ + 6.79 % 8 West Des Moines 63,325 56,609 7001118638379056330 ♠ + 11.86 % Des Moines -- West Des Moines 611,549 9 Ames 63,266 58,965 7000729415755108960 ♠ + 7.29 % Ames 97,090 89,542 7000842956378012550 ♠ + 8.43 % 10 Dubuque 58,436 57,637 7000138626229678850 ♠ + 1.39 % Dubuque 96,370 93,653 7000290113504105580 ♠ + 2.90 % 11 Ankeny 53,801 45,582 7001180312404019130 ♠ + 18.03 % Des Moines -- West Des Moines 611,549 12 Urbandale 43,150 39,463 7000934292881940040 ♠ + 9.34 % Des Moines -- West Des Moines 611,549 13 Cedar Falls 40,859 39,260 7000407284768211919 ♠ + 4.07 % Waterloo -- Cedar Falls 169,993 14 Bettendorf 36,822 33,217 7001108528765391220 ♠ + 10.85 % Quad Cities 386,630 15 Marion 36,774 34,768 7000576967326277040 ♠ + 5.77 % Cedar Rapids 267,799 Birth Data Population age comparison between rural Pocahontas County and urban Polk County, illustrating the flight of young adults ( red ) to urban centers in Iowa. Note : Births in table do n't add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number. Live Births by Single Race / Ethnicity of Mother Race 2013 2014 2015 2016 White : 35,240 ( 90.1 % ) 35,528 ( 89.5 % ) 35,279 ( 89.3 % )... > Non-Hispanic White 32,302 ( 82.6 % ) 32,423 ( 81.7 % ) 32,028 ( 81.1 % ) 31,376 ( 79.6 % ) Black 2,232 ( 5.7 % ) 2,467 ( 6.2 % ) 2,597 ( 6.6 % ) 2,467 ( 6.3 % ) Asian 1,353 ( 3.5 % ) 1,408 ( 3.5 % ) 1,364 ( 3.4 % ) 1,270 ( 3.2 % ) American Indian 269 ( 0.7 % ) 284 ( 0.7 % ) 242 ( 0.6 % ) 147 ( 0.4 % ) Hispanic ( of any race ) 3,175 ( 8.1 % ) 3,315 ( 8.3 % ) 3,418 ( 8.6 % ) 3,473 ( 8.8 % ) Total Iowa 39,094 ( 100 % ) 39,687 ( 100 % ) 39,482 ( 100 % ) 39,403 ( 100 % ) Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group ; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. Religion Amana Colonies were founded by German Pietists. Religion in Iowa ( 2014 ) religion percent Protestant 60 % No religion 21 % Catholic 18 % Muslim 1 % No answer 1 % A 2001 survey from the City University of New York found 52 % of Iowans are Protestant, while 23 % are Catholic, and other religions made up 6 %. 13 % responded with non-religious, and 5 % did not answer. A survey from the Association of Religion Data Archives ( ARDA ) in 2010 found that the largest Protestant denominations were the United Methodist Church with 235,190 adherents and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 229,557. The largest non Protestant religion was Catholicism with 503,080 adherents. The state has a great number of Reformed denominations. The Presbyterian Church ( USA ) had almost 290 congregations and 51,380 members followed by the Reformed Church in America with 80 churches and 40,000 members, and the United Church of Christ had 180 churches and 39,000 members. The study Religious Congregations & Membership : 2000 found in the southernmost two tiers of Iowa counties and in other counties in the center of the state, the largest religious group was the United Methodist Church ; in the northeast part of the state, including Dubuque and Linn counties ( where Cedar Rapids is located ), the Catholic Church was the largest ; and in ten counties, including three in the northern tier, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was the largest. The study also found rapid growth in Evangelical Christian denominations. Dubuque is home to the Archdiocese of Dubuque, which serves as the ecclesiastical province for all 3 other dioceses in the state and for all the Catholics in the entire state of Iowa. Historically, religious sects and orders who desired to live apart from the rest of society established themselves in Iowa, such as the Amish and Mennonite near Kalona and in other parts of eastern Iowa such as Davis County and Buchanan County. Other religious sects and orders living apart include Quakers around West Branch and Le Grand, German Pietists who founded the Amana Colonies, followers of Transcendental Meditation who founded Maharishi Vedic City, and Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance monks and nuns at the New Melleray and Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbies near Dubuque. As of 2016 about 6,000 Jews live in Iowa, with about 3000 of them in Des Moines. Language English is the most common language used in Iowa, used by 94 % of the population. William Labov and colleagues, in the monumental Atlas of North American English found the English spoken in Iowa divides into multiple linguistic regions. Natives of northern Iowa -- including Sioux City, Fort Dodge, and the Waterloo region -- tend to speak the dialect linguists call North Central American English, which is also found in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Natives of central and southern Iowa -- including such cities as Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, and Iowa City -- tend to speak the North Midland dialect also found in eastern Nebraska, central Illinois, and central Indiana. Natives of East - Central Iowa -- including cities such as Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, and Clinton tend to speak with the Northern Cities Vowel Shift, a dialect that extends from this area and east across the Great Lakes Region. After English, Spanish is the second-most - common language spoken in Iowa, with 120,000 people in Iowa of Hispanic or Latino origin and 47,000 people born in Hispanic America. The third-most - common language is German, spoken by 17,000 people in Iowa ; two notable German dialects used in Iowa include Amana German spoken around the Amana Colonies, and Pennsylvania German, spoken among the Amish in Iowa. The Babel Proclamation of 1918 banned the speaking of German in public. Around Pella, residents of Dutch descent once spoke the Pella Dutch dialect. No other language is spoken by more than 0.5 percent of the Iowa population. The only indigenous language used regularly in Iowa is Meskwaki, used around the Meskwaki Settlement. Attractions Central Iowa Skyline of Des Moines, Iowa 's capital and largest city. Des Moines is the largest city in Iowa and the state 's political and economic center. It is home to the Iowa State Capitol, the State Historical Society of Iowa Museum, Drake University, Des Moines Art Center, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Principal Riverwalk, the Iowa State Fair, Terrace Hill, and the World Food Prize. Nearby attractions include Adventureland and Prairie Meadows Racetrack Casino in Altoona, Living History Farms in Urbandale, Trainland USA in Colfax, and the Iowa Speedway and Valle Drive - In in Newton. The Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing at Iowa State University, Ames. Ames is the home of Iowa State University, the Iowa State Center, and Reiman Gardens. Boone hosts the biennial Farm Progress Show and is home to the Mamie Doud Eisenhower museum, the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad, and Ledges State Park. The Meskwaki Settlement west of Tama is the only American Indian settlement in Iowa and is host to a large annual Pow - wow. The Clint Eastwood movie The Bridges of Madison County, based on the popular novel of the same name, took place and was filmed in Madison County. Also in Madison County is the John Wayne Birthplace Museum in Winterset. Other communities with vibrant historic downtown areas include Newton, Indianola, Pella, Knoxville, Marshalltown, Perry, and Story City. Eastern Iowa Old Capitol, Iowa City. Inside the Davenport Skybridge. Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa, which includes the Iowa Writers ' Workshop, and the Old Capitol building. Because of the extraordinary history in the teaching and sponsoring of creative writing that emanated from the Iowa Writers ' Workshop and related programs, Iowa City was the first American city designated by the United Nations as a `` City of Literature '' in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch. The Amana Colonies are a group of settlements of German Pietists comprising seven villages listed as National Historic Landmarks. The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art has collections of paintings by Grant Wood and Marvin Cone. Cedar Rapids is also home to the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library and Iowa 's only National Trust for Historic Preservation Site, Brucemore mansion. Brucemore, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Davenport boasts the Figge Art Museum, River Music Experience, Putnam Museum, Davenport Skybridge, Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Quad Cities, and plays host to the annual Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival, and the Quad City Air Show, which is the largest airshow in the state. Other communities with vibrant historic downtown areas include West Liberty, Fairfield, Burlington, Mount Pleasant, Fort Madison, LeClaire, Mount Vernon, Ottumwa, Washington, and Wilton. Along Interstate 80 near Walcott, Iowa lies the world 's largest truck stop, Iowa 80. Western Iowa View of Grotto of the Redemption 's Lower Arcade : Small Stations of the Cross, West Bend. Some of the most dramatic scenery in Iowa is found in the unique Loess Hills. The Iowa Great Lakes include several resort areas such as Spirit Lake, Arnolds Park, and the Okoboji Lakes. The Sanford Museum and Planetarium in Cherokee, Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend, Arnolds Park Amusement Park ( one of the oldest amusement parks in the country ) in Arnolds Park, The Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, and the Fort Museum and Frontier Village in Fort Dodge are regional destinations. Every year in early May, the city of Orange City holds the annual Tulip Festival, a celebration of the strong Dutch heritage in the region. Historic Fourth Street, Sioux City. Sioux City boasts a revitalized downtown, attractions include the Sergeant Floyd Monument, Sergeant Floyd River Museum, and the Orpheum Theater. Loess Hills east of Mondamin. Council Bluffs, the major city of southwest Iowa, sits at the base of the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway. With three casino resorts, the city also includes such cultural attractions as the Western Hills Trails Center, Union Pacific Railroad Museum, the Grenville M. Dodge House, and the Lewis and Clark Monument. Northwest Iowa is home to some of the largest concentrations of wind turbine farms in the world. Other western communities with vibrant historic downtown areas include Storm Lake, Spencer, Le Mars, Glenwood, Carroll, Atlantic, Red Oak, Denison, Creston, Mount Ayr, Sac City, and Walnut. Northeast and Northern Iowa `` Northern Iowa '' redirects here. For the University of Northern Iowa, see University of Northern Iowa. Ruins of historic Fort Atkinson. The Driftless Area of northeast Iowa has many steep hills and deep valleys, checkered with forest and terraced fields. Effigy Mounds National Monument in Allamakee and Clayton Counties has the largest assemblage of animal - shaped prehistoric mounds in the world. Waterloo is home of the Grout Museum and is headquarters of the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area. Cedar Falls is home of the University of Northern Iowa. Dubuque is a regional tourist destination with attractions such as the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium and the Port of Dubuque. Dyersville is home to the famed Field of Dreams baseball diamond. Maquoketa Caves State Park, near Maquoketa, contains more caves than any other state park. Fort Atkinson State Preserve in Fort Atkinson has the remains of an original 1840s Dragoon fortification. Fort Dodge is home of The Fort historical museum and the Blanden Art Museum, and host Frontiers Days which celebrate the town history. Other communities with vibrant historic downtown areas include Decorah, McGregor, Mason City, Elkader, Guttenberg, Algona, Spillville, Charles City, and Independence. Statewide RAGBRAI -- the Register 's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa -- attracts thousands of bicyclists and support personnel. It has crossed the state on various routes each year since 1973. Iowa is home to more than 70 wineries, and hosts five regional wine tasting trails. Many Iowa communities hold farmers ' markets during warmer months ; these are typically weekly events, but larger cities can host multiple markets. Economy Iowa state quarter with reverse image based on a painting by American artist Grant Wood. See also : Iowa locations by per capita income CNBC 's list of `` Top States for Business in 2010 '' has recognized Iowa as the sixth best state in the nation. Scored in 10 individual categories, Iowa was ranked 1st when it came to the `` Cost of Doing Business '' ; this includes all taxes, utility costs, and other costs associated with doing business. Iowa was also ranked 10th in `` Economy '', 12th in `` Business Friendliness '', 16th in `` Education '', 17th in both `` Cost of Living '' and `` Quality of Life '', 20th in `` Workforce '', 29th in `` Technology and Innovation '', 32nd in `` Transportation '' and the lowest ranking was 36th in `` Access to Capital ''. Iowa gross state products by industry, 2006. While Iowa is often viewed as a farming state, in reality agriculture is a small portion of a diversified economy, with manufacturing, biotechnology, finance and insurance services, and government services contributing substantially to Iowa 's economy. This economic diversity has helped Iowa weather the late 2000s recession better than most states, with unemployment substantially lower than the rest of the nation. If the economy is measured by gross domestic product, in 2005 Iowa 's GDP was about US $124 billion. If measured by gross state product, for 2005 it was US $113.5 billion. Its per capita income for 2006 was US $23,340. On July 2, 2009, Standard and Poor 's rated the state of Iowa 's credit as AAA ( the highest of its credit ratings, held by only 11 U.S. state governments ). As of December 2015, the state 's unemployment rate is 3.4 %. Manufacturing Manufacturing is the largest sector of Iowa 's economy, with $20.8 billion ( 21 % ) of Iowa 's 2003 gross state product. Major manufacturing sectors include food processing, heavy machinery, and agricultural chemicals. Sixteen percent of Iowa 's workforce is dedicated to manufacturing. Food processing is the largest component of manufacturing. Besides processed food, industrial outputs include machinery, electric equipment, chemical products, publishing, and primary metals. Companies with direct or indirect processing facilities in Iowa include ConAgra Foods, Wells Blue Bunny, Barilla, Heinz, Tone 's Spices, General Mills, and Quaker Oats. Meatpacker Tyson Foods has 11 locations, second only to its headquarter state Arkansas. Major non-food manufacturing firms with production facilities in Iowa include 3M, ALCOA, Amana Corporation, Dexter Apache Holdings, Inc., Electrolux / Frigidaire, Emerson Process Management, Fisher Controls International, Hagie Manufacturing Company, HON Industries, The HON Company, SSAB, John Deere, Lennox Manufacturing, Maytag Corporation, Pella Corporation, Procter & Gamble, Rockwell Collins, Terex, Vermeer Company, and Winnebago Industries. Agriculture Harvesting corn in Linn County. Farm in rural Northwest Iowa Eastern Iowa cornfield in June. Directly and indirectly, agriculture has been a major component of Iowa 's economy. As of 2007 the direct production and sale of raw agricultural products contributed only about 3.5 % of Iowa 's gross state product. In 2002 the impact of the indirect role of agriculture in Iowa 's economy, including agriculture - affiliated business, was calculated at 16.4 % in terms of value added and 24.3 % in terms of total output. This was lower than the economic impact of non-farm manufacturing, which accounted for 22.4 % of total value added and 26.5 % of total output. Iowa 's main agricultural products are hogs, corn, soybeans, oats, cattle, eggs, and dairy products. Iowa is the nation 's largest producer of ethanol and corn and some years is the largest grower of soybeans. In 2008, the 92,600 farms in Iowa produced 19 % of the nation 's corn, 17 % of the soybeans, 30 % of the hogs, and 14 % of the eggs. Mural in Mt. Ayr Post Office, `` The Corn Parade '' by Orr C. Fischer, commissioned as part of the New Deal. As of 2009 major Iowa agricultural product processors include Archer Daniels Midland, Ajinomoto, Cargill, Inc., Diamond V Mills, Garst Seed Company, Heartland Pork Enterprises, Hy - Vee, Monsanto Company, Pioneer Hi - Bred International, and Quaker Oats. Health insurance As of 2014, there were 16 organizations offering health insurance products in Iowa, per the State of Iowa Insurance Division. Iowa was the 4th out of 10 states with the biggest drop in competition levels of health insurance between 2010 and 2011, per the 2013 annual report on the level of competition in the health insurance industry by the American Medical Association using 2011 data from HealthLeaders - Interstudy, the most comprehensive source of data on enrollment in health maintenance organization ( HMO ), preferred provider organization ( PPO ), point - of - service ( POS ) and consumer - driven health care plans. According to the AMA annual report from 2007 Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield had provided 71 % of the state 's health insurance. The Iowa Insurance Division `` Annual report to the Iowa Governor and the Iowa Legislature '' from November 2014 looked at the 95 % of health insurers by premium, which are 10 companies. It found Wellmark Inc. to dominate the 3 health insurance markets it examined ( individual, small group and large group ) at 52 - 67 %. Wellmark HealthPlan of Iowa and Wellmark Inc had the highest risk - based capital percentages of all 10 providers at 1158 % and 1132 %, respectively. Rising RBC is an indication of profits. Other sectors Iowa has a strong financial and insurance sector, with approximately 6,100 firms, including AEGON, Nationwide Group, Aviva USA, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Voya Financial, Marsh Affinity Group, MetLife, Principal Financial Group, Principal Capital Management, Wells Fargo, and Wells Fargo Financial Services. Iowa is host to at least two business incubators, Iowa State University Research Park and the BioVentures Center at the University of Iowa. The Research Park hosts about 50 companies, among them NewLink Genetics, which develops cancer immunotherapeutics, and the U.S. animal health division of Boehringer Ingelheim, Vetmedica. Ethanol plant under construction in Butler County. Ethanol production consumes approximately one - third of Iowa 's corn production, and renewable fuels account for 8 % of the state 's gross domestic product. A total of 39 ethanol plants produced 3.1 billion US gallons ( 12,000,000 m ) of fuel in 2009. Wind turbines near Williams. Renewable energy has become a major economic force in northern and western Iowa, with wind turbine electrical generation increasing exponentally since 1990. In 2010, wind power in Iowa accounted for 15.4 % of electrical energy produced, and 3675 megawatts of generating capacity had been installed at the end of the year. Iowa ranked first of U.S. states in percentage of total power generated by wind and second in wind generating capacity behind Texas. Major producers of turbines and components in Iowa include Acciona Energy of West Branch, TPI Composites of Newton, and Siemens Energy of Fort Madison. In 2016, Iowa was the headquarters for three of the top 2,000 companies for revenue. They include Principal Financial, Rockwell Collins, and American Equity Investment. Iowa is also headquarters to other companies including Hy - Vee, Pella Corporation, Vermeer Company, Kum & Go gas stations, Von Maur, Pioneer Hi - Bred, and Fareway. Taxation Iowa imposes taxes on net state income of individuals, estates, and trusts. There are nine income tax brackets, ranging from 0.36 % to 8.98 %, as well as four corporate income tax brackets ranging from 6 - 12 %, giving Iowa the country 's highest marginal corporate tax rate. The state sales tax rate is 6 %, with non-prepared food having no tax. Iowa has one local option sales tax that may be imposed by counties after an election. Property tax is levied on the taxable value of real property. Iowa has more than 2,000 taxing authorities. Most property is taxed by more than one taxing authority. The tax rate differs in each locality and is a composite of county, city or rural township, school district and special levies. Iowa allows its residents to deduct their federal income taxes from their state income taxes. Transportation The current state license plate design, introduced in 2018. Interstate highways Iowa 's major interstates, larger cities, and counties. Iowa has four primary interstate highways. Interstate 29 ( I - 29 ) travels along the state 's western edge through Council Bluffs and Sioux City. I - 35 travels from the Missouri state line to the Minnesota state line through the state 's center, including Des Moines. I - 74 begins at I - 80 just northeast of Davenport. I - 80 travels from the Nebraska state line to the Illinois state line through the center of the state, including Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. I - 380 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway, which travels from I - 80 near Iowa City through Cedar Rapids ending in Waterloo and is part of the Avenue of the Saints highway. Iowa is among the few jurisdictions where municipalities install speed cameras on interstate highways providing a substantial revenue source from out of state drivers. Airports with scheduled flights Iowa is served by several regional airports including the Des Moines International Airport, the Eastern Iowa Airport, in Cedar Rapids, Quad City International Airport, in Moline, Illinois, and Eppley Airfield, in Omaha, Nebraska. Smaller airports in the state include the Davenport Municipal Airport ( Iowa ), Dubuque Regional Airport, Fort Dodge Regional Airport, Mason City Municipal Airport, Sioux Gateway Airport, Southeast Iowa Regional Airport, and Waterloo Regional Airport. Railroads Amtrak 's California Zephyr serves the south of Iowa with stops at Burlington, Mount Pleasant, Ottumwa, Osceola, and Creston on its daily route between Chicago and Emeryville, California ( across the bay from San Francisco ). Fort Madison is served by Amtrak 's Southwest Chief, running daily between Chicago and Los Angeles. Law and government See : Governor of Iowa, Iowa General Assembly, and Iowa State Capitol The Iowa State Capitol, completed in 1886, is the only state capitol to feature five domes, a central golden dome surrounded by four smaller domes. The Supreme Court of Iowa, located on Court Avenue across from the state capitol in Des Moines, is the state 's highest court. State As of 2017 the Governor of Iowa is Kim Reynolds ( R ). Other statewide elected officials are : Adam Gregg ( R ) -- Lieutenant Governor Paul Pate ( R ) -- Secretary of State Mary Mosiman ( R ) -- Auditor of State Michael Fitzgerald ( D ) -- Treasurer of State Bill Northey ( R ) -- Secretary of Agriculture Tom Miller ( D ) -- Attorney General The Code of Iowa contains Iowa 's statutory laws. It is periodically updated by the Iowa Legislative Service Bureau, with a new edition published in odd - numbered years and a supplement published in even - numbered years. Iowa is an alcohol monopoly or alcoholic beverage control state. National Further information : List of United States Senators from Iowa The two U.S. Senators : Chuck Grassley ( R ), in office since 1981 Joni Ernst ( R ), in office since 2015 The four U.S. Congressmen : Rod Blum ( R ) -- First district Dave Loebsack ( D ) -- Second district David Young ( R ) -- Third district Steve King ( R ) -- Fourth district After the 2010 census and the resulting redistricting, Iowa lost one seat, falling to 4 seats in the House of Representatives. Incumbent congressmen Leonard Boswell ( D ) and Tom Latham ( R ) ran against each other in the new Third district ; Latham won. Steve King represented the old Fifth district. Political parties Main article : Political party strength in Iowa Samuel J. Kirkwood, founder of the Iowa Republican Party, abolitionist, and Iowa 's Civil War Governor Treemap of the popular vote by county, 2016 presidential election In Iowa, the term `` political party '' refers to political organizations which have received two percent or more of the votes cast for president or governor in the `` last preceding general election ''. Iowa recognizes two political parties -- the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Third parties, officially termed `` nonparty political organizations '', can appear on the ballot as well. Five of these have had candidates on the ballot in Iowa since 2004 for various positions : the Constitution Party, the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, the Pirate Party, and the Socialist Workers Party. Voter Trends Presidential elections results Year Republican Democratic 2016 51.15 % 800,983 41.74 % 653,669 2012 46.18 % 730,617 51.99 % 822,544 2008 44.74 % 677,508 54.04 % 818,240 49.92 % 751,957 49.28 % 741,898 2000 48.22 % 634,373 48.60 % 638,517 39.92 % 492,644 50.31 % 620,258 37.33 % 504,890 43.35 % 586,353 44.8 % 545,355 55.1 % 670,557 1984 53.32 % 703,088 45.97 % 605,620 As a result of the 2010 elections, each party controlled one house of the Iowa General Assembly : the House had a Republican majority, while the Senate had a Democratic majority. As a result of the 2016 elections, Republicans gained control of the Senate. Incumbent Democratic governor Chet Culver was defeated in 2010 by Republican Terry Branstad, who had served as governor from 1983 to 1999. On December 14, 2015, Branstad became the longest serving governor in U.S. history, serving ( at that time ) 20 years, 11 months, and 3 days ; eclipsing George Clinton, who served 21 years until 1804. Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds succeeded him on May 24, 2017, following Branstad 's appointment as U.S. Ambassador to China. As of February 1, 2016, there were 2,095,639 registered voters. Presidential caucus Main article : Iowa caucuses The state gets considerable attention every four years because the Iowa caucus, gatherings of voters to select delegates to the state conventions, is the first presidential caucus in the country. The caucuses, held in January or February of the election year, involve people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidates, rather than casting secret ballots as is done in a presidential primary election. Along with the New Hampshire primary the following week, Iowa 's caucuses have become the starting points for choosing the two major - party candidates for president. The national and international media give Iowa and New Hampshire extensive attention, which gives Iowa voters leverage. Those who enter the caucus race often expend enormous effort to reach voters in each of Iowa 's 99 counties. Civil rights The Union Block building, Mount Pleasant, scene of early civil rights and women 's rights activities In the 19th century Iowa was among the earliest states to enact prohibitions against race discrimination, especially in education, but was slow to achieve full integration in the 20th century. In the very first decision of the Supreme Court of Iowa -- In Re the Matter of Ralph, decided July 1839 -- the Court rejected slavery in a decision that found a slave named Ralph became free when he stepped on Iowa soil, 26 years before the end of the Civil War. The state did away with racial barriers to marriage in 1851, more than 100 years before the U.S. Supreme Court would ban miscegenation statutes nationwide. The Iowa Supreme Court decided Clark v. The Board of Directors in 1868, ruling that racially segregated `` separate but equal '' schools had no place in Iowa, 85 years before Brown v. Board of Education. By 1875, a number of additional court rulings effectively ended segregation in Iowa schools. Social and housing discrimination continued against Blacks at state universities until the 1950s. The Court heard Coger v. The North Western Union Packet Co. in 1873, ruling against racial discrimination in public accommodations 91 years before the U.S. Supreme Court reached the same decision. In 1884, the Iowa Civil Rights Act apparently outlawed discrimination by businesses, reading : `` All persons within this state shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of inns, restaurants, chophouses, eating houses, lunch counters, and all other places where refreshments are served, public conveyances, barber shops, bathhouses, theaters, and all other places of amusement. '' However, the courts chose to narrowly apply this act, allowing de facto discrimination to continue. Racial discrimination at public businesses was not deemed illegal until 1949, when the court ruled in State of Iowa v. Katz that businesses had to serve customers regardless of race ; the case began when Edna Griffin was denied service at a Des Moines drugstore. Full racial civil rights were codified under the Iowa Civil Rights Act of 1965. As with racial equality, Iowa was a vanguard in women 's rights in the mid-19th century, but was slow to give women the right to vote. In 1847, the University of Iowa became the first public university in the U.S. to admit men and women on an equal basis. In 1869, Iowa became the first state in the union to admit women to the practice of law, with the Court ruling women may not be denied the right to practice law in Iowa and admitting Arabella A. Mansfield to the practice of law. Several attempts to grant full voting rights to Iowa women were defeated between 1870 and 1919. In 1894 women were given `` partial suffrage '', which allowed them to vote on issues, but not for candidates. It was not until the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1920 that women had full suffrage in Iowa. Although Iowa supported the Federal Equal Rights Amendment, in 1980 and 1992 Iowa voters rejected an Equal Rights Amendment to the state constitution. Iowa did add the word `` women '' to the Iowa Constitution in 1998. After Amendment, it reads : `` All men and women are, by nature, free and equal, and have certain inalienable rights -- among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness. '' In the aftermath of the Civil Rights Movement, court decisions in Iowa clarified and expanded citizens ' rights. The landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District ( 1969 ) confirmed the right of students to express political views. The state 's law criminalizing same - sex sexual activity was repealed in June 1976, 27 years before Lawrence v. Texas. On April 3, 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court decided Varnum v. Brien, holding in a unanimous decision, the state 's law forbidding same - sex marriage was unconstitutional. This made Iowa the third state in the U.S. and first in the Midwest to permit same - sex marriage. ( See LGBT rights in Iowa. ) Sister jurisdictions Iowa has nine official partner jurisdictions : Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan ( 1960 ) Yucatán, Mexico ( 1964 ) Hebei Province, People 's Republic of China ( 1983 ) Terengganu, Malaysia ( 1987 ) Taiwan, Republic of China ( 1989 ) Stavropol Krai, USSR / Russia ( 1989 ) Cherkasy Oblast, Ukraine ( 1996 ) Veneto Region, Italy ( 1997 ) Republic of Kosovo ( 2013 ) Education Primary and secondary schools See also : List of school districts in Iowa Iowa is often credited with the start of the high school movement in the U.S. Around 1910, secondary schools as we know them today were established across the state, which was unprecedented at the time. As the high school movement gathered pace and went beyond Iowa, there was clear evidence of how more time spent in school led to greater income. The four - year graduation rate for high schoolers was 90 % in 2015. The state has the top graduation rate in the nation. Iowa has 365 school districts, and has the 12th lowest student - to - teacher ratio of 13.8. Teacher pay is ranked 42nd, with the average salary being $39,284. The Iowa State Board of Education works with the Iowa Department of Education to provide oversight, supervision, and support for the state 's education system that includes all public elementary and secondary schools, nonpublic schools that receive state accreditation, area education agencies, community colleges, and teacher preparation programs. The State Board consists of ten members : nine voting members who are appointed by the governor for six - year terms and subject to Senate confirmation ; and one nonvoting student member who serves a one - year term, also appointed by the governor. The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners is an autonomous board in control of teacher licensure standards and professional discipline ; it has a majority of licensed teachers as members and is the oldest state educational board. Colleges and universities Christ the King Chapel at Saint Ambrose University in Davenport. Palmer Chiropractic College in Davenport is the first school of chiropractic in the world. Alexander Dickman Hall, located at Upper Iowa University in Fayette. See also : List of colleges and universities in Iowa The Iowa Board of Regents is composed of nine citizen volunteers appointed by the governor to provide policymaking, coordination, and oversight of the state 's public universities, two special K - 12 schools, and affiliated centers. Iowa 's three public universities include : Iowa State University, Ames University of Iowa, Iowa City University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls The special K - 12 schools include the Iowa School for the Deaf in Council Bluffs and the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton. Both Iowa State University and the University of Iowa are major research institutions and members of the prestigious Association of American Universities. In addition to the three state universities, Iowa has multiple private colleges and universities. Private colleges and universities include : Buena Vista University, Storm Lake Clarke University, Dubuque Des Moines University, Des Moines Divine Word College, Epworth Drake University, Des Moines Emmaus Bible College, Dubuque Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary, Ankeny Graceland University, Lamoni Iowa Wesleyan College, Mount Pleasant Kaplan University, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Mason City, and Urbandale Loras College, Dubuque Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield Mount Mercy University, Cedar Rapids Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport Saint Ambrose University, Davenport University of Dubuque, Dubuque Upper Iowa University, Fayette Waldorf College, Forest City William Penn University, Oskaloosa Private liberal arts colleges include : Ashford University, Clinton Briar Cliff University, Sioux City Central College, Pella Coe College, Cedar Rapids Cornell College, Mount Vernon Dordt College, Sioux Center Grand View University, Des Moines Grinnell College, Grinnell Loras College, Dubuque Luther College, Decorah Morningside College, Sioux City Northwestern College, Orange City Simpson College, Indianola Wartburg College, Waverly Culture Arts This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. ( September 2017 ) Sports See also : Sports teams from Iowa The state has four major college teams playing in Division I for all sports. In football, Iowa State University and the University of Iowa compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision ( FBS ), whereas the University of Northern Iowa and Drake University compete in the Football Championship Subdivision ( FCS ). Although Iowa has no professional major league sports teams, Iowa has minor league sports teams in baseball, basketball, hockey, and other sports. The following table shows the Iowa sports teams with average attendance over 8,000. All of the following teams are NCAA Division I football, basketball, or wrestling teams : Iowa sports teams ( attendance > 8,000 ) Team Location Attendance Iowa Hawkeyes football Iowa City 67,512 Iowa State Cyclones football Ames 52,197 Iowa Hawkeyes men 's basketball Iowa City 14,976 Iowa State Cyclones men 's basketball Ames 14,192 Northern Iowa Panthers football Cedar Falls 12,490 Iowa State Cyclones women 's basketball Ames 9,289 Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling Iowa City 8,358 College sports The state has four NCAA Division I college teams. In NCAA FBS, the University of Iowa Hawkeyes play in the Big Ten Conference and the Iowa State University Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference. The two intrastate rivals compete annually for the Cy - Hawk Trophy as part of the Iowa Corn Cy - Hawk Series. In NCAA FCS, the University of Northern Iowa Panthers play at the Missouri Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Football Conference ( despite the similar names, the conferences are administratively separate ), whereas the Drake University Bulldogs play at the Missouri Valley Conference in most sports and Pioneer League for football. Modern Woodmen Park is home to the Quad Cities baseball team Baseball Des Moines is home to the Iowa Cubs, a Class AAA team in the Pacific Coast League and affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Iowa has four Class A minor league teams in the Midwest League : the Burlington Bees, Cedar Rapids Kernels, Clinton LumberKings, and the Quad Cities River Bandits. The Sioux City Explorers are part of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. Ice Hockey Des Moines is home to the Iowa Wild, who are affiliated with the Minnesota Wild and are members of the American Hockey League. The United States Hockey League has five teams in Iowa : the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Sioux City Musketeers, Waterloo Black Hawks, Des Moines Buccaneers, and the Dubuque Fighting Saints. The North Iowa Bulls play in the North American 3 Hockey League in Mason City. Soccer The Des Moines Menace of the USL Premier Development League play their home games at Valley Stadium in West Des Moines, Iowa. Starting in the 2015 - 16 season of the Major Arena Soccer League, the Cedar Rapids Rampage plays in the U.S. Cellular Center. As well as the Cedar Rapids Rampage United plays at Kingston Stadium. Other sports Iowa has two professional basketball teams. The Iowa Wolves, an NBA G League team that plays in Des Moines, is owned and affiliated with the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. The Sioux City Hornets play in the American Basketball Association. Iowa has three professional football teams. The Sioux City Bandits play in the Champions Indoor Football league. The Iowa Barnstormers play in the Indoor Football League at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. The Cedar Rapids Titans play in the Indoor Football League at the U.S. Cellular Center. The Iowa Speedway oval track has hosted auto racing championships such as the IndyCar Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Truck Series since 2006. Also, the Knoxville Raceway dirt track hosts the Knoxville Nationals, one of the classic sprint car racing events. The John Deere Classic is a PGA Tour golf event held in the Quad Cities since 1971. The Principal Charity Classic is a Champions Tour event since 2001. The Des Moines Golf and Country Club hosted the 1999 U.S. Senior Open and has scheduled the 2017 Solheim Cup. Notable Iowans President Herbert Hoover Vice President Henry Wallace Main article : List of people from Iowa Iowa was the birthplace of U.S. President Herbert Hoover, Vice President Henry A. Wallace, and two first ladies, Lou Henry Hoover and Mamie Eisenhower. Other national leaders who lived in Iowa include President Ronald Reagan, President Richard Nixon, John L. Lewis, Harry Hopkins, Carrie Chapman Catt, Jefferson Davis, Chief Black Hawk, and John Brown. Five Nobel Prize winners hail from Iowa : Norman Borlaug, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize ; Thomas Cech, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry ; Alan J. Heeger, also a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry ; John Mott, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize ; and Stanley B. Prusiner, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Other notable scientists who worked or were born in Iowa include astronomer and space pioneer James A. Van Allen, ecologist Aldo Leopold, computer pioneer John Vincent Atanasoff, inventor and plant scientist George Washington Carver, geochemist Clair Cameron Patterson, and Intel founder Robert Noyce. Notable writers, artists, and news personalities from Iowa include Bill Bryson, Corey Taylor, George Gallup, Susan Glaspell, Mauricio Lasansky, Tomas Lasansky, Harry Reasoner, Phil Stong, and Grant Wood. Musicians, actors, and entertainers from Iowa include Tom Arnold, Julia Michaels, Bix Beiderbecke, Johnny Carson, Tionne Watkins of TLC ( group ), Buffalo Bill Cody, Simon Estes, Nathan Jonas Jordison, Corey Taylor, Shawn Crahan, William Frawley, Charlie Haden, Ashton Kutcher, Cloris Leachman, Glenn Miller, Kate Mulgrew, Eric Christian Olsen, Donna Reed, George Reeves, Brandon Routh, Jean Seberg, John Wayne, Brooks Wheelan, Andy Williams, Meredith Willson, and Elijah Wood. Olympic gold medal winning athletes from Iowa include Tom Brands, Dan Gable, Shawn Johnson, and Cael Sanderson. Iowa athletes inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame include Cap Anson, Fred Clarke, and Bob Feller. In college football, Jay Berwanger was the first winner of the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy in 1935, later renamed the Heisman Trophy and won by Nile Kinnick in 1939. In professional football, Kurt Warner was the Super Bowl XXXIV MVP winner and a two - time NFL MVP award winner. Frank Gotch was a World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, Zach Johnson won the 2007 Masters Golf Tournament and the 2015 British Open, and Jeremy Hellickson won the 2011 American League Rookie of the Year award pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays. Former WWE Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins, is from Davenport, IA. The first UFC Welterweight Champion and a member of the UFC Hall of Fame, Pat Miletich, was born in Daventport. See also Iowa portal United States portal Outline of Iowa -- organized list of topics about Iowa Index of Iowa - related articles Notes Jump up ^ It should be noted that the Missouri and Mississippi river boundaries are as they were mapped in the 19th century, which can vary from their modern courses. References Jump up ^ `` State Symbols ''. Iowa Department of Economic Development. Archived from the original on September 2, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Iowa : Population estimates ''. U.S. Census Bureau. July 1, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Median Annual Household Income ''. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved December 9, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Elevations and Distances in the United States ''. United States Geological Survey. 2001. Archived from the original on November 2, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Elevation adjusted to North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Jump up ^ `` Iowa ''. Merriam - Webster Dictionary. Retrieved May 14, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Iowa ''. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language ( 5th ed. ). Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Iowa ''. Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press. Retrieved May 14, 2017. Jump up ^ Merry, Carl A. ( 1996 ). `` The Historic Period ''. Office of the State Archeologist at the University of Iowa. Archived from the original on June 4, 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Major Industries in Iowa '' ( PDF ). Iowa Department of Economic Development. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on May 20, 2005. Retrieved June 29, 2009. ^ Jump up to : `` Wind Energy in Iowa ''. Iowa Energy Center. Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2009. Jump up ^ `` N.H. Receives Lowest Crime Ranking ; Nevada Ranks as Worst State ''. Insurance Journal. Wells Publishing. March 25, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2009. Jump up ^ Alex, Lynn M. ( 2000 ). Iowa 's Archaeological Past. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City. Jump up ^ Preamble to the 1857 Constitution of the State of Iowa. Archived from the original on August 2, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2009. Jump up ^ 48 U.S. ( 7 How. ) 660 ( 1849 ). Jump up ^ Morrison, Jeff ( January 13, 2005 ). `` Forty - Thirty - five or fight ? Sullivan 's Line, the Honey War, and latitudinal estimations ''. Archived from the original on January 1, 2007. Retrieved August 9, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Iowa Fast Facts and Trivia ''. 50states.com. Retrieved February 24, 2013. Jump up ^ `` National Association of Counties ''. County Seats. Archived from the original on December 22, 2010. Retrieved December 24, 2010. Jump up ^ Prior, Jean Cutler. Geology of Iowa : Iowa 's Earth History Shaped by Ice, Wind, Rivers, and Ancient Seas. Adapted from Iowa Geology 2007, Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Iowa Department of Natural Resources Geological Survey. Archived from the original on April 16, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2009. ^ Jump up to : Prior, Jean C. ( 1991 ). Landforms of Iowa. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City. Archived from the original on March 2, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Geology of the Loess Hills, Iowa ''. United States Geological Survey. July 1999. Retrieved March 26, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Odessa ''. Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on September 21, 2008. Retrieved June 6, 2009. Jump up ^ Iowa DNR : Iowa 's Statewide Land Cover Inventory, Uiowa.edu Archived May 2, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Iowa 's Threatened and Endangered Species Program, Iowadnr.gov Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Des Moines Register '', June 1, 2005, Iowa Must Step Up Investment in Public Lands Nicholasjohnson.org Jump up ^ Federally Listed Animals in Iowa, Agriculture.state.ia.us Archived September 30, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Federally Listed Plants in Iowa, Agriculture.state.ia.us Archived September 30, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Living with Hogs in Rural Iowa ''. Iowa Ag Review. Iowa State University. 2003. Retrieved November 25, 2009. Jump up ^ Heldt, Diane ( November 24, 2009 ). `` Report : Many Iowa coal plants among nation 's oldest ''. Cedar Rapids Gazette. Retrieved November 25, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Iowa Works to Reduce Run - off Polluting the Gulf of Mexico ''. The Iowa Journal. Iowa Public Television. September 17, 2009. Archived from the original on November 6, 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2009. Jump up ^ Love, Orlan ( December 6, 2009 ). `` Heavy use draining aquifer ''. Cedar Rapids Gazette. Archived from the original on December 9, 2009. Retrieved December 20, 2009. Jump up ^ US Thunderstorm distribution. src.noaa.gov. Retrieved February 13, 2008. Archived October 15, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Des Moines, IA ''. noaa.gov. Retrieved February 18, 2015. Jump up ^ `` 2008 Iowa tornadoes deadliest since 1968 ''. USA Today. January 2, 2009. Retrieved January 2, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Iowa Weather - Iowa Weather Forecast - Iowa Climate ''. ustravelweather.com. Jump up ^ `` Monthly Averages for Davenport, Iowa ''. Weather.com. Retrieved November 1, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Average Weather for Des Moines, IA -- Temperature and Precipitation ''. Weather.com. Retrieved February 18, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Daily Averages for Keokuk, IA ''. weather.com. Retrieved February 18, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Average Weather for Mason City, IA -- Temperature and Precipitation ''. Weather.com. Retrieved February 18, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Average Weather for Sioux City, IA -- Temperature and Precipitation ''. Weather.com. Retrieved February 18, 2012. Jump up ^ Average Annual Precipitation Iowa, 1961 -- 1990 ( GIF File ) -- Christopher Daly, Jenny Weisburg Jump up ^ `` Average Weather for Des Moines, IA -- Temperature and Precipitation, Weather.com, Retrieved Jan. 7, 2009 ''. Weather.com. Retrieved July 31, 2010. ^ Jump up to : Alex, Lynn M. ( 2000 ) Iowa 's Archaeological Past. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City. ^ Jump up to : Peterson, Cynthia L. ( 2009 ). `` Historical Tribes and Early Forts ''. In William E. Whittaker. Frontier Forts of Iowa : Indians, Traders, and Soldiers, 1682 -- 1862. Iowa City : University of Iowa Press. pp. 12 -- 29. ISBN 978 - 1 - 58729 - 831 - 8. Jump up ^ History of Iowa, Iowa Official Register, Publications.iowa.gov Jump up ^ Herbermann, Charles. The Catholic Encyclopedia : An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church. Encyclopedia Press, 1913, p. 380 ( Original from Harvard University ). Jump up ^ Carlson, Gayle F. ( 2009 ). `` Fort Atkinson, Nebraska, 1820 -- 1827, and Other Missouri River Sites ''. In William E. Whittaker. Frontier Forts of Iowa : Indians, Traders, and Soldiers, 1682 -- 1862. Iowa City : University of Iowa Press. pp. 104 -- 120. ISBN 978 - 1 - 58729 - 831 - 8. Jump up ^ Pike ( 1965 ) : The expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike to headwaters of the Mississippi River, through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, during the years June 7, 1805, Ross & Haines ^ Jump up to : McKusick, Marshall B. ( 2009 ). `` Fort Madison, 1808 -- 1813 ''. In William E. Whittaker. Frontier Forts of Iowa : Indians, Traders, and Soldiers, 1682 -- 1862. Iowa City : University of Iowa Press. pp. 55 -- 74. ISBN 978 - 1 - 58729 - 831 - 8. Jump up ^ Prucha, Francis P. ( 1969 ) The Sword of the Republic : The United States Army on the Frontier 1783 -- 1846. Macmillan, New York. Jump up ^ Jackson, Donald ( 1960 ), A Critic 's View of Old Fort Madison, Iowa Journal of History and Politics 58 ( 1 ) pp. 31 -- 36 Jump up ^ Black Hawk ( 1882 ) Autobiography of Ma - Ka - Tai - Me - She - Kia - Kiak or Black Hawk. Continental Printing, St. Louis. ( Originally published 1833 ) Jump up ^ Whittaker, William E. ( editor ) ( 2009 ). Frontier Forts of Iowa : Indians, Traders, and Soldiers, 1682 -- 1862. Iowa City : University of Iowa Press. ISBN 978 - 1 - 58729 - 831 - 8. CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list ( link ) ^ Jump up to : Schwieder, Dorothy. `` History of Iowa ''. Iowa State University. Retrieved June 6, 2009. Jump up ^ Iowa Official Register, Volume Number 60, page 314 Jump up ^ `` Official Encouragement of Immigration to Iowa '', Marcus L. Hansen, IJHP, 19 ( April 1921 ) : 159 -- 95 Jump up ^ `` Iowa State Fair ''. Trivia. Archived from the original on November 30, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2010. ^ Jump up to : Iowa Official Register, Volume No. 60, page 315 Jump up ^ `` Civil War ''. Iowanationalguard.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2010. Jump up ^ Iowa Official Register, Volume No. 60, pages 315 -- 316 Jump up ^ The Midwest Farm Crisis of the 1980s, Tripod.com ^ Jump up to : Population Trends : The Changing Face of Iowa, State.ia.us Archived October 6, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. ^ Jump up to : Iowa Industries, Iowa Workforce Development. Iowalifechanging.com Archived May 20, 2005, at the Wayback Machine. ^ Jump up to : Iowa Data Center, 2000 Census : Iowadatacenter.org Archived December 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Iowa Economic Development Authority ''. iowaeconomicdevelopment.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Resident Population Data ''. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2010. ^ Jump up to : `` Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico : April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015 ''. U.S. Census Bureau. December 26, 2015. Archived from the original ( CSV ) on December 23, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2015. Jump up ^ `` American FactFinder - Census Bureau ''. Archived from the original on August 15, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` U.S. Census quickfacts ''. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2015. Jump up ^ John W. Wright, ed. ( 2007 ). The New York Times 2008 Almanac. p. 178. ^ Jump up to : `` 2010 Demographic Profile Data ''. U.S. Census Bureau. Jump up ^ `` Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals By Race, 1790 to 1990, and By Hispanic Origin, 1970 to 1990, For The United States, Regions, Divisions, and States ''. Census.gov. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved July 26, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Population of Iowa : Census 2010 and 2000 Interactive Map, Demographics, Statistics, Quick Facts ''. Censusviewer.com. Retrieved July 26, 2014. Jump up ^ 2010 Census Data. `` 2010 Census Data ''. Census.gov. Retrieved July 26, 2014. Jump up ^ `` 2015 American Community Survey ''. Jump up ^ Data from U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Modeled after Iowa Data Center Map, Iowadatacenter.org Jump up ^ Iowans still flocking to cities, census stats show. Cedar Rapids Gazette, June 30, 2009, Gazetteonline.com Archived March 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ U.S. Census Bureau State and County Quick Facts, Census.gov Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Grimes, William ( September 14, 2005 ). `` In This Small Town in Iowa the Future Speaks Spanish ''. The New York Times. Jump up ^ Iowa Brain Drain, Iowa Civic Analysis Network, University of Iowa, Uiowa.edu Archived April 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Population 2013 -- Iowa Cities ''. United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Archived from the original on August 27, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Population 2010 -- Iowa Cities ''. United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Retrieved August 4, 2011. Jump up ^ Based on 2000 U.S. Census Data. Jump up ^ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_01.pdf Jump up ^ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_12.pdf Jump up ^ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr66/nvsr66_01.pdf Jump up ^ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_01.pdf Jump up ^ The Pew Forum - America 's Changing Religious Landscape Jump up ^ `` American Religious Identification Survey 2001 '' ( PDF ). The Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Retrieved January 4, 2012. Jump up ^ `` The Association of Religion Data Archives State Membership Report ''. thearda.com. Retrieved November 12, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Religious Congregations & Membership : 2000 ''. Glenmary Research Center. Archived from the original ( jpg ) on December 14, 2006. Retrieved April 24, 2009. Jump up ^ Elmer Schwieder and Dorothy Schwieder ( 2009 ) A Peculiar People : Iowa 's Old Order Amish University of Iowa Press Jump up ^ Tapper, Josh ( 2016 - 02 - 03 ). `` Postville, Iowa 's Jewish Community Bounces Back After Immigration Raid ''. Haaretz. Retrieved 2017 - 10 - 24. ^ Jump up to : `` Iowa - Languages ''. City Data. Retrieved July 28, 2010. Jump up ^ Labov, W., S. Ash, and C. Boberg, Atlas of North American English. Berlin, Germany : Mouton de Gruyter, 2006. Mouton-online.com Archived December 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Atlas of North American English ''. The University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved January 5, 2008. Jump up ^ Labov, W., Ash, S., & Boberg, C. ( 2006 ). The atlas of North American English : Phonetics, phonology, and sound change : a multimedia reference tool. Berlin : Mouton de Gruyter. Jump up ^ 2000 U.S. Census : Census.gov Archived November 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ 2000 U.S. Census : Census.gov Archived August 4, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Native American Languages, Native-languages.org Jump up ^ `` Orange City Tulip Festival -- May 18 - 20, 2017 ''. www.octulipfestival.com. Jump up ^ ISU Extension Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute, Iastate.edu Archived January 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Iowa Wine Growers Association, Iowawinegrowers.org Archived November 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Iowa Farmers Market Association, Iafarmersmarkets.org Jump up ^ `` America 's Top States for Business in 2010 ''. CNBC. Archived from the original on December 26, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2011. Jump up ^ Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, as presented in the 2007 Iowa Factbook Des Moines : Iowa Legislative Services Agency. Jump up ^ Iowa 's initial jobless claims grow. Des Moines Register April 2, 2009, Desmoinesregister.com Jump up ^ City has lowest unemployment in nation, Iowa City Press - Citizen May 5., 2009, Press-citizen.com Jump up ^ Iowa State University. Gross domestic product by sector and state. Regional Capacity Analysis Program. Retrieved on : April 26, 2008. Archived October 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. ^ Jump up to : `` Iowa Quick Facts -- State Data Center ''. Statelibraryofiowa.org. June 28, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2010. Jump up ^ Iowa officials tout credit rating, argue it shows state 's finances are strong, Associated Press July 3, 2009, Timesrepublican.com Archived September 7, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Local Area Unemployment Statistics -- Iowa, Statewide ''. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved January 31, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Our story - locations ''. Tysonfoods.com. Retrieved July 16, 2014. Jump up ^ 2007 Iowa Factbook p. 59, Des Moines : Iowa Legislative Services Agency. Jump up ^ Swenson, David A, Eathington, Liesl ( December 1, 2002 ). `` Multiple Measures of the Role of Agriculture in Iowa 's Economy ''. Iowa State University, Department of Economics. Staff General Research Papers, number 10180. Retrieved July 26, 2014. CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ USDA. `` Iowa State Fact Sheets ''. Retrieved February 21, 2015. Jump up ^ Orr C. Fischer ( 1941 ). `` The Corn Parade ''. Retrieved July 3, 2010. Jump up ^ Ford, George ( November 28, 2009 ). `` Impact of grain - processing industry runs deep, but people do n't see it ''. Cedar Rapids Gazette. pp. 1A. Retrieved November 29, 2009. Jump up ^ Iowa Insurance Division ( n.d. ). `` Find an Insurance Company ''. State of Iowa. Archived from the original on December 21, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2014. Jump up ^ AMA ( 2013 ). Competition in Health Insurance : A Comprehensive Study of U.S. Markets, 2013 update. AMA. ISBN 978 - 1 - 60359 - 944 - 3. Jump up ^ `` AMA Analysis Lists States Where One Private Health Insurer Rules '' ( press release ). AMA.org. November 7, 2013. Retrieved June 24, 2014. Jump up ^ Competition in Health Insurance : 2007 update, Ama-assn.org Archived July 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. ^ Jump up to : Iowa Insurance Division ( November 2014 ). `` Annual report to the Iowa Governor and the Iowa Legislature ''. State of Iowa. Retrieved December 21, 2014. ^ Jump up to : Philipiddis, Alex ( June 15, 2014 ). `` Incubators Blossom along with Their Startups ''. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News. 34 ( 12 ). pp. 7 -- 8. Retrieved July 17, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Ethanol mandate would n't help prices ''. Cedar Rapids Gazette. February 26, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2010. ^ Jump up to : `` AWEA Wind Energy Facts -- Iowa '' ( PDF ). AWEA. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on January 24, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2011. Jump up ^ `` The World 's Biggest Public Companies ''. Forbes. Retrieved October 5, 2016. 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Jump up ^ `` State Corporate Income Tax Rates and Brackets for 2016 - Tax Foundation ''. February 1, 2016. Jump up ^ Iowa Department of Revenue, Iowa Tax / Fee Descriptions and Rates, Iowa.gov Jump up ^ Iowa Department of Revenue, Iowa Local Option Tax Information, Ioawa.gov Jump up ^ Thomas Beaumont ( May 30, 2009 ). `` No tax increases planned for next year, Culver says ''. The Des Moines Register. Retrieved May 31, 2009. Jump up ^ `` How one city in Iowa caught 160,000 speeders in less than two years ''. Jump up ^ `` Forming a New Political Party in Iowa '' ( PDF ). Elections Division, Iowa Secretary of State. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on July 9, 2007. Retrieved July 26, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Official Results Report -- Statewide : 2006 General Election '' ( PDF ). Iowa Secretary of State. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on July 15, 2007. Retrieved July 26, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Canvass Summary : 2004 General Election '' ( PDF ). Chester J. Culver, Iowa Secretary of State. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on January 4, 2007. Retrieved July 26, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Terry Branstad just became the longest serving governor in American history ''. Washington Post. Retrieved September 14, 2016. Jump up ^ `` State of Iowa Voter Registration Totals '' ( PDF ). Iowa Secretary of State. February 1, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2016. Jump up ^ Donovan, Todd ; Hunsaker, Rob ( January 2009 ). `` Beyond expectations : effects of early elections in U.S. presidential nomination contests ''. PS : Political Science & Politics. Cambridge University Press. 42 ( 1 ) : 45 -- 52. doi : 10.1017 / S1049096509090040. Retrieved January 30, 2016. Jump up ^ Donovan, Todd ; Redlawsk, David ; Tolbert, Caroline ( September 2014 ). `` The 2012 Iowa Republican Caucus and Its Effects on the Presidential Nomination Contest ''. Presidential Studies Quarterly. Wiley. 44 ( 3 ) : 447 -- 466. doi : 10.1111 / psq. 12132. Retrieved January 30, 2016. Jump up ^ 1 Morris 1 ( Iowa 1839 ) ^ Jump up to : `` Early Civil Rights Cases ''. Judicial.state.ia.us. Archived from the original on May 5, 2006. Retrieved July 26, 2010. Jump up ^ Gay marriage and Iowa : Why 's everyone so surprised ? Archived April 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine., Chicago Tribune, April 10, 2009 Jump up ^ 24 Iowa 266 ( 1868 ) Jump up ^ Brodnax, David ( 2004 ). `` The Equality of Right : Alexander Clark and the Desegregation of Iowa 's Public Schools, 1834 -- 1875 ''. Law and Society Association. Jump up ^ Breaux, Richard M. ( 2004 ) `` Maintaining a Home for Girls '' : The Iowa Federation of Colored Women 's Clubs at the University of Iowa 1919 -- 1950, Cultural Capital and Black Education ed. V.P. Franklin and C.J. Savage. Information Age, Greenwich Jump up ^ 37 Iowa 145 ( 1873 ) Jump up ^ Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Iowa.org Archived June 3, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ African - Americans in Iowa, 1838 -- 2005, IPTV.org Archived May 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Iowa Civil Rights Commission, State.ia.us Jump up ^ About Iowa, Uiowa.edu Archived November 19, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ The Fight for Women 's Suffrage, IPTV.org Archived June 15, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ How Did Iowa Coalitions Campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment in 1980 and 1992 ?, alexanderstreet.com Jump up ^ 1857 CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA -- CODIFIED. Search.legis.state.ia.us ( July 4, 1973 ). Retrieved on July 12, 2013. Jump up ^ WL 874044 ( Iowa 2009 ) ( Publication to N.W. 2d pending as of April 9, 2009. ) Jump up ^ Martyn, Chase ( August 25, 2008 ). `` Iowa Supreme Court : Same - sex couples can marry '' Iowa Independent ``. Iowaindependent.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2009. Retrieved July 26, 2010. Jump up ^ `` BREAKING : Iowa Supreme Court rules in favor of marriage equality ! '' Human Rights Campaign ``. HRC Back Story. April 3, 2009. Retrieved July 26, 2010. Jump up ^ `` USA Today, Iowa Court Upholds Gay Marriage ''. USA Today. January 7, 2010. Archived from the original on April 6, 2009. Retrieved July 31, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Iowa Sister States ''. Iowa Sister States. February 23, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Iowa Announces New NGA Graduation Rates ''. Iowa Department of Education. Retrieved September 13, 2010. Jump up ^ `` High School Graduation ''. United Health Foundation. Archived from the original on November 23, 2006. Retrieved January 23, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Quick Facts about Iowa Schools ''. Iowa Department of Education. Archived from the original on May 13, 2008. Retrieved January 23, 2008. ^ Jump up to : `` Education Stats ''. National Education Association. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved January 23, 2008. Jump up ^ 2014 NATIONAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL ATTENDANCE ; Retrieved December 23, 2015. Jump up ^ 2014 NCAA MEN 'S BASKETBALL ATTENDANCE ; Retrieved December 23, 2015. Jump up ^ 2015 NCAA Women 's Basketball Attendance ; Retrieved December 23, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Iowa wrestling leads nation in attendance for ninth straight season ''. `` Famous people from Iowa, famous natives sons ''. Worldatlas.com. Retrieved July 26, 2014. External links Find more aboutIowaat Wikipedia 's sister projects Definitions from Wiktionary Media from Wikimedia Commons News from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Travel guide from Wikivoyage Learning resources from Wikiversity Official website Constitution of the state of Iowa State Data Center of Iowa population, housing, business and government statistics Iowa Travel and Tourism Division Iowa State Facts from USDA Energy Data & Statistics for Iowa - U.S. Department of Energy Iowa State Databases -- Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Iowa state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association. U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts Iowa at Curlie ( based on DMOZ ) Geographic data related to Iowa at OpenStreetMap African - Americans of Iowa Preceded by Texas List of U.S. states by date of statehood Admitted on December 28, 1846 ( 29th ) Succeeded by Wisconsin Topics related to Iowa Hawkeye State State of Iowa Des Moines ( capital ) Topics Attorney General Archaeology Area codes Auditor of State Capitol Code Congressional districts Crime Delegations Representatives Senators Elections Caucuses Environment Flag Index Governor History Historic Places Legislature House Senate People Native Americans Political parties Democratic Libertarian Republican Seal Secretary of Agriculture Secretary of State State Parks Supreme Court Regions Coteau des Prairies Des Moines metropolitan area Dissected Till Plains Driftless Area Great River Road Honey Lands Iowa Great Lakes Loess Hills Omaha -- Council Bluffs metropolitan area Quad Cities Siouxland Largest cities Ames Ankeny Bettendorf Burlington Cedar Falls Cedar Rapids Clinton Council Bluffs Davenport Des Moines Dubuque Fort Dodge Iowa City Marion Marshalltown Mason City Muscatine Ottumwa Sioux City Urbandale Waterloo West Des Moines Counties Adair Adams Allamakee Appanoose Audubon Benton Black Hawk Boone Bremer Buchanan Buena Vista Butler Calhoun Carroll Cass Cedar Cerro Gordo Cherokee Chickasaw Clarke Clay Clayton Clinton Crawford Dallas Davis Decatur Delaware Des Moines Dickinson Dubuque Emmet Fayette Floyd Franklin Fremont Greene Grundy Guthrie Hamilton Hancock Hardin Harrison Henry Howard Humboldt Ida Iowa Jackson Jasper Jefferson Johnson Jones Keokuk Kossuth Lee Linn Louisa Lucas Lyon Madison Mahaska Marion Marshall Mills Mitchell Monona Monroe Montgomery Muscatine O'Brien Osceola Page Palo Alto Plymouth Pocahontas Polk Pottawattamie Poweshiek Ringgold Sac Scott Shelby Sioux Story Tama Taylor Union Van Buren Wapello Warren Washington Wayne Webster Winnebago Winneshiek Woodbury Worth Wright Mayors of cities with populations exceeding 100,000 in Iowa Frank Cownie ( D ) ( Des Moines ) Ron Corbett ( R ) ( Cedar Rapids ) Frank Klipsch ( D ) ( Davenport ) Protected areas of Iowa Federal National Monument Effigy Mounds National Historic Site Herbert Hoover National Wildlife Refuges DeSoto Driftless Area Neal Smith Northern Tallgrass Prairie Port Louisa Union Slough Upper Mississippi River State State Parks Ambrose A. 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Stainbrook Merritt Forest Montauk Mossy Glen Mount Pisgah Cemetery Mount Talbot Nestor Stiles Prairie Ocheyedan Mound Old State Quarry Palisades - Downs Pecan Grove Pellett Woods Pilot Grove Pilot Knob Retz Woods Roberts Creek Rock Creek Island Rock Island Roggman Boreal Slopes Rolling Thunder Prairie Saint James Lutheran Church Savage Woods Searryl 's Cave Sheeder Prairie Silver Lake Fen Silvers - Smith Woods Slinde Mounds Starr 's Cave Steele Prairie Stinson Prairie Strasser Woods Sylvan Runkel Toolesboro Mounds Turin Loess Hills Turkey River Mounds White Pine Hollow Williams Prairie Wittrock Indian Village Woodland Mounds Woodman Hollow Woodthrush County State Parks ( Leased ) Bobwhite Cold Springs Crystal Lake Eagle Lake Echo Valley Frank A. 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1662 -- 1713 ) Île Royale ( 1713 -- 1763 ) Towns Acadia ( Port Royal ) Canada Quebec Trois - Rivières Montreal Détroit Île Royale Louisbourg Louisiana Mobile Biloxi New Orleans Newfoundland Plaisance List of towns Forts Fort Rouillé Fort Michilimackinac Fort de Buade Fort de Chartres Fort Detroit Fort Carillon Fort Condé Fort Duquesne Fortress of Louisbourg Castle Hill Fort St. Louis ( Illinois ) Fort St. Louis ( Texas ) List of Forts Government Canada Governor General Intendant Sovereign Council Bishop of Quebec Governor of Trois - Rivières Governor of Montreal Acadia Governor Lieutenant - General Newfoundland Governor Lieutenant - General Louisiana Governor Intendant Superior Council Île Royale Governor Intendant Superior Council Law Intendancy Superior Council Admiralty court Provostship Officiality Seigneurial court Bailiff Maréchaussée Code Noir Economy Seigneurial system Fur trade Company of 100 Associates Crozat 's Company Mississippi Company Compagnie de l'Occident Chemin du 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American Revolutionary War Conflicts with indigenous peoples during colonial rule Mixtón War → Yaqui Wars → Chichimeca War → Philippine revolts against Spain → Acaxee Rebellion → Spanish -- Moro conflict → Acoma Massacre → Tepehuán Revolt → Tzeltal Rebellion → Pueblo Revolt → Pima Revolt → Spanish American wars of independence Government and administration Central government Habsburg Spain Charles I Joanna of Castile Philip II Philp III Philip IV Charles II Bourbon Spain Philip V ( also reigned after Louis I ) Louis I Ferdinand VI Charles III Charles IV Ferdinand VII of Spain ( also reigned after Joseph I ) Viceroys of New Spain List of viceroys of New Spain Audiencias Guadalajara Captaincy General of Guatemala Manila Mexico Santo Domingo Captancies General Cuba Guatemala Philippines Puerto Rico Santo Domingo Yucatán Provincias Internas Intendancy Havana New Orleans State of Mexico Chiapas Comayagua Nicaragua Camagüey Santiago de Cuba Guanajuato Valladolid Guadalajara Zacatecas San Luis Potosí Veracruz Puebla Oaxaca Durango Sonora Mérida, Yucatán Politics Viceroy Gobernaciones Adelantado Captain general Corregidor ( position ) Cabildo Encomienda Treaties Treaty of Tordesillas Treaty of Zaragoza Peace of Westphalia Treaty of Ryswick Treaty of Utrecht Congress of Breda Treaty of Fontainebleau ( 1762 ) Treaty of Paris ( 1783 ) Treaty of Córdoba Adams -- Onís Treaty Notable cities, provinces, & territories Cities Mexico City Veracruz Xalapa Puebla Toluca Cuernavaca Oaxaca Morelia Acapulco Campeche Mérida Guadalajara Durango Monterrey León Guanajuato Zacatecas Pachuca Querétaro Saltillo San Luis Potosí Los Ángeles Yerba Buena ( San Francisco ) San José San Diego Santa Fe Albuquerque El Paso Los Adaes San Antonio Tucson Pensacola St. Augustine Havana Santo Domingo San Juan Antigua Guatemala Cebu Manila Provinces & territories La Florida Las Californias Santa Fe de Nuevo México Alta California Baja California Tejas Nueva Galicia Nueva Vizcaya Nueva Extremadura New Kingdom of León Cebu Bulacan Pampanga Other areas Spanish Formosa Explorers, adventurers & conquistadors Pre-New Spain explorers Christopher Columbus Ferdinand Magellan Juan Sebastián Elcano Vasco Núñez de Balboa Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar Explorers & conquistadors Hernán Cortés Juan Ponce de León Nuño de Guzmán Bernal Díaz del Castillo Pedro de Alvarado Pánfilo de Narváez Hernando de Soto Francisco Vásquez de Coronado Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo Miguel López de Legazpi Ángel de Villafañe Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca Pedro Menéndez de Avilés Luis de Carabajal y Cueva Juan de Oñate Juan José Pérez Hernández Gaspar de Portolà Manuel Quimper Cristóbal de Oñate Andrés de Urdaneta Ruy López de Villalobos Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar Francisco Hernández de Córdoba ( Yucatán conquistador ) Francisco Hernández de Córdoba ( founder of Nicaragua ) Gil González Dávila Francisco de Ulloa Juan José Pérez Hernández Dionisio Alcalá Galiano Bruno de Heceta Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra Alonso de León Ignacio de Arteaga y Bazán José de Bustamante y Guerra José María Narváez Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa Antonio Gil Y'Barbo Alexander von Humboldt Thomas Gage Catholic Church in New Spain Spanish missions in the Americas Spanish missions in Arizona Spanish missions in Baja California Spanish missions in California Spanish missions in the Carolinas Spanish missions in Florida Spanish missions in Georgia Spanish missions in Louisiana Spanish missions in Mexico Spanish missions in New Mexico Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert Spanish missions in Texas Spanish missions in Virginia Spanish missions in Trinidad Friars, fathers, priests, & bishops Pedro de Gante Gerónimo de Aguilar Toribio de Benavente Motolinia Bernardino de Sahagún Juan de Zumárraga Alonso de Montúfar Vasco de Quiroga Bartolomé de las Casas Alonso de Molina Diego Durán Diego de Landa Gerónimo de Mendieta Juan de Torquemada Juan de Palafox y Mendoza Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora Eusebio Kino Francisco Javier Clavijero Junípero Serra Francisco Palóu Fermín Lasuén Esteban Tápis José Francisco de Paula Señan Mariano Payeras Sebastián Montero Marcos de Niza Francisco de Ayeta Antonio Margil Francisco Marroquín Manuel Abad y Queipo Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla José María Morelos Other events Suppression of the Jesuits California mission clash of cultures Cargo system Indian Reductions Society and culture Indigenous peoples Mesoamerican Aztec Maya Huastec Mixtec P'urhépecha Totonac Pipil Kowoj K'iche ' Kaqchikel Zapotec Poqomam Mam Caribbean Arawak Ciboney Guanajatabey California Mission Indians Cahuilla Chumash Cupeño Juaneño Kumeyaay Luiseño Miwok Mohave Ohlone Serrano Tongva Southwestern Apache Coahuiltecan Cocopa Comanche Hopi Hualapai La Junta Navajo Pima Puebloan Quechan Solano Yaqui Zuni North - Northwest Mexico Acaxee Chichimeca Cochimi Kiliwa Ópata Tepehuán Florida & other Southeastern tribes Indigenous people during De Soto 's travels Apalachee Calusa Creek Jororo Pensacola Seminole Timucua Yustaga 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Insular areas American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Outlying islands Baker Island Howland Island Jarvis Island Johnston Atoll Kingman Reef Midway Atoll Navassa Island Palmyra Atoll Wake Island Indian reservations List of Indian reservations Coordinates : 42 ° N 93 ° W ﻿ / ﻿ 42 ° N 93 ° W ﻿ / 42 ; - 93 BNF : cb123174975 ( data ) GND : 4109226 - 0 ISNI : 0000 0004 0396 2037 LCCN : n79081387 NARA : 10045311 SUDOC : 17656456X VIAF : 153594323 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iowa&oldid=839887430 '' Categories : Iowa States of the United States Midwestern United States States and territories established in 1846 1846 establishments in the United States Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from May 2014 CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list Articles with dead external links from June 2016 Articles with dead external links from October 2010 Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism Wikipedia indefinitely move - protected pages Use mdy dates from May 2017 Articles with hAudio microformats Articles including recorded pronunciations ( English ) Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2005 All articles containing potentially dated statements All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from June 2011 Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2016 Articles with unsourced statements from July 2014 Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2009 Articles with unsourced statements from March 2016 Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2017 Articles with unsourced statements from December 2014 Articles to be expanded from September 2017 All articles to be expanded Articles using small message boxes Articles with Curlie links Coordinates on Wikidata Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Wikinews Wikivoyage Afrikaans አማርኛ Ænglisc Aragonés ܐܪܡܝܐ Arpetan Asturianu Avañe'ẽ Aymar aru Azərbaycanca تۆرکجه বাংলা Bân - lâm - gú Башҡортса Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ भोजपुरी Bikol Central Bislama Български Boarisch བོད ་ ཡིག Bosanski Brezhoneg Буряад Català Чӑвашла Cebuano Čeština Chavacano de Zamboanga Corsu Cymraeg Dansk Davvisámegiella Deutsch Diné bizaad Eesti Ελληνικά Emiliàn e rumagnòl Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Fiji Hindi Føroyskt Français Frysk Gaeilge Gaelg Gagauz Gàidhlig Galego ગુજરાતી 𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌹𐍃𐌺 客家 語 / Hak - kâ - ngî Хальмг 한국어 Hawaiʻi Հայերեն हिन्दी Hornjoserbsce Hrvatski Ido Igbo Ilokano বিষ্ণুপ্রিয়া মণিপুরী Bahasa Indonesia Interlingua Interlingue ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ / inuktitut Iñupiak Ирон Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa ಕನ್ನಡ Kapampangan ქართული Қазақша Kernowek Kiswahili Kreyòl ayisyen Kurdî Кырык мары Ladino Лезги لۊری شومالی Latina Latviešu Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Ligure Limburgs Lumbaart Magyar मैथिली Македонски Malagasy മലയാളം Māori मराठी მარგალური مصرى مازِرونی Bahasa Melayu Mìng - dĕ̤ng - ngṳ̄ Монгол မြန်မာဘာသာ Dorerin Naoero Nederlands नेपाली नेपाल भाषा 日本 語 Нохчийн Nordfriisk Norsk Norsk nynorsk Occitan Олык марий Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча ਪੰਜਾਬੀ पालि پنجابی Papiamentu Piemontèis Plattdüütsch Polski Português Română Rumantsch Runa Simi Русский Саха тыла संस्कृतम् Sardu Scots Seeltersk Shqip Sicilianu Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Ślůnski کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் Татарча / tatarça తెలుగు ไทย Тоҷикӣ Türkçe Українська اردو ئۇيغۇرچە / Uyghurche Tiếng Việt Volapük 文言 Winaray 吴语 ייִדיש Yorùbá 粵語 Zazaki Žemaitėška 中文 Kabɩyɛ Lingua Franca Nova 164 more Edit links This page was last edited on 6 May 2018, at 10 : 26. 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Question: who was president when iowa became a state
Answer: President James K. Polk