# Palo Alto County, Iowa

Palo Alto County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,996. The county seat is Emmetsburg. It is named after the Battle of Palo Alto, the first major battle of the Mexican–American War.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 569 square miles (1,470 km$^2$), of which 564 square miles (1,460 km$^2$) is land and 5.6 square miles (15 km$^2$) (1.0%) is water.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 18
* Iowa Highway 4
* Iowa Highway 15

### Adjacent counties

* Emmet County (north)
* Kossuth County (east)
* Pocahontas County (south)
* Clay County (west)

## Demographics
### 2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 8,996 in the county, with a population density of 15.8500/sq mi (6.1197/km$^2$). 96.59% of the population reported being of one race. 91.05% were non-Hispanic White, 0.58% were Black, 3.05% were Hispanic, 0.26% were Native American, 0.43% were Asian, 0.07% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 4.57% were some other race or more than one race. There were 4,516 housing units, of which 3,831 were occupied.

### 2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 9,421 in the county, with a population density of 16.7089/sq mi (6.4514/km$^2$). There were 4,628 housing units, of which 3,994 were occupied.

### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,147 people, 4,119 households, and 2,673 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile (6.9 people/km$^2$). There were 4,631 housing units at an average density of 8 units per square mile (3.1 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 98.62% White, 0.09% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. 0.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,119 households, out of which 28.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.30% were married couples living together, 5.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.10% were non-families. 30.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 21.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,409, and the median income for a family was $41,808. Males had a median income of $28,344 versus $19,655 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,733. About 6.60% of families and 10.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.20% of those under age 18 and 9.10% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Ayrshire
* Curlew
* Cylinder
* Emmetsburg
* Graettinger
* Mallard
* Rodman
* Ruthven
* West Bend (partially)

### Townships

* Booth
* Ellington
* Emmetsburg
* Fairfield
* Fern Valley
* Freedom
* Great Oak
* Highland
* Independence
* Lost Island
* Nevada
* Rush Lake
* Silver Lake
* Vernon
* Walnut
* West Bend

### Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Palo Alto County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
| 1 | † Emmetsburg | City | 3,706 |
| 2 | Graettinger | City | 832 |
| 3 | West Bend (partially in Kossuth County) | City | 772 (791 total) |
| 4 | Ruthven | City | 725 |
| 5 | Mallard | City | 257 |
| 6 | Ayrshire | City | 133 |
| 7 | Cylinder | City | 87 |
| 8 | Curlew | City | 37 |
| 9 | Rodman | City | 31 |

## Politics

Between 1896 and 2008, Palo Alto County was a very reliable bellwether county, backing the nationwide winner in every election except for 1984 and 1988, when a farm crisis caused a loss of Republican support in Iowa amidst an otherwise national landslide for the party in both elections. More recent elections have significantly favored Republicans, as in 2016, Donald Trump became the first nominee of any party to capture at least 65% of the county's vote since Lyndon B. Johnson in his national landslide of 1964. Trump's margin of victory of nearly 36% was the largest in the county since Warren G. Harding in 1920. Trump improved on his first performance in 2020, obtaining almost 68% of the vote in Palo Alto County and grew his margin of victory to over 37%. It was the best vote share for any candidate in the county since Harding a century earlier. Trump did even better again in 2024, taking nearly 72% of the vote and setting a record in Palo Alto County for the largest percentage of the vote ever obtained by a Republican candidate.
United States presidential election results for Palo Alto County, Iowa :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 3,576 | 71.78% | 1,338 | 26.86% | 68 | 1.36% |
| 2020 | 3,370 | 67.97% | 1,519 | 30.64% | 69 | 1.39% |
| 2016 | 3,081 | 65.51% | 1,398 | 29.73% | 224 | 4.76% |
| 2012 | 2,660 | 54.43% | 2,139 | 43.77% | 88 | 1.80% |
| 2008 | 2,294 | 47.71% | 2,428 | 50.50% | 86 | 1.79% |
| 2004 | 2,674 | 51.51% | 2,482 | 47.81% | 35 | 0.67% |
| 2000 | 2,341 | 48.54% | 2,326 | 48.23% | 156 | 3.23% |
| 1996 | 1,817 | 38.63% | 2,371 | 50.41% | 515 | 10.95% |
| 1992 | 1,789 | 33.26% | 2,374 | 44.13% | 1,216 | 22.61% |
| 1988 | 2,041 | 37.36% | 3,377 | 61.82% | 45 | 0.82% |
| 1984 | 2,715 | 46.73% | 3,018 | 51.94% | 77 | 1.33% |
| 1980 | 3,025 | 50.69% | 2,463 | 41.27% | 480 | 8.04% |
| 1976 | 2,623 | 44.43% | 3,182 | 53.90% | 99 | 1.68% |
| 1972 | 3,141 | 51.78% | 2,845 | 46.90% | 80 | 1.32% |
| 1968 | 3,114 | 50.04% | 2,874 | 46.18% | 235 | 3.78% |
| 1964 | 2,206 | 33.19% | 4,441 | 66.81% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 3,551 | 48.99% | 3,695 | 50.97% | 3 | 0.04% |
| 1956 | 3,795 | 51.14% | 3,624 | 48.83% | 2 | 0.03% |
| 1952 | 4,595 | 60.48% | 2,993 | 39.40% | 9 | 0.12% |
| 1948 | 2,594 | 39.30% | 3,858 | 58.45% | 149 | 2.26% |
| 1944 | 2,772 | 42.43% | 3,726 | 57.03% | 35 | 0.54% |
| 1940 | 3,322 | 42.47% | 4,482 | 57.30% | 18 | 0.23% |
| 1936 | 2,613 | 35.63% | 4,515 | 61.57% | 205 | 2.80% |
| 1932 | 2,378 | 36.21% | 4,094 | 62.33% | 96 | 1.46% |
| 1928 | 3,463 | 54.49% | 2,843 | 44.74% | 49 | 0.77% |
| 1924 | 2,943 | 49.49% | 593 | 9.97% | 2,411 | 40.54% |
| 1920 | 3,904 | 71.42% | 1,467 | 26.84% | 95 | 1.74% |
| 1916 | 1,594 | 48.49% | 1,630 | 49.59% | 63 | 1.92% |
| 1912 | 953 | 30.30% | 1,274 | 40.51% | 918 | 29.19% |
| 1908 | 1,639 | 52.82% | 1,340 | 43.18% | 124 | 4.00% |
| 1904 | 1,999 | 63.32% | 1,081 | 34.24% | 77 | 2.44% |
| 1900 | 1,908 | 55.47% | 1,477 | 42.94% | 55 | 1.60% |
| 1896 | 1,595 | 50.00% | 1,547 | 48.50% | 48 | 1.50% |