# Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

Cerro Gordo County (/ˈsɛroʊ ˈɡɔːrdoʊ/; Spanish:) is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 43,127. Its county seat is Mason City. The county is named for the Battle of Cerro Gordo, which took place during the Mexican–American War.
Cerro Gordo County is part of the Mason City, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

## History

Cerro Gordo County was formed in 1851 and takes its name from the Battle of Cerro Gordo in the Mexican–American War, where General Winfield Scott defeated the Mexican General Santa Anna on April 18, 1847.
In 1851 the first white settlers came into the area of the present county and settled on Clear Lake. Four years later, on August 7, 1855, the first elections were held and the first legal proceedings occurred in 1857. In the summer of the same year, Livonia was chosen as the new county seat. In 1858, the seat was returned to Mason City. In 1866, the first courthouse was erected, which was used until 1900. The courthouse still used today opened on November 17, 1960.
Cerro Gordo County was the site of the airplane crash north of the city of Clear Lake, in which rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, along with their pilot Roger A. Peterson, were killed on February 3, 1959. The site is in Grant Township, in the northwestern part of the county.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 575 square miles (1,490 km$^2$), of which 568 square miles (1,470 km$^2$) is land and 6.8 square miles (18 km$^2$) (1.2%) is water.

### Major highways

* Interstate 35
* U.S. Highway 18
* U.S. Highway 65
* Iowa Highway 27
* Iowa Highway 122

### Transit

* Mason City Transit

### Airport

The county also has a municipal airport, Mason City Municipal Airport, (MCW).

### Adjacent counties

* Worth County (north)
* Mitchell County (northeast)
* Floyd County (east)
* Franklin County (south)
* Hancock County (west)

## Demographics
### 2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 43,127 in the county, with a population density of 74.9654/sq mi (28.9443/km$^2$). There were 22,603 housing units of which 19,224 were occupied.
Cerro Gordo County Racial Composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (NH) | 37,819 | 87.7% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 848 | 2% |
| Native American (NH) | 96 | 0.22% |
| Asian (NH) | 535 | 1.24% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 137 | 0.32% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 1,449 | 3.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,243 | 5.2% |

### 2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 44,151 in the county, with a population density of 77.73/sq mi (30.012/km$^2$). There were 22,163 housing units, of which 19,350 were occupied.

### 2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 46,447 people, 19,374 households, and 12,399 families in the county. The population density was 82 inhabitants per square mile (32/km$^2$). There were 21,488 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile (15/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 96.26% White, 0.80% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 2.78%. were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 19,374 households 29.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.90% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.00% were non-families. 30.90% of households were one person and 13.50% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.91.
The age distribution was 23.80% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.70% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.10 males.
The median household income was $35,867 and the median family income was $46,099. Males had a median income of $31,790 versus $21,781 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,184. About 5.90% of families and 8.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.10% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Clear Lake
* Dougherty
* Mason City
* Meservey
* Plymouth
* Rock Falls
* Rockwell
* Swaledale
* Thornton
* Ventura

### Townships

Cerro Gordo County is divided into sixteen townships:
* Bath
* Clear Lake
* Dougherty
* Falls
* Geneseo
* Grant
* Grimes
* Lake
* Lime Creek
* Lincoln
* Mason
* Mount Vernon
* Owen
* Pleasant Valley
* Portland
* Union

### Census-designated places

* Burchinal
* Portland

### Other unincorporated communities

* Cameron
* Cartersville
* Emery
* Freeman
* Hurley

### Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Cerro Gordo County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
| 1 | † Mason City | City | 27,338 |
| 2 | Clear Lake | City | 7,687 |
| 3 | Nora Springs (mostly in Floyd County) | City | 1,369 |
| 4 | Rockwell | City | 1,071 |
| 5 | Ventura | City | 711 |
| 6 | Thornton | City | 400 |
| 7 | Plymouth | City | 375 |
| 8 | Meservey | City | 222 |
| 9 | Swaledale | City | 144 |
| 10 | Rock Falls | City | 150 |
| 11 | Dougherty | City | 62 |
| 12 | Burchinal | CDP | 33 |
| 13 | Portland | CDP | 28 |

## Economy

In September 2016 Cerro Gordo County supervisors voted to appeal the Iowa Department of Natural Resources's decision to approve construction of a hog confinement facility near Ventura, Iowa.

### Law enforcement

The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office is headed by Sheriff Kevin Pals. The Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement, performs investigations, executes legal processes such as writs, and is responsible for operating the county jail and for inmates in custody.
The Sheriff's Office is at 17262 Lark Ave, Mason City, IA 50401.

## Politics

From the county's founding in 1851 until 1928, Cerro Gordo County voted Republican in every single election except for 1912, when former Republican Theodore Roosevelt won the county with a plurality as the Progressive candidate. The tide in the county then shifted from 1932 to 2012, as the Democratic candidate won all but six elections in that span, four of which were nationwide Republican landslides in 1952, 1956, 1972, and 1980. Beginning in 2016, Cerro Gordo County has shifted back to the right, with Donald Trump winning the county in 2016, 2020, and 2024. Whilst Mason City leans Democratic, the rest of the county is Republican.
United States presidential election results for Cerro Gordo County, Iowa :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 12,627 | 54.85% | 9,955 | 43.25% | 438 | 1.90% |
| 2020 | 12,442 | 52.28% | 10,941 | 45.97% | 418 | 1.76% |
| 2016 | 11,621 | 50.60% | 9,862 | 42.94% | 1,482 | 6.45% |
| 2012 | 10,128 | 42.51% | 13,316 | 55.89% | 380 | 1.60% |
| 2008 | 9,375 | 38.83% | 14,405 | 59.67% | 363 | 1.50% |
| 2004 | 10,960 | 44.71% | 13,372 | 54.54% | 184 | 0.75% |
| 2000 | 9,397 | 42.40% | 12,185 | 54.98% | 580 | 2.62% |
| 1996 | 7,427 | 34.99% | 11,943 | 56.26% | 1,857 | 8.75% |
| 1992 | 8,250 | 33.96% | 11,415 | 46.99% | 4,628 | 19.05% |
| 1988 | 9,358 | 41.84% | 12,857 | 57.49% | 150 | 0.67% |
| 1984 | 11,214 | 48.86% | 11,570 | 50.41% | 166 | 0.72% |
| 1980 | 11,189 | 49.01% | 9,363 | 41.02% | 2,276 | 9.97% |
| 1976 | 10,604 | 47.77% | 11,189 | 50.41% | 403 | 1.82% |
| 1972 | 11,856 | 54.65% | 9,460 | 43.61% | 377 | 1.74% |
| 1968 | 10,661 | 52.49% | 8,554 | 42.12% | 1,095 | 5.39% |
| 1964 | 7,884 | 37.42% | 13,156 | 62.44% | 31 | 0.15% |
| 1960 | 12,830 | 56.05% | 10,044 | 43.88% | 15 | 0.07% |
| 1956 | 12,449 | 57.00% | 9,362 | 42.86% | 30 | 0.14% |
| 1952 | 13,207 | 61.12% | 8,354 | 38.66% | 47 | 0.22% |
| 1948 | 7,840 | 44.34% | 9,544 | 53.98% | 298 | 1.69% |
| 1944 | 8,311 | 47.60% | 9,088 | 52.05% | 60 | 0.34% |
| 1940 | 9,728 | 47.20% | 10,839 | 52.59% | 45 | 0.22% |
| 1936 | 7,599 | 42.71% | 9,694 | 54.48% | 501 | 2.82% |
| 1932 | 7,317 | 45.12% | 8,752 | 53.96% | 149 | 0.92% |
| 1928 | 9,582 | 65.78% | 4,908 | 33.69% | 77 | 0.53% |
| 1924 | 8,410 | 58.85% | 1,345 | 9.41% | 4,536 | 31.74% |
| 1920 | 8,293 | 75.73% | 2,302 | 21.02% | 356 | 3.25% |
| 1916 | 3,556 | 59.28% | 2,289 | 38.16% | 154 | 2.57% |
| 1912 | 1,334 | 25.64% | 1,742 | 33.49% | 2,126 | 40.87% |
| 1908 | 2,990 | 64.05% | 1,520 | 32.56% | 158 | 3.38% |
| 1904 | 3,108 | 74.55% | 836 | 20.05% | 225 | 5.40% |
| 1900 | 3,345 | 69.53% | 1,320 | 27.44% | 146 | 3.03% |
| 1896 | 3,048 | 66.73% | 1,408 | 30.82% | 112 | 2.45% |