# Winnebago County, Iowa

Winnebago County is a county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,679. The county seat is Forest City. The county was founded in 1847 and named after the Native American tribe. It is the location of the motor homes manufacturer Winnebago Industries.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 402 square miles (1,040 km$^2$), of which 400 square miles (1,000 km$^2$) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km$^2$) (0.3%) is water. It is Iowa's fifth-smallest county by land area and second-smallest by total area.

### Adjacent counties

* Faribault County, Minnesota (northwest)
* Freeborn County, Minnesota (northeast)
* Worth County (east)
* Hancock County (south)
* Kossuth County (west)
* Cerro Gordo County (southeast)

## Transportation
### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 69
* Iowa Highway 9

### Airport

* Forest City Municipal Airport

## Demographics
### 2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 10,679 in the county, with a population density of 26.5947/sq mi (10.2683/km$^2$). 96.07% of the population reported being of one race. There were 5,077 housing units, of which 4,512 were occupied.
Winnebago County Racial Composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (NH) | 9,472 | 88.7% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 204 | 2% |
| Native American (NH) | 13 | 0.1% |
| Asian (NH) | 94 | 0.9% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 3 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 299 | 2.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 594 | 5.6% |

### 2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,866 in the county, with a population density of 27.1331/sq mi (10.4762/km$^2$). There were 5,194 housing units, of which 4,597 were occupied.

### 2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 11,723 people, 4,749 households, and 3,181 families in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11 people/km$^2$). There were 5,065 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 97.37% white, 0.18% black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. 2.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 4,749 households 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.90% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 29.40% of households were one person and 14.70% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.91.
The age distribution was 24.10% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 24.10% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 18.90% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.
The median household income was $38,381 and the median family income was $47,306. Males had a median income of $30,720 versus $22,509 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,494. About 5.00% of families and 8.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.90% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.

## History

"When the first white settlers came into the county, and for some years thereafter, roving bands of Winnebago Indians made their temporary home within the limits of the county. At times there would be as many as one hundred living along the Lime Creek valley or about Coon Grove, and at other times there would be but a mere handful ... During the summer seasons they would cache their cooking utensils, leave their tepees standing and go northward into Minnesota to hunt and trap. At that time the Winnebago agency was located about forty miles north of Forest City." The Winnebago were removed after the Dakota War of 1862.
Initial settlement was in the wooded eastern third of the county, with prairie and marshy areas in the west being settled after 1880. Early teachers in Winnebago County were required to be able to converse in the language of their pupils. Many of the county's pioneers were of Norwegian descent.
The oldest standing structure in the county is Trinity Church, built in 1874.
In 1938, the Winnebago Rural Electric Cooperative was established. The first section of lines was energized on January 3, 1940.
A 1951 movie by the Rural Electrification Administration featured local residents describing the struggles for adequate phone service in Winnebago County, prior to the federal loan which enabled the Winnebago Cooperative Telephone Association to convert the area to modern dial service.
The Winnebago Industries RV manufacturing company was founded in Forest City in 1958.
The Winnebago Historical Society is located in the Mansion Museum in Forest City.

## Communities
### Cities

* Buffalo Center
* Forest City
* Lake Mills
* Leland
* Rake
* Scarville
* Thompson

### Townships

* Buffalo
* Center
* Eden
* Forest
* Grant
* King
* Lincoln
* Linden
* Logan
* Mount Valley
* Newton
* Norway

### Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Winnebago County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
| 1 | † Forest City (partially in Hancock County) | City | 4,285 |
| 2 | Lake Mills | City | 2,143 |
| 3 | Buffalo Center | City | 857 |
| 4 | Thompson | City | 495 |
| 5 | Leland | City | 249 |
| 6 | Rake | City | 186 |
| 7 | Scarville | City | 74 |

## Politics

Winnebago County has backed the statewide winner in every presidential election since 1996 with the exception of 2012, when it backed losing Republican Mitt Romney by just 3 votes over incumbent Democrat Barack Obama.
United States presidential election results for Winnebago County, Iowa :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 3,636 | 64.45% | 1,909 | 33.84% | 97 | 1.72% |
| 2020 | 3,707 | 62.09% | 2,135 | 35.76% | 128 | 2.14% |
| 2016 | 3,447 | 59.56% | 1,931 | 33.37% | 409 | 7.07% |
| 2012 | 2,906 | 49.10% | 2,903 | 49.05% | 109 | 1.84% |
| 2008 | 2,730 | 44.86% | 3,254 | 53.48% | 101 | 1.66% |
| 2004 | 3,175 | 53.34% | 2,707 | 45.48% | 70 | 1.18% |
| 2000 | 2,662 | 48.16% | 2,691 | 48.69% | 174 | 3.15% |
| 1996 | 2,211 | 40.05% | 2,679 | 48.52% | 631 | 11.43% |
| 1992 | 2,407 | 39.60% | 2,322 | 38.20% | 1,349 | 22.19% |
| 1988 | 2,863 | 50.20% | 2,804 | 49.17% | 36 | 0.63% |
| 1984 | 3,616 | 57.27% | 2,669 | 42.27% | 29 | 0.46% |
| 1980 | 3,808 | 58.77% | 2,208 | 34.08% | 463 | 7.15% |
| 1976 | 3,315 | 52.24% | 2,950 | 46.49% | 81 | 1.28% |
| 1972 | 4,300 | 64.48% | 2,324 | 34.85% | 45 | 0.67% |
| 1968 | 3,543 | 59.51% | 2,163 | 36.33% | 248 | 4.17% |
| 1964 | 2,331 | 38.74% | 3,677 | 61.11% | 9 | 0.15% |
| 1960 | 4,082 | 62.33% | 2,463 | 37.61% | 4 | 0.06% |
| 1956 | 3,926 | 60.84% | 2,521 | 39.07% | 6 | 0.09% |
| 1952 | 4,574 | 70.38% | 1,905 | 29.31% | 20 | 0.31% |
| 1948 | 2,636 | 48.36% | 2,626 | 48.17% | 189 | 3.47% |
| 1944 | 2,808 | 51.24% | 2,654 | 48.43% | 18 | 0.33% |
| 1940 | 3,308 | 51.78% | 3,051 | 47.76% | 29 | 0.45% |
| 1936 | 2,592 | 43.73% | 3,133 | 52.86% | 202 | 3.41% |
| 1932 | 2,012 | 36.59% | 3,281 | 59.67% | 206 | 3.75% |
| 1928 | 3,386 | 70.09% | 1,268 | 26.25% | 177 | 3.66% |
| 1924 | 2,445 | 47.27% | 225 | 4.35% | 2,502 | 48.38% |
| 1920 | 3,931 | 87.08% | 469 | 10.39% | 114 | 2.53% |
| 1916 | 1,713 | 72.92% | 584 | 24.86% | 52 | 2.21% |
| 1912 | 532 | 23.85% | 390 | 17.48% | 1,309 | 58.67% |
| 1908 | 1,710 | 76.07% | 489 | 21.75% | 49 | 2.18% |
| 1904 | 2,002 | 89.45% | 174 | 7.77% | 62 | 2.77% |
| 1900 | 2,052 | 79.63% | 474 | 18.39% | 51 | 1.98% |
| 1896 | 1,912 | 72.12% | 714 | 26.93% | 25 | 0.94% |

## Education

School districts include:
* Algona Community School District
* Forest City Community School District
* Lake Mills Community School District
* North Iowa Community School District
Former school districts:
* Titonka Consolidated School District, consolidated into Algona CSD on July 1, 2014.
* Woden-Crystal Lake Community School District, consolidated into Forest City CSD on July 1, 2013.