Tama County, Iowa

Tama County /ˈteɪmə/ is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,135.^[1] The county seat is Toledo and the largest city is Tama.^[2]

History

Tama county was formed on February 17, 1843^[3] and named for Taimah, a leader of the Meskwaki people.^[4]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 722 square miles (1,870 km²), of which 721 square miles (1,870 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) (0.1%) is water.^[5]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 30
• U.S. Highway 63
• Iowa Highway 8
• Iowa Highway 21
• Iowa Highway 96
• Iowa Highway 146

Adjacent counties

• Grundy County (northwest)
• Black Hawk County (northeast)
• Benton County (east)
• Poweshiek County (south)
• Marshall County (west)
• Iowa County (southeast)
• Jasper County (southwest)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 17,135 and a population density of .^[6]

The median age was 42.0 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.1 males age 18 and over.^[6]

There were 6,784 households in the county, of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.3% were married-couple households, 19.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 7,575 housing units, of which 10.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.8% were owner-occupied and 23.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.1%.^[6]

93.80% of residents reported being of one race.^[6] The racial makeup of the county was 79.7% White, 0.8% Black or African American, 8.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.5% from some other race, and 6.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.5% of the population.^[7]

30.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 69.3% lived in rural areas.^[8]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census recorded a population of 17,767 in the county, with a population density of . There were 7,766 housing units, of which 6,947 were occupied.^[10]

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 17,767 people, 7,018 households, and 4,968 families residing in the county. The population density was 25 /mi2. There were 7,583 housing units at an average density of 10 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 90.38% White, 0.25% Black or African American, 6.09% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.90% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 3.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,018 households, out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,419, and the median income for a family was $43,646. Males had a median income of $30,723 versus $22,597 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,097. About 7.60% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.

Education

School districts include:^[11]

• Belle Plaine Community School District
• Benton Community School District
• East Marshall Community School District
• GMG Community School District
• Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District
• Grundy Center Community School District
• North Tama County Community School District
• South Tama County Community School District
• Union Community School District

There is also a Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-affiliated tribal school, Meskwaki Settlement School.

The largest of which is South Tama Community School District, at the 3A designation. Second largest is North Tama Community Schools. Lastly both GMG and Meskwaki Settlement School with an eight-man designation.^{[citation needed][12][13][14][15]}

Communities

Cities

• Chelsea
• Clutier
• Dysart
• Elberon
• Garwin
• Gladbrook
• Le Grand
• Lincoln
• Montour
• Tama
• Toledo
• Traer
• Vining

Unincorporated communities

• Buckingham
• Dinsdale
• Haven
• Long Point
• Meskwaki Settlement

Townships

Tama County is divided into twenty-one townships:

• Buckingham
• Carlton
• Carroll
• Clark
• Columbia
• Crystal
• Geneseo
• Grant
• Highland
• Howard
• Indian Village
• Lincoln
• Oneida
• Otter Creek
• Perry
• Richland
• Salt Creek
• Spring Creek
• Tama
• Toledo
• York

Population ranking

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

† county seat

Notable people

• George R. Struble (1836–1918). Iowa judge and politician from Toledo. Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, 1881–1883. Ardent prohibitionist. Brother of John T. Struble of Johnson County, and Congressman Isaac S. Struble of Plymouth County. Biography in the Journal of the House, memorial resolution of March 23, 1921.
• Michael Emerson, born in Cedar Rapids and raised in Toledo, Emerson has been on Broadway and appeared on Lost.^[16]
• Clifford Berry (1918-1963), born in Gladbrook, was a graduate student at Iowa State when he and John Vincent Atanasoff created the Atanasoff–Berry Computer (ABC), the first digital electronic computer, in 1939.

Politics

Between 1888 and 1984, Tama County was a reliable bellwether county, backing the nationwide winner in every presidential election except for 1916 and 1960. For the next seven election cycles, from 1988 to 2012, Tama County backed the Democratic candidate in each election, although George W. Bush came extremely close to winning the county in both 2000 and 2004, losing by slim margins of just 11 and 31 votes respectively. In 2016, Donald Trump moved the county back into the Republican camp, taking nearly 57% of the county's vote and winning it by more than 20%, the best margin in the county for any candidate since Ronald Reagan won the county during his 1980 landslide. Though Trump's margin of victory dropped slightly to just over 19% in 2020, he increased his vote share to almost 59%, the best vote share for a candidate of either party in Tama County since the 1964 landslide victory of Lyndon B. Johnson.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Tama County, Iowa

References

1. ^ "2020 Census State Redistricting Data". census.gov. United states Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
3. ^ "City Community Description Congressional district Overview Population District type Geographical location/Climate Closest major city Political structure History Cultural institutions/events Distinguishing features Existing ties with Russia". ccfrussia.ru. Archived from the original on September 19, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
4. ^ Tama County
5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
6. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
7. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
8. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
9. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Tama County, Iowa"
10. ^ "Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010 - State – County". United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
11. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Tama County, IA". United States Census Bureau. Archived July 21, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 21, 2022. - Text list - 2010 Map, 2010 Text list
12. ^ South Tama County | Home of the Trojans! Web. March 26, 2011.<http://www.s-tama.k12.ia.us/>
13. ^ Meskwaki Settlement School. Web. March 26, 2011.<http://www.msswarriors.org/>
14. ^ Welcome to North Tama County Community Schools. Web. March 26, 2011.<http://www.n-tama.k12.ia.us/>
15. ^ New Page 1. Web. March 26, 2011.<http://www.garwin.k12.ia.us/>.
16. ^ "Michael Emerson". IMDb. Retrieved April 28, 2018.

External links

• IAGenWeb History, Biographies, Records and more