Kossuth County, Iowa

{{short description|County in Iowa, United States}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox U.S. county | county = Kossuth County | state = Iowa | ex image = Kossuth County IA Courthouse.jpg | ex image size = 250px | ex image cap = The Kossuth County Courthouse in Algona | seal = | founded = January 15, 1851 | seat wl = Algona | largest city wl = Algona | named for = Lajos Kossuth | area_total_sq_mi = 974.3 | area_land_sq_mi = 973 | area_water_sq_mi = 1.6 | area percentage = 0.2 | population_as_of = 2020 | population_total = 14828 | pop_est_as_of = 2025 | population_est = 14322 {{decrease}} | density_sq_mi = auto | time zone = Central | district = 4th | web = https://kossuthcounty.iowa.gov/ | footnotes = * Iowa county number '''55'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Iowa County Names and Numbers |url=https://das.iowa.gov/media/3516/download?inline |publisher=Iowa Department of Administrative Services |access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> }}

'''Kossuth County''' ({{IPAc-en|k|ə|ˈ|s|uː|θ}}) is a county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,828.<ref name=cen2020>{{cite web |title=2020 Census State Redistricting Data |url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/data/01-Redistricting_File--PL_94-171/Iowa/ |website=census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 12, 2021}}</ref> The county seat and the largest city is Algona.<ref name="NACo">{{cite web|title=Find a County |url=https://ce.naco.org/?find=true |publisher=National Association of Counties |access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref>

==History== Kossuth County was founded on January 15, 1851. It was named after Lajos Kossuth, Regent-President of Hungary who went into exile to America following the war of independence of Hungary from the Habsburg Dynasty.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ |title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States |publisher=Government Printing Office |author=Gannett, Henry |year=1905 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n176 177]}}</ref> The county was enlarged northward in 1857 by the inclusion of the former Bancroft County. Crocker County was another county created out of the same area of Kossuth County as Bancroft County but was reverted due to not being larger than {{convert|432|sqmi|ha}}.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} Another attempt to create a new county called Larrabee County failed in 1914.

==Geography== According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has an area of {{cvt|974|sqmi|sqkm}}, of which {{cvt|973|sqmi|sqkm}} is land and {{cvt|1.6|sqmi|sqkm}} (0.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |website=census.gov |publisher= US Census Bureau |access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> It is Iowa's largest county by area.

===Major highways=== * x20px U.S. Highway 18 * x20px U.S. Highway 169 * x20px Iowa Highway 9 * x20px Iowa Highway 15 * x20px Iowa Highway 17

===Adjacent counties=== * Martin County, Minnesota (north) * Faribault County, Minnesota (north) * Winnebago County (northeast) * Hancock County (southeast) * Humboldt County (south) * Palo Alto County (southwest) * Emmet County (northwest)

===National protected area=== * Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge

==Demographics== {{US Census population |1860= 416 |1870= 3351 |1880= 6178 |1890= 13120 |1900= 22720 |1910= 21971 |1920= 25082 |1930= 25452 |1940= 26630 |1950= 26241 |1960= 25314 |1970= 22937 |1980= 21891 |1990= 18591 |2000= 17163 |2010= 15543 |2020= 14828 |estyear=2025 |estimate=14322 |estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 17, 2026}}</ref> {{decrease}} |align-fn=center |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 7, 2014}}</ref> 1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |publisher=University of Virginia Library |url-status=live |date=2007 |access-date=January 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091212224028/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/ |archive-date=December 12, 2009}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|last=Forstall |first=Richard L. |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ia190090.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url-status=live |date=April 20, 1995 |access-date=January 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990219135447/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ia190090.txt |archive-date=February 19, 1999}}</ref> 1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF">{{Cite web|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Kossuth County, Iowa |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/kossuthcountyiowa/PST045224 |access-date=February 7, 2026 |website=www.census.gov |language=en}}</ref> }}

===2020 census=== {| class="wikitable" |+<big>Kossuth County, Iowa</big> racial and ethnic composition {{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Kossuth County, Iowa |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P2?q=p2&g=050XX00US19109 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> ! Race ! Number ! Percent |- | White alone (NH) | 13,758 | 92.78% |- | Black or African American alone (NH) | 71 | 0.48% |- | Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 9 | 0.06% |- | Asian alone (NH) | 71 | 0.48% |- | Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 3 | 0.02% |- | Other race alone (NH) | 15 | 0.10% |- | Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | 298 | 2.01% |- | Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 603 | 4.07% |- style="background-color:#DCDCDC" |'''Total''' |'''14,828''' |'''100.00%''' |} thumb|right|Population of Kossuth County from the U.S. census data As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 14,828, a population density of {{Pop density|14828|972.976730|sqmi|km2|prec=1}}, and 96.53% of the population reported being of one race. The median age was 46.3 years, 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18, and 24.5% were 65 years of age or older; for every 100 females there were 102.7 males and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.4 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=county%3A109&in=state%3A19 |website=census.gov |publisher= US Census Bureau |year=2021|access-date=December 25, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

The racial makeup of the county was 93.8% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.5% from some other race, and 3.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.1% of the population.<ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=county%3A109&in=state%3A19 |website=census.gov |publisher= US Census Bureau |year=2021|access-date=December 25, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

36.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 63.3% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=county%3A109&in=state%3A19 |website=census.gov |publisher= US Census Bureau |year= 2023| access-date=December 25, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 6,438 households in the county, of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.3% were married-couple households, 20.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

Of the 7,216 housing units, 6,438 were occupied, leaving 10.8% vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.8% were owner-occupied and 22.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 14.3%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

===2010 census=== As of the 2010 census recorded a population of 15,543 in the county, with a population density of {{Pop density|15543|973.01|sqmi|km2|prec=1}}. There were 7,486 housing units, of which 6,697 were occupied.<ref name="USCB">{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-17.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016010401/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-17.pdf |archive-date=October 16, 2020 |url-status=live|title=Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010| website=census.gov |publisher= US Census Bureau |access-date=August 15, 2022}}</ref>

===2000 census=== As of the 2000 census there were 17,163 people, 6,974 households, and 4,791 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|18|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 7,605 housing units at an average density of {{convert|8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 98.76% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.34% from two or more races. 0.81%.<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |website=census.gov |publisher= US Census Bureau |access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>{{specify|date= February 2026}} were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 6,974 households, 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples living together, 5.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.30% were non-families. 28.70% of households were one person and 15.50% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.98.

The age distribution was 25.80% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 24.30% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 20.10% 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.00 males.

The median household income was $34,562 and the median family income was $41,159. Males had a median income of $30,191 versus $20,184 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,598. About 7.50% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.40% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.

===Census-designated places=== For use by the United States Census Bureau in population analysis, some of the rural population of Kossuth County has been grouped together as a Census-designated place. * Irvington * Sexton * St. Benedict * St. Joseph

===Population ranking=== The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Kossuth County.<ref name=cen2020/>

'''†''' ''county seat''

{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Rank ! City/Town/etc. ! Municipal type ! Population (2020 Census) ! Population (2024 Estimate) |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 1 |'''†''' '''Algona''' | City | 5,487 | 5,454 |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 2 |'''Bancroft''' | City | 699 | 708 |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 3 |'''Swea City''' | City | 566 | 570 |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 4 |'''Titonka''' | City | 511 | 516 |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 5 |'''Whittemore''' | City | 497 | 502 |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 6 |'''Burt''' | City | 418 | 399 |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 7 |'''Wesley''' | City | 391 | 396 |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 8 |'''Fenton''' | City | 271 | 277 |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 9 |'''Lakota''' | City | 267 | 258 |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 10 |'''Lu Verne''' (''partially in Humboldt County'') | City | 228 (258 total) | 228 (258 total) |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 11 |'''Lone Rock''' | City | 146 | 146 |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 12 |'''Ledyard''' | City | 121 | 121 |- style=background-color:#F0FFF0 | 13 |'''Irvington''' | CDP | 36 | 87 |- style=background-color:#F0FFF0 | 14 |'''Sexton''' | CDP | 46 | 62 |- style=background-color:#F0FFF0 | 15 |'''St. Joseph''' | CDP | 51 | 46 |- style=background-color:#F0FFF0 | 16 |'''St. Benedict''' | CDP | 31 | 42 |- style=background-color:#FFFACD | 17 |'''West Bend''' (''mostly in Palo Alto County'') | City | 19 (791 total) | 17 (789 total) |}

==Communities== ===Cities=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Algona (County seat) * Bancroft * Burt * Fenton * Lakota * Ledyard * Lone Rock * Lu Verne * Swea City * Titonka * Wesley * West Bend * Whittemore {{div col end}}

===Villages and Hamlets=== * Galbraith * Gerled * German Valley * Hanna * Hobarton * Lotts Creek * Seneca * Stevens

===Townships=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Buffalo * Burt * Cresco * Eagle * Fenton * Garfield * German * Grant * Greenwood * Harrison * Hebron * Irvington * Ledyard * Lincoln * Lotts Creek * Lu Verne * Plum Creek * Portland * Prairie * Ramsey * Riverdale * Seneca * Sherman * Springfield * Swea * Union * Wesley * Whittemore {{div col end}}

==Politics== {{PresHead|place=Kossuth County, Iowa|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 26, 2018}}</ref>}}  {{PresRow|1896|Republican|2,930|1,861|68|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1900|Republican|3,122|1,777|52|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1904|Republican|3,001|1,352|59|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1908|Republican|2,612|1,826|44|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1912|Progressive|857|1,813|1,916|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1916|Republican|2,647|1,748|44|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1920|Republican|6,018|1,682|69|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1924|Republican|3,806|1,369|3,572|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1928|Republican|4,878|4,736|72|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1932|Democratic|3,075|6,925|148|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1936|Democratic|3,569|8,071|223|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1940|Democratic|5,639|6,502|24|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1944|Democratic|4,918|5,488|27|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1948|Democratic|4,186|6,039|128|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1952|Republican|7,765|4,330|10|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1956|Republican|6,680|5,514|10|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1960|Republican|6,278|5,806|0|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,776|6,893|5|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1968|Republican|5,350|4,392|347|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1972|Republican|5,841|4,393|124|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1976|Democratic|4,653|5,190|203|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1980|Republican|5,568|3,810|884|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,872|4,838|104|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1988|Democratic|3,938|5,088|81|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1992|Democratic|3,464|3,660|1,935|Iowa}} {{PresRow|1996|Democratic|3,477|4,031|997|Iowa}} {{PresRow|2000|Republican|4,612|3,960|306|Iowa}} {{PresRow|2004|Republican|5,042|4,132|84|Iowa}} {{PresRow|2008|Democratic|4,329|4,625|146|Iowa}} {{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,937|3,850|136|Iowa}} {{PresRow|2016|Republican|5,653|2,543|411|Iowa}} {{PresRow|2020|Republican|6,275|2,696|119|Iowa}} {{PresRow|2024|Republican|5,983|2,284|130|Iowa}} {{PresFoot}}

==Education== School districts include:<ref name=2020KossuthCoSDMap>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st19_ia/schooldistrict_maps/c19109_kossuth/DC20SD_C19109.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Kossuth County, IA |website=census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |date=December 18, 2020|access-date=August 25, 2024}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st19_ia/schooldistrict_maps/c19109_kossuth/DC20SD_C19109_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> * Algona Community School District * North Iowa Community School District * North Kossuth Community School District * North Union Community School District - Formed on July 1, 2014<ref name=Mergerlist>{{cite web|url=https://educate.iowa.gov:443/media/7294/download?inline| title= Reorganization and Dissolution Action Since 1965-66|publisher=Iowa Department of Education|access-date=August 25, 2024}}</ref> * Twin Rivers Community School District * West Bend-Mallard Community School District

Former school districts: * Corwith-Wesley Community School District,<ref name= KossuthCo2010SDmap>{{cite map|author=Geography Division| url= https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st19_ia/c19109_kossuth/DC10SD_C19109_001.pdf|title=SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Kossuth County, IA |website= census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |date=November 30, 2010|access-date=August 25, 2024}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st19_ia/c19109_kossuth/DC10SD_C19109_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> dissolved on July 1, 2015.<ref name=Mergerlist/> * Lu Verne Community School District,<ref name= 2020KossuthCoSDMap/> consolidated into Algona CSD on July 1, 2023.<ref name=Mergerlist/> * Sentral Community School District,<ref name= KossuthCo2010SDmap/> consolidated into North Union CSD on July 1, 2014.<ref name=Mergerlist/> * Titonka Consolidated School District,<ref name= KossuthCo2010SDmap/> consolidated into Algona CSD on July 1, 2014.<ref name=Mergerlist/>

==See also== {{Portal|Iowa}} * National Register of Historic Places listings in Kossuth County, Iowa

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{Commons}}  *[http://www.co.kossuth.ia.us County website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512145036/http://www.co.kossuth.ia.us/ |date=May 12, 2011}} *

{{Geographic Location | Centre = Kossuth County, Iowa | North = Martin County, Minnesota and Faribault County, Minnesota | Northeast = Winnebago County | East = | Southeast = Hancock County | South = Humboldt County | Southwest = Palo Alto County | West = | Northwest = Emmet County }} {{Kossuth County, Iowa}} {{Iowa}} {{Authority control}} {{Coord|43|12|18|N|94|12|20|W|region:US-IA_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki|display=title}}

Category:Kossuth County, Iowa Category:1851 establishments in Iowa Category:Iowa counties Category:Populated places established in 1851