DICKINSON County, IA

Dickinson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,703. The county seat is Spirit Lake. The county was organized in 1857 and is named in honor of Daniel S. Dickinson, a U.S. Senator for New York.

Dickinson County comprises the Spirit Lake, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (5.8%) is water. It is the smallest county by land area in Iowa, and the fifth-smallest by total area.

A region known as the Iowa Great Lakes is in Dickinson County, making it a popular vacation destination for Iowans, and explaining the recent high population growth in the area. The lakes include West Okoboji Lake, East Okoboji Lake, and Spirit Lake.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 17,703 in the county, with a population density of . 96.84% of the population reported being of one race. 92.71% were non-Hispanic White, 0.45% were Black, 2.29% were Hispanic, 0.12% were Native American, 0.46% were Asian, 0.01% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 3.96% were some other race or more than one race. There were 13,691 housing units of which 7,976 were occupied.

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 16,667 in the county, with a population density of . There were 12,849 housing units, of which 7,554 were occupied.

2000 census

thumb|left|2000 Census Age Pyramid for Dickinson County

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,424 people, 7,103 households, and 4,759 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile (17/km²). There were 11,375 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.90% White, 0.18% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. 0.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,103 households, out of which 26.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.80% were married couples living together, 6.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 28.60% 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 2.27 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.90% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 23.90% from 25 to 44, 26.90% from 45 to 64, and 20.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,020, and the median income for a family was $47,739. Males had a median income of $30,523 versus $22,131 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,929. 6.00% of the population and 4.20% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty 5.90% of those under the age of 18 and 7.00% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated community

Townships

Dickinson County is divided into twelve townships:

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Dickinson County.

† county seat

Politics