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Pottawattamie County
countyPottawattamie County, Iowa
Overview
- Classification
- County
- FIPS Code
- 19155
- Country
- United States
- County
- Pottawattamie County
Geography
- Region
- Loess Hills
- Total Area
- 959.144 sq mi
- Land Area
- 951.284 sq mi
- Water Area
- 7.86 sq mi
- Latitude
- 41.340184
- Longitude
- -95.544905
- Climate
- Continental climate, marked by warm summers and chilly winters, alongside occasional severe weather events like thunderstorms and tornadoes.
- Notable Features
- Loess Hills · Missouri River
- Neighboring Areas
- Harrison County (north) · Shelby County (northeast) · Cass County (east) · Montgomery County (southeast) · Mills County (south) · Sarpy County, Nebraska (southwest) · Douglas County, Nebraska (west) · Washington County, Nebraska (northwest)
Demographics
- Population (2020)
- 93,667
- Est. Population (2024)
- 93,529
- Median Age
- 40.1
- Median Income
- $71,446
- Poverty Rate
- 7.1%
- Family Households
- 63.1%
- Owner-Occupied
- 70.3%
- Racial & Ethnic Composition
- White (Non-Hispanic) (85.4%), White (Hispanic) (3.62%), Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (2.98%), Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (2.21%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (1.74%).
Governance
- Government Type
- County
- Governing Body
- Board of Supervisors
- Municipal Services
- Law enforcement · Parks and Recreation · Conservation
Economy
- Unemployment Rate
- 3.9% (December 2025)
- Economic Profile
- Diverse economy with a mix of industries
- Employment Sectors
- Health Care & Social Assistance · Retail Trade · Manufacturing
- Major Employers
- Iowa West Foundation · Nodaway Valley Bank · Interstate Power & Light Company
Education
- School Districts
- Multiple school districts within the county
- Colleges & Universities
- Iowa Western Community College · SOHO Hair Academy
Infrastructure
- Transportation
- Interstate 29 · Interstate 80 · U.S. Highway 6 · U.S. Highway 275
- Utilities
- Municipal water · Municipal power · Fiber/broadband
- Major Facilities
- Hospitals · Courthouse
Recreation
- Outdoor Access
- Yes
- Major Recreation Areas
- Arrowhead Park · Botna Bend Park · Hitchcock Nature Center · Mt. Crescent Ski Area · Narrows River Park · Olde Town Park
- Parks & Trails
- Lake Manawa State Park · Wabash Trace Nature Trail
History
- Founded
- 1847 (created), 1848 (organized)
- Named After
- Potawatomi Native American tribe
- Historical Significance
- Site of Kanesville along the Mormon Trail
- Key Events
- Played a key role in the Mormon Trail · Transcontinental railroad