County population in 2012: 22,443 (56% urban, 44% rural); it was 22,335 in 2000 County owner-occupied with a mortgage or a loan houses and condos in 2010: 3,865 County owner-occupied free and clear houses and condos in 2010: 2,519 County owner-occupied houses and condos in 2000: 6,310 Renter-occupied apartments: 2,591 (it was 2,570 in 2000)
% of renters here:
29%
State:
28%
Land area: 571 sq. mi. Water area: 2.5 sq. mi.
Population density: 39 people per square mile
(low).
Mar. 2012 cost of living index in Mahaska County: 80.1 (low, U.S. average is 100)
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Industries providing employment: Manufacturing (25.9%), Educational,health and social services (21.1%).
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2009: $1,272 (1.4%) Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2009: $1,227 (1.4%)
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2009: 11.4%
(10.2% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 45.1% for Black residents, 67.1% for Hispanic or Latino residents, 22.1% for American Indian residents, 83.3% for other race residents, 36.0% for two or more races residents) Median age of residents in 2010: 38 years old
(Males: 37 years old, Females: 40 years old)
(Median age for: White residents: 39 years old, Black residents: 21 years old, American Indian residents: 37 years old, Asian residents: 32 years old, Hispanic or Latino residents: 22 years old, Other race residents: 22 years old)
Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009:
This county:
9.8%
Whole state:
9.1%
Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009:
This county:
5.0%
Whole state:
3.8%
Fair market rent in 2006 for a 1-bedroom apartment in Mahaska County is $417 a month. Fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $531 a month. Fair market rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $636 a month.
Notable locations in this county outside city limits:
Notable locations in Mahaska County: Auburn (A), White Oak (B), Oskaloosa Waterworks (C), Oskaloosa Wastewater Plant (D), Given Station (E), Cedar Creek Access (F), Eveland Access (G), Glendale Access (H), Robertson Access (I), Union Mills Access (J), Rose Hill Access (K), Lacey (L), Harvest Point Golf Course (M), Sully Co-operative Exchange Elevator (N), Eddyville Raceway Park Emergency Medical Services (O), Mahaska County Farm (P), Adams Townhall (Q), Nelson Pioneer Farm Museum (R). Display/hide their locations on the map
Churches in Mahaska County include: Tioga Church (A), Bethel Church (B), Union Mills Church (C), White Oak Grove Church (D), Wymore Church (E), Union Liberty Church (F), Lower Grove Community Church (G), Evangelical Church (H), First Church of the Open Bible (I). Display/hide their locations on the map
Cemeteries: Appel Cemetery (1), Baldwin Cemetery (2), Olivet Cemetery (3), Beacon Cemetery (4), Bedwell Cemetery (5), Belle Fountain Cemetery (6), Black Oak Cemetery (7). Display/hide their locations on the map
Streams, rivers, and creeks: Ballinger Creek (A), Bluff Creek (B), Buck Creek (C), Buckley Creek (D), Cedar Creek (E), Coal Creek (F), Spring Creek (G), Snyder Creek (H), Black Oak Creek (I). Display/hide their locations on the map
Parks in Mahaska County include: Bluff Creek Off Highway Recreation Area (1), Cedar Bluffs Natural Area (2), Nicholson Park (3), White Oak Conservation Area (4), Rose Hill Marsh (5), Maskunky Marsh (6), Russell Wildlife Area (7), Peters Wildlife Area (8), Lower Grove Park (9). Display/hide their locations on the map
Current college students: 1,000 People 25 years of age or older with a high school degree or higher: 82.6% People 25 years of age or older with a bachelor's degree or higher: 16.5%
Number of foreign born residents: 350 (31% naturalized citizens)
Mahaska County:
1.6%
Whole state:
3.1%
Year of entry for the foreign-born population
1995 to March 2000: 149
1990 to 1994: 19
1985 to 1989: 55
1980 to 1984: 49
1975 to 1979: 16
1970 to 1974: 20
1970 to 1974: 7
1965 to 1969: 35
Mean travel time to work (commute): 18.9 minutes
Percentage of county residents living and working in this county: 62.1%
Housing units in structures:
One, detached: 7,382
One, attached: 68
Two: 334
3 or 4: 375
5 to 9: 286
10 to 19: 143
20 or more: 238
Mobile homes: 704
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.: 21
Housing units in Mahaska County with a mortgage: 2,800 (158 second mortgage, 214 home equity loan, 13 both second mortgage and home equity loan) Houses without a mortgage: 1,950
Here:
58.9% with mortgage
State:
62.8% with mortgage
Religion statistics:
Percentage of population affiliated with a religious congregations: 48.03%
Here
48.0%
USA
50.2%
Total adherents: 10,728 Total congregations: 40
Adherents
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregations
Name
United Methodist Church
Christian Reformed Church in North America
Catholic Church
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Church of the Nazarene
Adherents
2,266 (21.1%)
1,440 (13.4%)
1,273 (11.9%)
1,074 (10.0%)
922 (8.6%)
Congregations
7 (17.5%)
5 (12.5%)
1 (2.5%)
1 (2.5%)
2 (5.0%)
Name
Reformed Church in America
Assemblies of God
Lutheran Church
United Church of Christ
Other
Adherents
891 (8.3%)
678 (6.3%)
363 (3.4%)
293 (2.7%)
1,528 (14.2%)
Congregations
2 (5.0%)
2 (5.0%)
1 (2.5%)
1 (2.5%)
18 (45.0%)
Source: Jones, Dale E., et al. 2002. Congregations and Membership in the United States 2000. Nashville, TN: Glenmary Research Center.
Average size of farms: 315 acres Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $127,275 Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $241.51 The value of nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 0.19% The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 57.96% Average total farm production expenses per farm: $112,953 Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 70.32% Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $92,229 The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 80.82% Average age of principal farm operators: 55 years Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 11.93 Milk cows as a percentage of all cattle and calves: 1.57% Corn for grain: 116121 harvested acres Soybeans for beans: 100829 harvested acres Vegetables: 42 harvested acres
Tornado activity:
Mahaska County historical area-adjusted tornado activity is near Iowa state average. It is 2.4 times above overall U.S. average. Tornadoes in this county have caused 6 injuries recorded between 1950 and 2004. On 5/11/1985, a category 1 (max. wind speeds 73-112 mph) tornado injured 4 people and caused between $5000 and $50,000 in damages.
Most recent natural disasters:
Iowa Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes, Incident Period: June 1, 2010 to August 31, 2010, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1930): July 29, 2010, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1930, Natural disaster type: Storm, Tornado, Flood
Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, Incident Period: May 25, 2008 to August 13, 2008, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1763): May 27, 2008, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1763, Natural disaster type: Storm, Tornado, Flood
Iowa Severe Winter Storm, Incident Period: December 10, 2007 to December 11, 2007, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1737): January 4, 2008, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1737, Natural disaster type: Winter Storm
Iowa Severe Storms and Flooding, Incident Period: August 17, 2007 to September 5, 2007, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1727): September 14, 2007, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1727, Natural disaster type: Storm, Flood
Iowa Severe Winter Storms, Incident Period: February 23, 2007 to March 2, 2007, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1688): March 14, 2007, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1688, Natural disaster type: Winter Storm
Iowa Hurricane Katrina Evacuation, Incident Period: August 29, 2005 to October 1, 2005, Emergency Declared (EM-3239): September 10, 2005, FEMA Id: FEMA-EM-3239, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Iowa Severe Weather, Tornadoes and Flooding, Incident Period: June 13, 1998 to July 15, 1998, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1230): July 2, 1998, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1230, Natural disaster type: Tornado, Flood
Iowa Severe Snow Storms, Incident Period: October 26, 1997 to October 28, 1997, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1191): November 20, 1997, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1191, Natural disaster type: Storm, Snow
Iowa Flooding, Incident Period: May 8, 1996 to May 28, 1996, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1121): June 24, 1996, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1121, Natural disaster type: Flood
Iowa Flooding, Severe Storm, Incident Period: April 13, 1993 to October 1, 1993, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-996): July 9, 1993, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-996, Natural disaster type: Storm, Flood
4 other natural disasters have been reported since 1953.
The number of natural disasters in Mahaska County (14) is near the US average (12). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 13 Emergencies Declared: 1
Causes of natural disasters: Floods: 8, Storms: 8, Tornadoes: 2, Floods: 2, Winter Storms: 2, Snow: 1, Hurricane: 1, Tornado: 1 (Note: Some incidents may be assigned to more than one category).
Other production occupations including supervisors (7%)
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers (5%)
Laborers and material movers, hand (4%)
Assemblers and fabricators (4%)
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers (4%)
Secretaries and administrative assistants (5%)
Other office and administrative support workers including supervisors (5%)
Preschool, kindergarten, elementary and middle school teachers (4%)
Other sales and related workers including supervisors (4%)
Child care workers (4%)
Laborers and material movers, hand (4%)
Retail sales workers except cashiers (4%)
Most common places of birth for the foreign-born residents (%):
Vietnam (17%)
Mexico (13%)
Korea (10%)
Canada (7%)
Japan (6%)
Taiwan (5%)
United Kingdom (5%)
Most common first ancestries reported in Mahaska County (%):
Dutch (25%)
German (19%)
United States or American (12%)
English (10%)
Irish (9%)
Swedish (2%)
Norwegian (2%)
Means of transportation to work:
Drove a car alone: 8,256 (77%)
Carpooled: 1,362 (13%)
Bus or trolley bus: 16 (0%)
Bicycle: 30 (0%)
Walked: 275 (3%)
Other means: 91 (1%)
Worked at home: 630 (6%)
Owners and renters by unit type in %
Breakdown of mean house values by ages of householders
People in group quarters in Mahaska County, Iowa in 2000:
291 people in college dormitories (includes college quarters off campus)
217 people in nursing homes
40 people in local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups)
20 people in other nonhousehold living situations
9 people in other noninstitutional group quarters
People in group quarters in Mahaska County, Iowa in 2010:
351 people in college/university student housing
199 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities
40 people in residential treatment centers for adults
30 people in group homes intended for adults
16 people in local jails and other municipal confinement facilities
13 people in emergency and transitional shelters (with sleeping facilities) for people experiencing homelessness
10 people in other noninstitutional facilities
Average gross adjusted income of non-migrant taxpayers in this county in 2005 was $48,234.
6.03% of this county's 2006 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2005 ($32,710 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
6.03%
Iowa average:
6.30%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries.
4.21% relocated from other counties in Iowa ($21,952 average AGI)
1.81% relocated from other states ($10,757 average AGI)
Mahaska County:
1.81%
Iowa average:
2.55%
Percentage of residents relocating from other counties or countries
Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2005 and 2006:
6.52% of this county's 2005 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2006 ($34,324 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
6.52%
Iowa average:
6.47%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries.
4.28% relocated to other counties in Iowa ($21,756 average AGI)
2.24% relocated to other states ($12,567 average AGI)
Mahaska County:
2.24%
Iowa average:
2.80%
Percentage of residents relocating to other counties or countries
Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2005 and 2006:
Births per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 12.7 Births per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 12.9
Births per 1000 population in Mahaska County
Deaths per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 10.3 Deaths per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 9.5
Deaths per 1000 population in Mahaska County
Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 1990 to 1999: 4.6 Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 2000 to 2006: 10.0
Infant deaths per 1000 live births in Mahaska County
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare) in July 1, 2003: 3,858 (3,424 aged, 434 disabled) Population without health insurance coverage in 2000: 8% Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2000: 6%
Short term general hospitals per 100,000 population in 2004: 4.5 Short term general hospital admissions per 100,000 population in 2004: 6342.630 Short term general hospital beds per 100,000 population in 2004: 220.730 Emergency room visits per 100,000 population in 2004: 61309.07
General practice office based MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 1171.530 Medical specialist MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 898.770 Dentists per 100,000 population in 1998: 8.94
Total births per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006 : 22.83 Total deaths per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006: 67.07
Limited-service eating places per 100,000 population in 2005 : 13.41
Suicides per 1,000,000 population from 2000 to 2006: 135.2. This is more than state average.
Household type by relationship:
Households: 21,722
In family households: 18,205 (4,614 male householders, 1,430 female householders)
4,883 spouses, 6,159 children (5,585 natural, 216 adopted, 358 stepchildren), 247 grandchildren, 108 brothers or sisters, 107 parents, 119 other relatives, 469 non-relatives
In nonfamily households: 3,517 (1,410 male householders (1,129 living alone)), 1,521 female householders (1,331 living alone)), 586 nonrelatives
In group quarters: 659 (215 institutionalized population)
Size of family households: 2,993 2-persons, 1,194 3-persons, 1,046 4-persons, 535 5-persons, 195 6-persons, 81 7-or-more-persons.
96.6% of residents of Mahaska County speak English at home.
1.4% of residents speak Spanish at home (56% speak English very well, 12% speak English well, 31% speak English not well, 1% don't speak English at all).
1.3% of residents speak other Indo-European language at home (65% speak English very well, 21% speak English well, 14% speak English not well).
0.7% of residents speak Asian or Pacific Island language at home (51% speak English very well, 21% speak English well, 21% speak English not well, 8% don't speak English at all).
0.1% of residents speak other language at home (100% speak English very well).
In fiscal year 2004:
Federal Government expenditure: $120,999,000 ($5451 per capita) Department of Defense expenditure: $1,388,000 Federal direct payments to individuals for retirement and disability: $52,725,000 Federal other direct payments to individuals: $25,499,000 Federal direct payments not to individuals: $12,201,000 Federal grants: $25,627,000 Federal procurement contracts: $952,000 ($10,000 Department of Defense) Federal salaries and wages: $3,994,000 ($28,000 Department of Defense) Federal Government direct loans: $639,000 Federal guaranteed/insured loans: $8,929,000 Federal Government insurance: $47,745,000
Population change from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005:
Births: 1,460
Here:
65 per 1000 residents
State:
66 per 1000 residents
Deaths: 1,104
Here:
49 per 1000 residents
State:
48 per 1000 residents
Net international migration: +116
Here:
+5 per 1000 residents
State:
+10 per 1000 residents
Net internal migration: -412
Here:
-18 per 1000 residents
State:
-14 per 1000 residents
Population growth in Mahaska County
Total withdrawal of fresh water for public supply: 2.42 millions of gallons per day (all from ground)
Median number of rooms in houses and condos:
Here:
6.1
State:
6.3
Median number of rooms in apartments:
Here:
4.4
State:
4.2
Year house built
2005 or later: 134
2000 to 2004: 573
1990 to 1999: 918
1980 to 1989: 998
1970 to 1979: 1,482
1960 to 1969: 717
1950 to 1959: 921
1940 to 1949: 623
1939 or earlier: 3,430
Rooms in houses/apartments in Mahaska County, Iowa
58% of Mahaska County residents lived in the same house 5 years ago. Out of people who lived in different houses, 53% lived in this county. Out of people who lived in different counties, 63% lived in Iowa.
Mahaska County:
58.3%
State average:
57.7%
Place of birth for U.S.-born residents:
This state: 18080
Northeast: 232
Midwest: 2151
South: 586
West: 853
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses in 2000: $59,200
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities: 1%
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities: 2%
Year Householders Moved Into Unit:
Most commonly used house heating fuel in Mahaska County
38.0 years
38.0 years
(49.7%)
(50.3%)
, Keokuk County 
, Marion County 
, Monroe County 
, Poweshiek County 
, Wapello County 
.
