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Johnson County
	Johnson County, Iowa
	Map
	; Location in the state of Iowa
	; Iowa's location in the U.S.
	Statistics
Founded	1838
Seat	Iowa City
Area; - Total; - Land; - Water	; 623 sq mi (1,614 km²); 614 sq mi (1,590 km²); 9 sq mi (23 km²), 1.42%
PopulationEst.; - (2007); - Density	; 125,692; 202/sq mi (78/km²)
	Website: www.johnson-county.com

County Courthouse.

Johnson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of 2000, the population was 111,006. The 2007 estimate was 125,692. [1] Its county seat is Iowa City,^[1] also home of the University of Iowa. Johnson County is one of the two counties that make up the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area.^[2] It is named for Richard Mentor Johnson, the ninth vice president of the United States.

[edit] Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 623 square miles (1,614 km²), of which, 614 square miles (1,592 km²) of it is land and 9 square miles (23 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1.42% water.

[edit] Major highways

[edit] Adjacent counties

Linn County (north)
Cedar County (northeast)
Muscatine County & Louisa County (southeast)
Washington County (southwest)
Iowa County (west)
Benton County (northwest)

[edit] History

Johnson County was created on December 21, 1837 by the legislature of the Wisconsin Territory. The county was carved out of territory formerly in Dubuque County, and was not initially provided with a civil government, instead being governed by Cedar County officials. It was named for the US Vice President Richard M. Johnson.^[3]

The first courthouse in the county was a two story log cabin structure, built in 1838 in the town of Napoleon, two miles south of Iowa City. Napoleon, was located in a flood plain, however, and the second courthouse in the county was built on the hills north of Napoleon in the area that became Iowa City.

A third courthouse, built in Iowa City, was destroyed by fire on election night in 1856, while officials were busily counting votes. A third brick structure was built in 1857 and used until it was declared structurally unsafe in 1899.

The Richardsonian Romanesque style courthouse in use today was designed and built in 1900 by the Chicago architecture firm of A.W. Rush at a cost of $111,000. The building's tower was based on Richardson's design for the spire of Trinity Church in Boston. The building was dedicated on June 8, 1901.^[4]

[edit] Demographics

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Johnson County.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	24,817	—
1910	25,914	4.4%
1920	26,462	2.1%
1930	30,276	14.4%
1940	33,191	9.6%
1950	45,756	37.9%
1960	53,663	17.3%
1970	72,127	34.4%
1980	81,717	13.3%
1990	96,119	17.6%
2000	111,006	15.5%
Est. 2007	125,692	13.2%
IA Counties 1900-1990 [2]

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 111,006 people, 44,080 households, and 23,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 181 people per square mile (70/km²). There were 45,831 housing units at an average density of 75 per square mile (29/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.13% White, 2.90% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 4.12% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. 2.51% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 44,080 households out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.90% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.50% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county the population was spread out with 20.10% under the age of 18, 23.40% from 18 to 24, 30.80% from 25 to 44, 18.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,060, and the median income for a family was $60,112. Males had a median income of $36,279 versus $29,793 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,220. About 5.20% of families and 15.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.10% of those under age 18 and 3.80% of those age 65 or over.