Census: Iowans leave rural counties for cities

By Grant Schulte, USA TODAY
Updated 2m ago

DES MOINES — Iowa's population grew more urban in the past decade as residents continued to leave the state's rural counties for a handful of larger cities, according to 2010 Census data released Thursday.

Four out of five of the state's biggest cities saw population increases from 2000 to 2010, the data show. Only one-third of Iowa's 99 counties reported any growth.

Seven of those counties — all near population centers — saw their populations grow by more than 10%. Five counties in rural western Iowa lost at least 10% of their residents.

CENSUS NUMBERS: Interactive map shows your state, county, locality
Census takers counted 120,031 new Iowans in 2010, a 4% increase from a decade earlier.

The statewide growth was driven largely by a surge in Hispanics who came to work in factory jobs or farm labor, said Mark Grey, a sociology and anthropology professor at the University of Northern Iowa.

The Hispanic population hit 151,544 last year, up from 82,473 in 2000 — an 84% increase.

"The reason they're here is because we employ them," Grey said. "I think this indicates you still have industries that are still very dependent on this workforce."

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Polk County, the state's largest county and home to the capital city, expanded by 15%. Linn County boosted its population more than 10% despite a massive flood in 2008 that ruined thousands of homes and buildings. Johnson County, home to the University of Iowa, gained 18%. A lot of the growth took place in the Des Moines suburbs. West Des Moines showed a 22% increase from 2000 to 2010. Ankeny rose 68%, and Urbandale boosted its population by 36%.

Schulte reports for TheDes Moines Register.

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