Iowa County Maps: Interactive History & Complete List

Iowa’s Major Cities by County

If you’re looking at an Iowa county map and trying to place the state’s biggest cities, this table is your shortcut. Iowa’s urban centers are spread across the state — from the Missouri River bluffs on the west to the Mississippi on the east — and knowing which county each city calls home makes the map a lot easier to read.

A few things worth noting on that list: Dallas County, which shares West Des Moines with Polk County, has been one of Iowa’s fastest-growing counties for years as the Des Moines metro expands westward — its population has climbed well past the figure you’ll see on older maps. And Dubuque, tucked into the bluffs along the Mississippi River, is the anchor of one of the most scenic corners of the state, with Clayton County just to the north offering some genuinely dramatic river-valley driving.

Interactive Map of Iowa County Formation History

Iowa’s county boundaries didn’t always look the way they do today. The state was carved up and reorganized repeatedly between the 1830s and the 1850s as settlements pushed westward. The interactive map below — built with AniMap Plus 3.0, with the permission of the Goldbug Company — lets you step through that formation history year by year. It’s especially handy if you’re doing genealogy research and need to know which county a particular township belonged to at a specific point in time. For deeper historical context, the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection has a strong archive of early Iowa maps worth exploring.

Using the County PDF Maps

Each county entry below links to a detailed PDF map from the Iowa Department of Transportation. These aren’t just boundary outlines — they show roads, towns, and cities within each county, which makes them genuinely useful if you’re trying to navigate a specific area or understand how a county’s communities are laid out. Think of them as the county-level version of a road atlas page.

Tip: If you’re researching a specific county and want to see its cities, roads, and smaller towns all at once, the DOT county PDF is your best starting point. Each map covers one county in detail and is free to download.

You can also find additional historical facts about Iowa counties through the Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness network, which is a solid resource if the formation history map sparks questions about a specific county’s past.

A Few Things That Make Iowa’s County Map Interesting

Iowa has exactly 99 counties — one of those geography facts that sticks with you. The state came close to an even 100 at various points during its territorial period, but the final count landed at 99 when the legislature finished drawing lines in the 1850s. The grid is remarkably regular compared to states carved up by rivers or mountain ranges; most Iowa counties are roughly rectangular, which is a product of the Public Land Survey System that shaped so much of the Midwest.

The county names themselves are a good read. You’ve got Indigenous names like Allamakee (from the Meskwaki word for “the land of those who stayed behind”) and Appanoose (from a Meskwaki word meaning “tall prairie grass”) sitting alongside counties named for presidents, generals, senators, and the occasional French explorer. Dubuque County, for instance, is named after Julien Dubuque, a French-Canadian fur trader who was one of the first European settlers in the region. Buena Vista County’s name is Spanish for “good view” — a nod to the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican-American War, which inspired a wave of place names across the Midwest in the late 1840s.

For travelers, the county map is a useful lens for understanding Iowa’s regional geography. The northwest corner — Dickinson County and the Iowa Great Lakes around Spirit Lake and Okoboji — draws summer visitors from across the region. The northeast, where Allamakee and Clayton counties meet the Mississippi bluffs, feels more like Wisconsin or Minnesota than the flat-Iowa stereotype. The south-central counties along the Missouri border are quieter, with smaller county seats and a lot of open country between them.

List of Every Iowa County

Below is the complete list of all 99 Iowa counties, each with its county seat, founding date, approximate population, and a link to the Iowa DOT’s detailed county map PDF. Counties are listed alphabetically.

Adair County

Adair County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 7,000. Its county seat is Greenfield, and the county is named after John Adair, the eighth governor of Kentucky. Adair County map (PDF)

Adams County

Established in 1851, Adams County has a population of around 3,600 — one of Iowa’s smallest by population. Its county seat is Corning, and the county is named after John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States. Adams County map (PDF)

Allamakee County

Allamakee County was established in 1847 and has a population of around 13,000. Its county seat is Waukon, and the county’s name comes from the Meskwaki word “alamikkie,” meaning “the land of those who stayed behind.” The county sits in Iowa’s driftless area, where the terrain gets noticeably hillier and the views over the Upper Iowa River valley are worth the detour. Allamakee County map (PDF)

Appanoose County

Established in 1843, Appanoose County has a population of around 12,000. Its county seat is Centerville, and the county’s name comes from the Meskwaki word “upenoosaa,” meaning “tall prairie grass.” Appanoose County map (PDF)

Audubon County

Audubon County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 5,700. Its county seat is Audubon, and the county is named after John James Audubon, the ornithologist and painter whose bird illustrations remain some of the most recognized in American art. Audubon County map (PDF)

Benton County

Established in 1837, Benton County has a population of around 26,000. Its county seat is Vinton, and the county is named after Thomas Hart Benton, a Missouri senator who spent decades advocating for westward expansion. Benton County map (PDF)

Black Hawk County

Black Hawk County was established in 1843 and is one of Iowa’s most populous counties, with around 130,000 residents. Its county seat is Waterloo — the county’s largest city and a significant manufacturing hub along the Cedar River. The county is named after the Sauk leader Black Hawk. Black Hawk County map (PDF)

Boone County

Established in 1846, Boone County has a population of around 26,000. Its county seat is Boone, and the county is named after Daniel Boone. The Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad, a heritage steam railroad that crosses the Des Moines River valley on a high bridge, is one of the county’s most visited attractions. Boone County map (PDF)

Bremer County

Bremer County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 24,000. Its county seat is Waverly, and the county is named after Fredrika Bremer, a Swedish author and early feminist — an unusual namesake for an Iowa county and a reminder of the strong Scandinavian immigrant presence in this part of the state. Bremer County map (PDF)

Buchanan County

Established in 1837, Buchanan County has a population of around 21,000. Its county seat is Independence, and the county is named after James Buchanan, the fifteenth president of the United States. Buchanan County map (PDF)

Buena Vista County

Buena Vista County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 20,000. Its county seat is Storm Lake, and the county’s name means “good view” in Spanish — a name that spread across the Midwest after the 1847 Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican-American War. Buena Vista County map (PDF)

Butler County

Established in 1851, Butler County has a population of around 14,000. Its county seat is Allison, and the county is named after William Butler, a Kentucky congressman and officer in the Mexican-American War. Butler County map (PDF)

Calhoun County

Calhoun County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 9,000. Its county seat is Rockwell City, and the county is named after John C. Calhoun, the South Carolina senator and vice president. Calhoun County map (PDF)

Carroll County

Established in 1851, Carroll County has a population of around 20,000. Its county seat is Carroll, and the county is named after Charles Carroll, the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence. Carroll County map (PDF)

Cass County

Cass County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 13,000. Its county seat is Atlantic, and the county is named after Lewis Cass, a Michigan senator and secretary of state. Cass County map (PDF)

Cedar County

Established in 1837, Cedar County has a population of around 18,000. Its county seat is Tipton, and the county takes its name from the Cedar River, which runs through much of eastern Iowa. Cedar County map (PDF)

Cerro Gordo County

Cerro Gordo County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 43,000. Its county seat is Mason City — the largest city in north-central Iowa and the hometown of Meredith Willson, who based The Music Man on his experiences growing up there. The county’s name means “fat hill” in Spanish. Cerro Gordo County map (PDF)

Cherokee County

Established in 1851, Cherokee County has a population of around 11,000. Its county seat is Cherokee, and the county is named after the Cherokee Nation. Cherokee County map (PDF)

Chickasaw County

Chickasaw County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 11,000. Its county seat is New Hampton, and the county is named after the Chickasaw Nation. Chickasaw County map (PDF)

Clarke County

Established in 1846, Clarke County has a population of around 9,000. Its county seat is Osceola, and the county is named after James Clarke, the third governor of Iowa Territory. Clarke County map (PDF)

Clay County

Clay County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 16,000. Its county seat is Spencer, and the county is named after Henry Clay, the Kentucky statesman and perennial presidential candidate. Clay County map (PDF)

Clayton County

Established in 1837, Clayton County has a population of around 17,000. Its county seat is Elkader, and the county is named after John M. Clayton, a Delaware senator and secretary of state. Clayton County sits along the Mississippi River bluffs in the driftless zone — the terrain here is dramatically different from the flat central Iowa most people picture, with deep valleys and wooded ridgelines. Clayton County map (PDF)

Clinton County

Clinton County was established in 1837 and has a population of around 46,000. Its county seat is Clinton, a Mississippi River city with a history tied to the lumber trade. The county is named after DeWitt Clinton, the sixth governor of New York. Clinton County map (PDF)

Crawford County

Established in 1851, Crawford County has a population of around 16,000. Its county seat is Denison, and the county is named after William H. Crawford, a Georgia senator and secretary of the treasury. Crawford County map (PDF)

Dallas County

Dallas County was established in 1846 and has seen significant population growth as part of the greater Des Moines metro — its county seat is Adel, but cities like Waukee and West Des Moines (which straddles the Dallas/Polk county line) have driven rapid suburban expansion. The county is named after George M. Dallas, the eleventh vice president of the United States. If you’re looking for a Dallas County Iowa map with cities, the DOT PDF is the most detailed free option available. Dallas County map (PDF)

Davis County

Established in 1843, Davis County has a population of around 9,000. Its county seat is Bloomfield, and the county is named after Garrett Davis, a Kentucky senator. Davis County map (PDF)

Decatur County

Decatur County was established in 1846 and has a population of around 8,000. Its county seat is Leon, and the county is named after Stephen Decatur, the U.S. naval officer famous for his role in the First Barbary War. Decatur County map (PDF)

Delaware County

Established in 1837, Delaware County has a population of around 18,000. Its county seat is Manchester, and the county takes its name from the Delaware River — following the common early American practice of transplanting Eastern place names westward. Delaware County map (PDF)

Des Moines County

Des Moines County was established in 1834 — one of Iowa’s oldest counties — and has a population of around 39,000. Its county seat is Burlington, which served as the capital of Iowa Territory from 1838 to 1839. The county is named after the Des Moines River. Des Moines County map (PDF)

Dickinson County

Established in 1851, Dickinson County has a population of around 18,000. Its county seat is Spirit Lake, and the county anchors Iowa’s Great Lakes region — a cluster of natural glacial lakes including Spirit Lake and the Okoboji lakes that draw visitors from across the upper Midwest every summer. The county is named after Daniel S. Dickinson, a New York senator. Dickinson County map (PDF)

Dubuque County

Dubuque County was established in 1834 and has a population of around 97,000. Its county seat is Dubuque, one of Iowa’s oldest cities and a Mississippi River port with a well-preserved 19th-century downtown. The county is named after Julien Dubuque, a French-Canadian fur trader who was among the first European settlers in the region. Dubuque County map (PDF)

Emmet County

Established in 1851, Emmet County has a population of around 9,000. Its county seat is Estherville, and the county is named after Robert Emmet, the Irish nationalist executed in 1803 — a reflection of the strong Irish immigrant communities that settled parts of northern Iowa. Emmet County map (PDF)

Fayette County

Fayette County was established in 1837 and has a population of around 19,000. Its county seat is West Union, and the county is named after the Marquis de Lafayette, the French general who aided the American Revolution. Fayette County map (PDF)

Floyd County

Established in 1851, Floyd County has a population of around 15,000. Its county seat is Charles City, and the county is named after Sergeant Charles Floyd, the only member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to die during the journey — he’s buried near Sioux City, not far from the Iowa border. Floyd County map (PDF)

Franklin County

Franklin County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 10,000. Its county seat is Hampton, and the county is named after Benjamin Franklin. Franklin County map (PDF)

Fremont County

Established in 1847, Fremont County has a population of around 6,000. Its county seat is Sidney, and the county is named after John C. Frémont, the explorer and soldier who mapped much of the American West. Fremont County sits in Iowa’s southwest corner, bordered by the Missouri River and Nebraska. Fremont County map (PDF)

Greene County

Greene County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 8,000. Its county seat is Jefferson, and the county is named after Nathanael Greene, a general in the American Revolutionary War. Greene County map (PDF)

Grundy County

Established in 1851, Grundy County has a population of around 12,000. Its county seat is Grundy Center, and the county is named after Felix Grundy, a Tennessee senator and attorney general under President Van Buren. Grundy County map (PDF)

Guthrie County

Guthrie County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 11,000. Its county seat is Guthrie Center, and the county is named after Edwin B. Guthrie, an officer in the Mexican-American War. Guthrie County map (PDF)

Hamilton County

Established in 1856, Hamilton County has a population of around 15,000. Its county seat is Webster City, and the county is named after Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton County map (PDF)

Hancock County

Hancock County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 11,000. Its county seat is Garner, and the county is named after John Hancock, the first governor of Massachusetts and president of the Continental Congress. Hancock County map (PDF)

Hardin County

Established in 1851, Hardin County has a population of around 17,000. Its county seat is Eldora, and the county is named after John J. Hardin, an Illinois congressman killed at the Battle of Buena Vista. Hardin County map (PDF)

Harrison County

Harrison County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 14,000. Its county seat is Logan, and the county is named after William Henry Harrison, the ninth president of the United States. The county runs along the Missouri River on Iowa’s western edge. Harrison County map (PDF)

Henry County

Established in 1836, Henry County has a population of around 20,000. Its county seat is Mount Pleasant, and the county is named after Patrick Henry. Henry County map (PDF)

Howard County

Howard County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 9,000. Its county seat is Cresco, and the county is named after Tilghman Howard, an Indiana congressman and diplomat. Howard County map (PDF)

Humboldt County

Established in 1851, Humboldt County has a population of around 9,000. Its county seat is Dakota City, and the county is named after Alexander von Humboldt, the German naturalist and explorer. Humboldt County map (PDF)

Ida County

Ida County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 7,000. Its county seat is Ida Grove, and the origin of the county’s name is debated — it may honor Ida Pfeiffer, an Austrian travel writer, or simply reflect a popular given name of the era. Ida County map (PDF)

Iowa County

Established in 1837, Iowa County has a population of around 16,000. Its county seat is Marengo. Iowa County is one of the few counties in the country that shares its name with its state — it was named before Iowa became a state, when the name referred to the Iowa (Ioway) people who lived in the region. Iowa County map (PDF)

Jackson County

Jackson County was established in 1837 and has a population of around 19,000. Its county seat is Maquoketa, and the county is named after Andrew Jackson. Jackson County map (PDF)

Jasper County

Established in 1846, Jasper County has a population of around 37,000. Its county seat is Newton — historically known as the home of Maytag appliances — and the county is named after Sergeant William Jasper, a hero of the American Revolution. Jasper County map (PDF)

Jefferson County

Jefferson County was established in 1839 and has a population of around 18,000. Its county seat is Fairfield, home to Maharishi International University, which gives the county an unexpectedly cosmopolitan character for rural Iowa. The county is named after Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson County map (PDF)

Johnson County

Established in 1837, Johnson County has a population of around 150,000 — one of Iowa’s most populous counties, anchored by Iowa City and the University of Iowa. The county is named after Richard Mentor Johnson, the ninth vice president of the United States. Johnson County map (PDF)

Jones County

Jones County was established in 1837 and has a population of around 20,000. Its county seat is Anamosa, and the county is named after George W. Jones, one of Iowa’s first U.S. senators. Jones County map (PDF)

Keokuk County

Established in 1837, Keokuk County has a population of around 10,000. Its county seat is Sigourney, and the county is named after Keokuk, a Sauk leader who was a contemporary of Black Hawk. Keokuk County map (PDF)

Kossuth County

Kossuth County was established in 1851 and is Iowa’s largest county by area. Its county seat is Algona, and the county is named after Lajos Kossuth, the Hungarian revolutionary leader who toured the United States in 1851–52 and was celebrated as a freedom fighter. Kossuth County map (PDF)

Lee County

Established in 1836, Lee County has a population of around 33,000. Its county seat is Fort Madison, and the county sits at Iowa’s southeastern tip where the Des Moines River meets the Mississippi. The origin of the county’s name is disputed — it may honor Henry Lee III (“Light-Horse Harry” Lee) or simply reflect a common surname of the era. Lee County map (PDF)

Linn County

Linn County was established in 1837 and is one of Iowa’s most populous counties, with around 225,000 residents. Its county seat is Cedar Rapids — Iowa’s second-largest city and a major food-processing and manufacturing center. The county is named after Lewis F. Linn, a Missouri senator who championed Oregon Territory settlement. Linn County map (PDF)

Louisa County

Established in 1836, Louisa County has a population of around 11,000. Its county seat is Wapello, and the county is named after Louisa Massey, a young woman who reportedly shot a man who killed her brother — a story that made her a local legend in early Iowa Territory. Louisa County map (PDF)

Lucas County

Lucas County was established in 1846 and has a population of around 8,500. Its county seat is Chariton, and the county is named after Robert Lucas, the first governor of Iowa Territory. Lucas County map (PDF)

Lyon County

Established in 1851, Lyon County has a population of around 12,000. Its county seat is Rock Rapids, and the county sits in Iowa’s far northwest corner, bordered by Minnesota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. The county is named after Nathaniel Lyon, a Union general killed at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek in 1861. Lyon County map (PDF)

Madison County

Madison County was established in 1846 and has a population of around 16,000. Its county seat is Winterset — the birthplace of John Wayne — and the county is named after James Madison. Madison County is also famous for its collection of covered bridges, which inspired the novel and film The Bridges of Madison County. Madison County map (PDF)

Mahaska County

Established in 1843, Mahaska County has a population of around 22,000. Its county seat is Oskaloosa, and the county is named after Mahaska, a leader of the Iowa (Ioway) people. Mahaska County map (PDF)

Marion County

Marion County was established in 1845 and has a population of around 33,000. Its county seat is Knoxville, and the county is named after Francis Marion, the Revolutionary War general known as the “Swamp Fox.” Marion County map (PDF)

Marshall County

Established in 1846, Marshall County has a population of around 40,000. Its county seat is Marshalltown, and the county is named after Chief Justice John Marshall. Marshall County map (PDF)

Mills County

Mills County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 15,000. Its county seat is Glenwood, and the county is named after Frederick D. Mills, an Iowa soldier killed in the Mexican-American War. Mills County map (PDF)

Mitchell County

Established in 1851, Mitchell County has a population of around 10,000. Its county seat is Osage, and the county is named after John Mitchell, an Iowa soldier killed in the Mexican-American War. Mitchell County map (PDF)

Monona County

Monona County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 8,500. Its county seat is Onawa, and the county’s name comes from a Dakota word. Monona County map (PDF)

Monroe County

Established in 1843, Monroe County has a population of around 8,000. Its county seat is Albia, and the county is named after James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States. Monroe County map (PDF)

Montgomery County

Montgomery County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 10,000. Its county seat is Red Oak, and the county is named after Richard Montgomery, a general killed during the American Revolution’s invasion of Canada. Montgomery County map (PDF)

Muscatine County

Established in 1836, Muscatine County has a population of around 43,000. Its county seat is Muscatine, a Mississippi River city that was once the “Pearl Button Capital of the World” — the freshwater mussels in the river supported a massive button-manufacturing industry in the late 1800s. Muscatine County map (PDF)

O’Brien County

O’Brien County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 14,000. Its county seat is Primghar, and the county is named after William Smith O’Brien, an Irish nationalist leader. O’Brien County map (PDF)

Osceola County

Established in 1851, Osceola County has a population of around 6,000. Its county seat is Sibley, and the county is named after Osceola, the Seminole leader who resisted removal in Florida. Osceola County map (PDF)

Page County

Page County was established in 1847 and has a population of around 15,000. Its county seat is Clarinda — the birthplace of Glenn Miller — and the county is named after John Page, a Virginia congressman and governor. Page County map (PDF)

Palo Alto County

Established in 1851, Palo Alto County has a population of around 9,000. Its county seat is Emmetsburg, and the county is named after the Battle of Palo Alto, the first major engagement of the Mexican-American War. Palo Alto County map (PDF)

Plymouth County

Plymouth County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 25,000. Its county seat is Le Mars — which bills itself as the “Ice Cream Capital of the World” due to the Wells Enterprises dairy plant there. The county is named after Plymouth, Massachusetts. Plymouth County map (PDF)

Pocahontas County

Established in 1851, Pocahontas County has a population of around 7,000. Its county seat is Pocahontas, and the county is named after the Powhatan woman Pocahontas. Pocahontas County map (PDF)

Polk County

Polk County was established in 1846 and is Iowa’s most populous county, with around 500,000 residents. Its county seat is Des Moines, the state capital. The county is named after James K. Polk, the eleventh president of the United States. Polk County map (PDF)

Pottawattamie County

Established in 1851, Pottawattamie County has a population of around 93,000. Its county seat is Council Bluffs, the Missouri River city that served as the eastern terminus of the transcontinental railroad. The county is named after the Potawatomi people. Pottawattamie County map (PDF)

Poweshiek County

Poweshiek County was established in 1843 and has a population of around 18,000. Its county seat is Montezuma, and the county is named after Poweshiek, a leader of the Meskwaki people. Poweshiek County map (PDF)

Ringgold County

Established in 1847, Ringgold County has a population of around 5,000 — one of Iowa’s least populous counties. Its county seat is Mount Ayr, and the county is named after Samuel Ringgold, an artillery officer killed at the Battle of Palo Alto. Ringgold County map (PDF)

Sac County

Sac County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 10,000. Its county seat is Sac City, and the county is named after the Sauk people. Sac County map (PDF)

Scott County

Established in 1837, Scott County has a population of around 175,000. Its county seat is Davenport, the largest of the Quad Cities and Iowa’s third-largest city. The county is named after General Winfield Scott. Scott County map (PDF)

Shelby County

Shelby County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 12,000. Its county seat is Harlan, and the county is named after Isaac Shelby, the first governor of Kentucky. Shelby County map (PDF)

Sioux County

Established in 1851, Sioux County has a population of around 35,000. Its county seat is Orange City, which hosts a well-known Tulip Festival each spring that reflects the county’s strong Dutch immigrant heritage. The county is named after the Sioux (Lakota/Dakota) people. Sioux County map (PDF)

Story County

Story County was established in 1846 and has a population of around 100,000. Its county seat is Nevada, but Ames — home to Iowa State University — is the county’s largest city and its cultural center. The county is named after Joseph Story, a U.S. Supreme Court justice. Story County map (PDF)

Tama County

Established in 1843, Tama County has a population of around 17,000. Its county seat is Toledo, and the county is named after Taimah, a Meskwaki leader. The Meskwaki Settlement — one of the few tribally owned (not reservation) land parcels in the country — is located in Tama County. Tama County map (PDF)

Taylor County

Taylor County was established in 1847 and has a population of around 6,000. Its county seat is Bedford, and the county is named after Zachary Taylor, who was a general at the time of the county’s founding and later became the twelfth president. Taylor County map (PDF)

Union County

Established in 1851, Union County has a population of around 12,000. Its county seat is Creston, and the county’s name reflects the Union sentiment that was strong in Iowa during the lead-up to the Civil War. Union County map (PDF)

Van Buren County

Van Buren County was established in 1836 and has a population of around 7,000. Its county seat is Keosauqua, which sits on a dramatic bend of the Des Moines River and has one of Iowa’s best collections of 19th-century architecture. The county is named after Martin Van Buren, the eighth president. Van Buren County map (PDF)

Wapello County

Established in 1843, Wapello County has a population of around 35,000. Its county seat is Ottumwa, and the county is named after Wapello, a leader of the Iowa (Ioway) people. Wapello County map (PDF)

Warren County

Warren County was established in 1846 and has a population of around 52,000. Its county seat is Indianola, and the county has grown steadily as part of the Des Moines metro’s southern expansion. The county is named after General Joseph Warren, killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Warren County map (PDF)

Washington County

Established in 1839, Washington County has a population of around 22,000. Its county seat is Washington, and the county is named after George Washington. Washington County map (PDF)

Wayne County

Wayne County was established in 1846 and has a population of around 6,000. Its county seat is Corydon, and the county is named after General Anthony Wayne, the Revolutionary War officer known as “Mad Anthony.” Wayne County map (PDF)

Webster County

Established in 1853, Webster County has a population of around 36,000. Its county seat is Fort Dodge, and the county is named after Daniel Webster, the Massachusetts senator and orator. Webster County map (PDF)

Winnebago County

Winnebago County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 10,000. Its county seat is Forest City — also the headquarters of Winnebago Industries, the RV manufacturer that took its name from the county. The county is named after the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) people. Winnebago County map (PDF)

Winneshiek County

Established in 1847, Winneshiek County has a population of around 20,000. Its county seat is Decorah, one of Iowa’s most visited small cities thanks to its Norwegian heritage, the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, and its setting along the Upper Iowa River. The county is named after Winneshiek, a Ho-Chunk leader. Winneshiek County map (PDF)

Woodbury County

Woodbury County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 103,000. Its county seat is Sioux City, Iowa’s fourth-largest city and a Missouri River port at the corner where Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota meet. The county is named after Levi Woodbury, a New Hampshire senator and Supreme Court justice. Woodbury County map (PDF)

Worth County

Established in 1851, Worth County has a population of around 7,500. Its county seat is Northwood, and the county is named after William Jenkins Worth, a general in the Mexican-American War. Worth County map (PDF)

Wright County

Wright County was established in 1851 and has a population of around 13,000. Its county seat is Clarion, and the county is named after Joseph A. Wright, the governor of Indiana. Wright County map (PDF)