Crawford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,525, and was estimated to be 16,237 in 2025. The county seat is Denison. The county was named for William Harris Crawford, U.S. senator from Georgia and United States Secretary of the Treasury.
History
On January 15, 1851, the Iowa Legislature authorized the creation of 50 additional counties in the state. Due to its lack of inhabitants, the designated Crawford County area was attached to Shelby County for purposes of revenue, taxation, and judicial matters.
In 1855 there were sufficient settlers, who petitioned for separation from Shelby. This was granted, and a county governing structure was established.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.12%) is water. It is the 13rd largest county in Iowa by total area.
Major highways
- x20px U.S. Highway 30 – runs ENE across bottom of county. Enters at Dunlap, exits to Carroll County at Westside.
- x20px U.S. Highway 59 – runs generally north–south through center of county, passing Schleswig and Denison. Its exit into Shelby County is five miles east of its entry from Ida County.
- x20px Iowa Highway 37 – cuts the SW corner of county, running SE from Monona County to Harrison County.
- x20px Iowa Highway 39 – runs north and ENE from Denison to Kiron, then into Ida and Sac Counties.
- x20px Iowa Highway 141 – enters SE part of county at Aspinwall, runs west to intersection with US Highway 59, two miles above the county's south line.
Adjacent counties
- Ida County − north
- Sac County − northeast
- Carroll County − east
- Audubon County − southeast
- Shelby County − south
- Harrison County − southwest
- Monona County − west
- Woodbury County − northwest