Linn County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 230,299, and was estimated to be 232,028 in 2025, Linn County is named in honor of Senator Lewis F. Linn of Missouri. Linn County is included in the Cedar Rapids, IA Metropolitan statistical area.
History
The earliest inhabitants of Linn County, prior to Anglo settlement, were the Sac and Fox tribes. Relations were described by 20th century historians as amicable. Native Americans provided food and furs to whites in exchange for merchandise.
Linn County was created as a named but unorganized area on December 21, 1837, as a part of Wisconsin Territory. It became part of Iowa Territory on July 3, 1838, when the territory was organized. Linn County was organized by the first legislative assembly of the Iowa Territory on January 15, 1839. A site was selected for its first county seat along Indian Creek, and was named Marion, after the Revolutionary War general Francis Marion. As early as 1855, there were debates over moving the county seat to the fast-growing Cedar Rapids, southwest of Marion, but it was not until November 6, 1919, that there were enough votes in favor of the move (9,960 to 4,823). The first rail line was built through Cedar Rapids in 1859, and made the town (and the county) a major commercial hub in eastern Iowa.
Many areas of the county were damaged by the flooding of Cedar River in June 2008, and again during the August 2020 Midwest derecho.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.06%) is water. It is the 10th largest county in Iowa by total area.
Major highways
- x20px Interstate 380
- x20px Iowa Highway 27
- x20px U.S. Highway 30
- x20px U.S. Highway 151
- x20px U.S. Highway 218
- x20px Iowa Highway 1
- x20px Iowa Highway 13
Transit
- 380 Express
- Cedar Rapids Transit
Adjacent counties
- Benton County (west)
- Buchanan County (northwest)
- Cedar County (southeast)
- Delaware County (northeast)
- Iowa County (southwest)
- Johnson County (south)
- Jones County (east)