Pottawattamie County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. At the 2020 census, its population was 93,667, and was estimated to be 92,996 in 2025,
Pottawattamie County is included in the Omaha–Council Bluffs, NE–IA metropolitan statistical area.
History
Pottawattamie County was formed on January 15, 1851 and organized on September 21, 1848.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.82%) is water. It is the second-largest county in Iowa by total area after Kossuth County. Pottawattamie County is located within Iowa's Loess Hills and was the site of Kanesville along the Mormon Trail.
In 2023, Pottawattamie County had the highest corn production in Iowa and the U.S., with over 47 million bushels produced.
Due to movement of the Missouri River and a Supreme Court ruling, part of the county, Carter Lake, actually lies on the far side of the Missouri River. This part of the county cannot be reached by road without entering Nebraska; no direct bridge exists.
Major highways
- x20px Interstate 29
- x20px Interstate 80
- x20px Interstate 480
- x20px Interstate 680
- x20px Interstate 880
- x20px U.S. Highway 6
- x20px U.S. Highway 59
- x20px U.S. Highway 275
- x20px Iowa Highway 83
- x20px Iowa Highway 92
- x20px Iowa Highway 165
- x20px Iowa Highway 191
- x20px Iowa Highway 192
Adjacent counties
- Harrison County (north)
- Shelby County (northeast)
- Cass County (east)
- Montgomery County (southeast)
- Mills County (south)
- Sarpy County, Nebraska (southwest)
- Douglas County, Nebraska (west)
- Washington County, Nebraska (northwest)
National protected area
- DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge (part)