Ringgold County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,663, and was estimated to be 4,642 in 2025, The county is named after Maj. Samuel Ringgold, a hero of the Battle of Palo Alto fought in May 1846, during the Mexican–American War. It is one of the 26 Iowa counties with a name that is unique across the nation.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water.

Major highways

  • x20px U.S. Highway 169
  • x20px Iowa Highway 2
  • x20px Iowa Highway 25

Adjacent counties

  • Union County (north)
  • Decatur County (east)
  • Harrison County, Missouri (southeast)
  • Worth County, Missouri (southwest)
  • Taylor County (west)

Demographics

2020 census

thumb|right|Population of Ringgold County from the U.S. census data

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 4,663, which yielded a population density of . The median age was 46.0 years, with 22.3% of residents under the age of 18 and 26.3% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.1 males age 18 and over.

96.7% of residents reported being of one race. The racial makeup of the county was 95.8% White, 0.1% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.4% from some other race, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.5% of the population.

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,945 households in the county, of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 54.4% were married-couple households, 17.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,469 people, 2,245 households, and 1,537 families in the county. The population density was . There were 2,789 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 99.07% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.02% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. 0.24% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 2,245 households 27.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% were married couples living together, 5.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 28.60% of households were one person and 17.80% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.90.

The age distribution was 24.00% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 21.40% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 24.00% 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.40 males.

The median household income was $29,110 and the median family income was $34,472. Males had a median income of $24,583 versus $20,606 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,023. About 9.40% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 16.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

  • Beaconsfield
  • Benton
  • Clearfield (pt)
  • Diagonal
  • Ellston
  • Kellerton
  • Maloy
  • Mount Ayr
  • Redding
  • Shannon City (pt)
  • Tingley

Census-designated places

  • Delphos
  • Sun Valley Lake

Extinct Hamlet

  • Knowlton

Townships

  • Athens
  • Benton
  • Clinton
  • Grant
  • Jefferson
  • Liberty
  • Lincoln
  • Lotts Creek
  • Middle Fork
  • Monroe
  • Poe
  • Rice
  • Riley
  • Tingley
  • Union
  • Washington
  • Waubonsie

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Ringgold County.

† county seat

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! Rank

! City/Town/etc.

! Municipal type

! Population<br>(2020 Census)

! Population<br>(2024 Estimate)

|- style=background-color:#FFFACD

| 1

|† Mount Ayr

| City

| 1,623

| 1,643

|- style=background-color:#FFFACD

| 2

|Diagonal

| City

| 344

| 353

|- style=background-color:#FFFACD

| 3

|Kellerton

| City

| 243

| 238

|- style=background-color:#F0FFF0

| 4

|Sun Valley Lake

| CDP

| 187

| 226

|- style=background-color:#FFFACD

| 5

|Tingley

| City

| 136

| 117

|- style=background-color:#FFFACD

| 6

|Redding

| City

| 63

| 54

|- style=background-color:#FFFACD

| 7

|Benton

| City

| 39

| 32

|- style=background-color:#F0FFF0

| 8

|Delphos

| CDP

| 26

| 19

|- style=background-color:#FFFACD

| 9

|Ellston

| City

| 19

| 19

|- style=background-color:#FFFACD

| 10

|Maloy

| City

| 22

| 19

|- style=background-color:#FFFACD

| 11

|Beaconsfield

| City

| 15

| 18

|- style=background-color:#FFFACD

| 12

|Clearfield (mostly in Taylor County)

| City

| 6 (278 total)

| 5 (277 total)

|- style=background-color:#FFFACD

| 13

|Shannon City (partially in Union County)

| City

| 6 (73 total)

| 4 (71 total)

|}

Politics

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Education

School districts include:

  • Bedford Community School District
  • Creston Community School District
  • Diagonal Community School District
  • East Union Community School District
  • Lamoni Community School District
  • Lenox Community School District
  • Mount Ayr Community School District

Former school districts:

  • Clearfield Community School District - Dissolved on July 1, 2014.

See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Ringgold County, Iowa
  • Ringgold County Courthouse

Notes

References

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  • Ringgold County Portal style website maintained by the Ringgold County government
  • Ringgold County history and information