Wright County is a county in Iowa, United States, in the north-central part of the state along the Boone and Iowa Rivers. It had a population of 12,943 at the 2020 census and covers 582 square miles (1,510 km2), of which 580 square miles (1,500 km2) is land, centred near 42°44′N 93°44′W.
Clarion is the county seat. The county has six incorporated cities and a handful of unincorporated communities, sits in the Central time zone, and carries Iowa county FIPS code 099.
Towns & Villages in Wright County
Eagle Grove is the county’s largest city; Clarion, the seat, is the second largest. The remaining incorporated cities and known unincorporated communities are small farm-service places serving the surrounding townships.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarion | City · seat | — | 2,810 | — |
| Eagle Grove | City | Eagle Grove | 3,601 | — |
| Belmond | City | Belmond | 2,463 | — |
| Goldfield | City | — | 634 | — |
| Dows | City | — | 521 | — |
| Rowan | City | — | 123 | 50470 |
| Woolstock | City | Woolstock | — | — |
| Cornelia | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Holmes | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Olaf | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Thrall | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Townships
Iowa counties are divided into civil townships used for rural administration, road maintenance, and cemetery upkeep. Wright County has sixteen: Belmond, Blaine, Boone, Dayton, Eagle Grove, Grant, Iowa, Lake, Liberty, Lincoln, Norway, Pleasant, Troy, Vernon, Wall Lake, and Woolstock.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Belmond | — | Belmond |
| Blaine | — | rural |
| Boone | — | rural |
| Dayton | — | rural |
| Eagle Grove | — | Eagle Grove |
| Grant | — | rural |
| Iowa | — | rural |
| Lake | — | rural |
| Liberty | — | rural |
| Lincoln | — | rural |
| Norway | — | rural |
| Pleasant | — | rural |
| Troy | — | rural |
| Vernon | — | rural |
| Wall Lake | — | rural |
| Woolstock | — | Woolstock |
Township-level 2020 census counts are not published in the sources available for this profile; township boundaries are shown here for reference only.
ZIP Codes
- 50470 — Rowan
Verified ZIP codes for Clarion, Eagle Grove, Belmond, Goldfield, Dows, and Woolstock were not available in the sources used for this profile and are omitted rather than guessed.
Geography
Wright County lies on the rolling till plains of north-central Iowa. The Boone River crosses the eastern part of the county and the Iowa River rises in its western townships, both draining toward the Des Moines River basin. Farmland covers most of the 580 square miles of land area; water makes up under one percent of the total.
Wright County borders eight counties: Hancock to the north, Cerro Gordo to the northeast, Franklin to the east, Hardin to the southeast, Hamilton to the south, Webster to the southwest, Humboldt to the west, and Kossuth to the northwest.
Demographics
Wright County had 12,943 residents at the 2020 census, down from a peak of 18,227 in 1900. Eagle Grove (3,601) and Clarion (2,810) are the two largest communities and together hold about half the county’s population. Iowa’s statewide 2023 ACS median household income was $71,433, a benchmark rural counties like Wright typically run below. Population density is about 22 people per square mile, one of the more sparsely settled counties in the region.
Economy & Local Life
Row-crop and livestock agriculture, especially corn, soybeans, and egg production, anchors the county economy; a large egg-laying operation based in the county has drawn national attention to Wright County’s poultry industry. Clarion and Eagle Grove serve as the county’s retail and healthcare hubs. The Wright County Fair, held each July in Eagle Grove, is the county’s biggest annual event and draws entrants from several surrounding counties.
History
Wright County was organized in January 1851 and named for either Silas Wright, a governor of New York, or Joseph Albert Wright, a governor of Indiana — sources disagree on which. Clarion became the county seat as rail lines reshaped the county’s early towns in the late 1800s. The county fair began in Clarion before moving to its permanent Eagle Grove home in 1926.
Getting There
Interstate 35 crosses the eastern edge of the county, with U.S. Highway 69 and Iowa Highways 3 and 17 serving the towns in between.
- Fort Dodge, Iowa — 22 miles southwest
- Mason City, Iowa — 30 miles northeast
- Ames, Iowa — 45 miles south
- Des Moines, Iowa — 95 miles south
The nearest commercial air service is Fort Dodge Regional Airport; the nearest Amtrak station is in Osceola, roughly 100 miles to the south on the California Zephyr line.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Clarion postcode?
Verified ZIP data for Clarion was not available for this profile; the town uses its own dedicated post office.
What county is Eagle Grove, Iowa in?
Eagle Grove is in Wright County and is the county’s largest city, with 3,601 residents at the 2020 census.
Is Clarion the county seat of Wright County?
Yes. Clarion is the county seat.
How big is Wright County?
Wright County covers 582 square miles (1,510 km2), including 580 square miles of land.
What rivers run through Wright County?
The Boone River and the Iowa River both cross the county.
Which counties border Wright County?
Hancock, Cerro Gordo, Franklin, Hardin, Hamilton, Webster, Humboldt, and Kossuth counties.
Where is the Wright County Fair held?
In Eagle Grove, every July, since the fair moved there from Clarion in 1926.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Iowa.