Guthrie County is a county in Iowa, United States, in the west-central part of the state, one of six counties in the Des Moines–West Des Moines metropolitan area. It had a population of 10,623 at the 2020 census and covers 593 square miles (1,540 km2) centred near 41°41′N 94°30′W.
Guthrie Center is the county seat, and its postal code is 50115. The county has 11 cities, 2 census-designated places and 8 unincorporated communities, spread across 17 civil townships. Guthrie County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Guthrie County
Guthrie County’s 21 named places split between 11 incorporated cities, 2 census-designated places (CDPs) and 8 unincorporated communities. Three cities — Adair, Casey and Stuart — straddle the line with Adair County, and only the Guthrie County share of their population is shown below.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guthrie Center | City · seat | Union | 1,593 | 50115 |
| Lake Panorama | CDP | Union | 1,266 | 50216 |
| Panora | City | Union | 1,091 | 50216 |
| Stuart | City | Stuart | 1,059 | 50250 |
| Diamondhead Lake | CDP | Union | 371 | 50216 |
| Bayard | City | Bear Grove | 405 | 50029 |
| Casey | City | Union | 368 | 50048 |
| Menlo | City | Cass | 345 | 50164 |
| Yale | City | Jackson | 267 | 50277 |
| Bagley | City | Highland | 233 | 50026 |
| Jamaica | City | Richland | 195 | 50128 |
| Adair | City | Grant | 18 | — |
| Dale City | Unincorp. | Beaver | — | — |
| Fansler | Unincorp. | Penn | — | — |
| Glendon | Unincorp. | Valley | — | — |
| Herndon | Unincorp. | Seely | — | — |
| Monteith | Unincorp. | Dodge | — | — |
| Morrisburg | Unincorp. | Thompson | — | — |
| North Branch | Unincorp. | Victory | — | — |
| Wichita | Unincorp. | Orange | — | — |
Adair, on the southern county line, has most of its 791 total residents in Adair County next door — only 18 live on the Guthrie County side. Casey and Stuart both straddle the same border, with the bulk of each town’s population inside Guthrie County. Coon Rapids, sometimes listed near Guthrie County’s northwest corner, is almost entirely in Carroll County and is not counted here.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Union | — | Guthrie Center, Casey, Lake Panorama, Diamondhead Lake, Panora |
| Stuart | — | Stuart |
| Bear Grove | — | Bayard |
| Cass | — | Menlo |
| Jackson | — | Yale |
| Highland | — | Bagley |
| Richland | — | Jamaica |
| Grant | — | Adair (part) |
| Beaver | — | Dale City |
| Penn | — | Fansler |
| Valley | — | Glendon |
| Seely | — | Herndon |
| Dodge | — | Monteith |
| Thompson | — | Morrisburg |
| Victory | — | North Branch |
| Orange | — | Wichita |
| Baker | — | Rural |
Individual township-level 2020 census counts are not published separately for Guthrie County; the county’s total population is broken out only at the city and CDP level above.
ZIP Codes
- 50115 — Guthrie Center (also serves Lake Panorama and Diamondhead Lake)
- 50216 — Panora
- 50250 — Stuart
- 50029 — Bayard
- 50048 — Casey
- 50164 — Menlo
- 50277 — Yale
- 50026 — Bagley
- 50128 — Jamaica
Adair and the county’s unincorporated communities use the ZIP code of the nearest post-office town rather than a code of their own; the Guthrie County side of Adair generally uses Adair County’s own 50002 code.
Geography
Guthrie County lies on the rolling Southern Iowa Drift Plain, cut by the Middle Raccoon River and North Raccoon River, which feed Lake Panorama, the county’s largest reservoir and a recreational hub around Panora. Farmland covers most of the county, with river-bottom timber along the Raccoon corridors. The county borders Greene County to the north, Dallas County to the east, Adair County to the south, Audubon County to the west and Carroll County to the northwest.
Demographics
Guthrie County’s population was 10,623 at the 2020 census, giving a density of about 18 people per square mile. Guthrie Center (1,593) and Lake Panorama (1,266) are the county’s two largest communities, followed by Panora (1,091) and Stuart (1,059). The county’s median household income runs below the Iowa median of $71,433, reflecting its largely agricultural, low-density economy.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — row-crop and livestock farming across the county’s townships — anchors the local economy, alongside retail and services centred in Guthrie Center and Panora. Lake Panorama draws a seasonal lake-recreation and second-home economy, with boating, golf and lakefront housing supporting local businesses through the summer months. Guthrie Center serves as the county’s government and commercial hub, home to the county courthouse.
History
Guthrie County was organized on January 15, 1851, and named for Captain Edwin B. Guthrie, who died during the Mexican–American War. The county seat was established at Guthrie Center, and the surrounding townships filled in with farming communities through the second half of the 19th century as rail lines reached towns including Stuart, Bayard and Panora. Lake Panorama was created later as a reservoir and recreational development, growing into one of the county’s most populous places.
Getting There
Interstate 80 crosses the southeastern part of the county through Stuart and Casey, connecting to Des Moines to the east. U.S. Route 6 and several state highways link Guthrie Center to the surrounding county seats.
- Des Moines — 45 miles east
- Carroll — 30 miles northwest
- Atlantic — 35 miles southwest
- Adel (Dallas County seat) — 20 miles east
Des Moines International Airport, about 45 miles east, is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Guthrie County?
It is in west-central Iowa, part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines metropolitan area.
What is the population of Guthrie County?
10,623 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Guthrie County?
593 square miles (1,540 km2), of which about 2.5 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Guthrie County?
Guthrie Center is the county seat.
How many towns are in Guthrie County?
11 incorporated cities plus 2 census-designated places and 8 unincorporated communities, across 17 townships.
What ZIP codes are in Guthrie County?
Nine ZIP codes serve the county, including 50115 (Guthrie Center), 50216 (Panora) and 50250 (Stuart).
What is Lake Panorama?
A reservoir on the Middle Raccoon River near Panora that supports the county’s largest recreational and lakefront community, with a 2020 population of 1,266.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Iowa.