Louisa County is a county in Iowa, United States, on the west bank of the Mississippi River in the southeastern part of the state. It had a population of 10,837 at the 2020 census and covers 402 square miles (1,040 km2) of land, centred near 41°13′05″N 91°15′36″W.
Wapello is the county seat, and its postal code is 52653. The county has 4 incorporated cities, 3 smaller incorporated towns, and 2 unincorporated communities, and it sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Louisa County
Louisa County’s population is spread across four incorporated cities and several smaller towns and unincorporated places, most of them strung along U.S. Route 61 or the Iowa River and Mississippi River bottomlands. CDP = census-designated place (unincorporated); Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no census designation.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wapello | City · seat | 2,084 | 52653 |
| Columbus Junction | City | 1,830 | 52738 |
| Morning Sun | City | 752 | 52640 |
| Grandview | City | 437 | 52752 |
| Columbus City | Town | — | 52737 |
| Letts | Town | — | 52754 |
| Oakville | Town | — | 52646 |
| Cairo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Toolesboro | Unincorp. | — | — |
A handful of names on older listings for the county — Cotter, Fredonia, Elrick Junction, Marsh, Newport, Port Louisa, Wyman, and a mobile-home park called Woodland MH Park — are historic or informal place names rather than active incorporated or census-recognized communities, and are omitted from the table above for lack of verifiable current population or ZIP data. Port Louisa itself survives today as the name of the Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge along the Mississippi River bottoms, not as a populated place.
ZIP Codes
- 52653 — Wapello
- 52738 — Columbus Junction
- 52737 — Columbus City
- 52640 — Morning Sun
- 52752 — Grandview
- 52754 — Letts
- 52646 — Oakville
Cairo and Toolesboro have no ZIP code of their own and are served by the nearest post office town listed above.
Geography
Louisa County lies in the Mississippi River lowlands of southeastern Iowa, where the Iowa River joins the Mississippi near Toolesboro. The terrain rises from broad river-bottom floodplain in the east to rolling upland prairie and cropland in the west; the Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge protects a large stretch of the Mississippi’s backwater marshes and bottomland forest along the county’s eastern edge. Of the county’s 418 total square miles, 402 square miles are land and 16 square miles are water.
Louisa County borders Johnson County to the northwest, Muscatine County to the north, Washington County to the west, Henry County to the southwest, and Des Moines County to the south, all in Iowa. Across the Mississippi River to the east lie Rock Island and Mercer counties, Illinois. Of these, Johnson County, Muscatine County, Washington County, Henry County, and Des Moines County have their own Towns & Villages profiles on this site.
Demographics
Louisa County had a population of 10,837 at the 2020 census, spread over 402 square miles for a density of about 27 people per square mile. Wapello (2,084) and Columbus Junction (1,830) are the county’s two largest communities and together hold roughly a third of its population. Median household income in the county has historically run somewhat below the Iowa median of $71,433, reflecting the county’s largely agricultural and manufacturing economic base.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — corn, soybeans, and livestock on the county’s upland farms — remains the backbone of Louisa County’s economy, alongside food processing and light manufacturing centered in Columbus Junction and Wapello. The county’s location on the Mississippi River and U.S. Route 61 also supports river-barge grain shipping and freight traffic. The Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge and the Mississippi River bottoms draw hunters, anglers, and birdwatchers in season, supporting a modest tourism trade in the river towns.
History
Louisa County was organized on December 7, 1836, as part of the Wisconsin Territory, making it one of Iowa’s original counties. Its name origin is disputed between two traditions: some accounts trace it to a Louisa Massey, said to have been involved in an early territorial dispute, while others hold it was named for Louisa County, Virginia. The county’s river towns, including Wapello and Columbus Junction, grew up around Mississippi and Iowa River steamboat landings and later around railroad junctions, with Columbus Junction taking its name from its position at a rail crossing.
Getting There
U.S. Route 61 runs north–south through the county, linking Wapello and the river towns, while Iowa Highways 70, 78, and 92 provide east–west and local connections.
- Muscatine — 20 miles north
- Burlington — 20 miles south
- Iowa City — 30 miles northwest
- Fort Madison — 35 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) in Cedar Rapids, roughly 60 miles to the north.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Louisa County, Iowa?
It lies in the southeastern part of the state, on the west bank of the Mississippi River, southeast of Iowa City and northwest of Burlington.
What is the population of Louisa County?
Louisa County had 10,837 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Louisa County?
The county covers 402 square miles of land (1,040 km2), plus about 16 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Louisa County?
Wapello is the county seat.
How many towns are in Louisa County?
The county has four incorporated cities — Wapello, Columbus Junction, Morning Sun, and Grandview — plus three smaller incorporated towns and two unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Louisa County?
Seven ZIP codes serve the county, including 52653 (Wapello) and 52738 (Columbus Junction).
What river forms the county’s eastern boundary?
The Mississippi River runs along Louisa County’s eastern edge, joined near Toolesboro by the Iowa River.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Iowa.