Lyon County is a county in Iowa, United States, occupying the state’s most northwestern corner. It had a population of 11,934 at the 2020 census and covers 588 square miles (1,520 km2) centred near 43°23′N 96°13′W.
Rock Rapids is the county seat, and its postal code is 51246. The county has 8 incorporated cities, 4 unincorporated communities and 18 civil townships. Lyon County lies in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 19119.
Towns & Villages in Lyon County
Lyon County has 8 incorporated cities and a handful of small unincorporated communities scattered across its 18 townships. All 8 cities are self-governing municipalities; the smaller places below have no incorporated government and are served through their township.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Rapids | City · seat | — | 2,611 | 51246 |
| George | City | — | 1,077 | 51237 |
| Inwood | City | — | 928 | 51240 |
| Larchwood | City | Larchwood | 926 | 51241 |
| Doon | City | Doon | 619 | 51235 |
| Little Rock | City | — | 439 | 51243 |
| Lester | City | — | 296 | 51242 |
| Alvord | City | — | 206 | 51230 |
| Beloit | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Edna | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Granite | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Klondike | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Townships
Lyon County is divided into 18 civil townships. Several share a name with the city inside them, but most are rural and carry no incorporated town.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Larchwood | — | Larchwood |
| Doon | — | Doon |
| Allison | — | — |
| Centennial | — | — |
| Cleveland | — | — |
| Dale | — | — |
| Elgin | — | — |
| Garfield | — | — |
| Grant | — | — |
| Liberal | — | — |
| Logan | — | — |
| Lyon | — | — |
| Midland | — | — |
| Richland | — | — |
| Riverside | — | — |
| Rock | — | — |
| Sioux | — | — |
| Wheeler | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 51246 — Rock Rapids
- 51241 — Larchwood
- 51240 — Inwood
- 51237 — George
- 51235 — Doon
- 51243 — Little Rock
- 51230 — Alvord
- 51242 — Lester
Beloit, Edna, Granite and Klondike have no post office of their own; mail there is served by the ZIP code of the nearest incorporated town.
Geography
Lyon County sits on the drift-covered plain of Iowa’s northwest corner, where the land rolls gently toward the Big Sioux River valley on the western edge of the county. The Rock River and its tributary the Little Rock River cross the county from north to south, giving Rock Rapids and Little Rock their names. Gitchie Manitou State Preserve, in the county’s northwest corner, exposes some of the oldest bedrock in the country. Lake Pahoja, a roughly 69-acre man-made lake, sits in the same part of the county.
Lyon County borders Rock County, Minnesota and Nobles County, Minnesota to the north; Osceola County to the east; Sioux County to the south; and Lincoln County, South Dakota and Minnehaha County, South Dakota to the west.
Demographics
Lyon County had 11,934 residents at the 2020 census. Rock Rapids, the county seat, is the largest city at 2,611 people, followed by George at 1,077. Median household income across Iowa stands at the state median of $71,433; Lyon County’s mostly agricultural economy and small-town housing stock put it in a similar range to other rural northwest Iowa counties. With 588 square miles of land, the county’s overall population density works out to about 20 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Corn and soybean farming, along with livestock feeding, anchor Lyon County’s economy, as they do across most of northwest Iowa. Rock Rapids functions as the county’s retail and services hub, with George, Larchwood and Inwood serving as smaller farm-trade centers. Larchwood and Inwood sit close enough to the Sioux Falls, South Dakota metro area that some residents commute west for work.
History
The area that became Lyon County was set off as a county boundary on January 15, 1851, and was administered from Woodbury County until it organized as its own county on January 1, 1872. It was originally named Buncombe County; the Iowa legislature renamed it on September 11, 1862, for Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon, who had fought in the Mexican-American War and was killed leading Union troops at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek in 1861.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 18 and 75 cross Lyon County, along with Iowa Highways 9 and 182.
- Sioux Falls, South Dakota — 30 miles west
- Sioux City, Iowa — 55 miles south
- Spirit Lake, Iowa — 45 miles east
- Worthington, Minnesota — 35 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Sioux Falls Regional Airport in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lyon County?
It is in the far northwestern corner of Iowa, bordering both Minnesota and South Dakota.
What is the population of Lyon County?
11,934 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Lyon County?
588 square miles (1,520 km2), almost entirely land.
What is the Lyon County seat?
Rock Rapids is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Lyon County?
Eight incorporated cities, plus several small unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Lyon County?
Eight ZIP codes, from 51230 (Alvord) to 51246 (Rock Rapids); see the ZIP Codes section above.
Why is Lyon County named that?
It honors Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon, renamed from the original Buncombe County by the Iowa legislature in 1862.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Iowa.