According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 722 square miles (1,870 km2), of which 721 square miles (1,870 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) (0.1%) is water.[5]
The 2020 census recorded a population of 17,135 in the county, with a population density of 23.7323/sq mi (9.16311/km2). 93.80% of the population reported being of one race. There were 7,575 housing units, of which 6,784 were occupied.[1]
The 2010 census recorded a population of 17,767 in the county, with a population density of 24.5638/sq mi (9.4841/km2). There were 7,766 housing units, of which 6,947 were occupied.[13]
2000 census
As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 17,767 people, 7,018 households, and 4,968 families residing in the county. The population density was 25 people per square mile (9.7 people/km2). There were 7,583 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (3.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.38% White, 0.25% Black or African American, 6.09% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.90% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 3.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 7,018 households, out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,419, and the median income for a family was $43,646. Males had a median income of $30,723 versus $22,597 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,097. About 7.60% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.
The largest of which is South Tama Community School District, at the 3A designation. Second largest is North Tama Community Schools. Lastly both GMG and Meskwaki Settlement School with an eight-man designation.[citation needed][16][17][18][19]
Between 1888 and 1984, Tama County was a reliable bellwether county, backing the nationwide winner in every presidential election except for 1916 and 1960. For the next seven election cycles, from 1988 to 2012, Tama County backed the Democratic candidate in each election, although George W. Bush came extremely close to winning the county in both 2000 and 2004, losing by slim margins of just 11 and 31 votes respectively. In 2016, Donald Trump moved the county back into the Republican camp, taking nearly 57% of the county's vote and winning it by more than 20%, the best margin in the county for any candidate since Ronald Reagan won the county during his 1980 landslide. Though Trump's margin of victory dropped slightly to just over 19% in 2020, he increased his vote share to almost 59%, the best vote share for a candidate of either party in Tama County since the 1964 landslide victory of Lyndon B. Johnson.
United States presidential election results for Tama County, Iowa[21]
