Monroe County, Iowa
Monroe County is in the south-central part of Iowa. The county seat and largest city is Albia, where the courthouse is located. The county covers about 434 square miles, almost all land, with a tiny amount of water, and it lies in the Central Time Zone.
Monroe County was named for James Monroe; it was originally Kishkekosh County, named after a Meskwaki chief. In the early 1900s it was a coal mining hub and once had more than 25,000 residents, with many Welsh Americans who worked in the mines.
Today, the population is about 7,577 (2020 census) and an estimated 7,373 in 2024, with a population density of roughly 17 people per square mile. The population is predominantly White, with small numbers of other races and about 1.5% Hispanic or Latino. There are around 3,100 households, and the area is largely rural.
Monroe County is in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District and is known for its quiet rural lifestyle centered around Albia.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 06:11 (CET).