Worth County, Iowa

Worth County sits along Iowa’s northern border with Minnesota. It’s the state’s fourth-smallest county by area and one of its least populated, with only about 7,500 residents.

Northwood, the county seat, has a downtown area featuring several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Shell Rock River Greenbelt lies just outside Worth County to the southeast and offers opportunities for fishing and canoeing. The county is named after General William Jenkins Worth, a Mexican-American War officer.

CategoryDetails
County NameWorth County
County SeatNorthwood
EtymologyNamed in honor of William Jenkins Worth
Cities, Towns, and CommunitiesNorthwood, Kensett, and several smaller communities
Interstates and HighwaysInterstate 35, U.S. Highway 65, Iowa Highway 9
FIPS Code19-195
Total Area (Land and Water)401 square miles (land: 397 sq mi, water: 4 sq mi)
Adjacent Counties (and Direction)Freeborn County, Minnesota (North), Mower County, Minnesota (Northeast), Mitchell County (East), Cerro Gordo County (South), Winnebago County (West)
Time ZoneCentral Time Zone (CST)
Population7,500
StateIowa
Coordinates43.32°N, 93.20°W
Major LandmarksNorthwood’s historic downtown, the Worth County Courthouse, and the Pilot Knob State Park
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