Live | Culture

Photo courtesy of Storm Lake Chamber

Communities in the Iowa Lakes Corridor have a rich European heritage and a growing Hispanic and Asian population. This region of Iowa was settled in the 1800s by German, Irish, Swedish, Dutch, Danish, English and Norwegian ancestors.

Communities annually celebrate their ethnic heritage through festivals, holidays commemorating particular cultures, and local organizations. Contact the local Chambers of Commerce for more information on specific events.

Race and ethnicity statistics for each of our counties are provided below.

Buena Vista County
Total Population = 20,411
Minority Population = 2,449
White – 17,962 (88%)
Hispanic or Latino – 2,560 (12.5%)
Asian – 884 (4.3%)

Clay County
Total Population = 17,372
Minority Population = 333
White – 17,039 (98.1%)
Hispanic or Latino – 196 (1.1%)
Asian – 142 (0.8%)

Dickinson County
Total Population = 16,424
Minority Population = 180
White – 16,244 (98.9%)
Hispanic or Latino – 109 (0.7%)

Emmet County
Total Population = 11,027
Minority Population = 289
White – 10,738 (97.4%)
Hispanic or Latino – 475 (4.3%)

Source: 2000 US Census Data