Atalissa, Iowa

Atalissa is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 311 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Atalissa, Iowa
City
Location of Atalissa, Iowa
Coordinates: 41°34′18″N 91°10′0″W
Country	United States
State	Iowa
County	Muscatine
Area [1]
• Total	0.14 sq mi (0.36 km^2)
• Land	0.14 sq mi (0.36 km^2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km^2)
Elevation	659 ft (201 m)
Population  (2010)[2]
• Total	311
• Estimate  (2019)[3]	308
• Density	2,215.83/sq mi (854.58/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	52720
Area code(s)	563
FIPS code	19-03385
GNIS feature ID	0454271

History

Atalissa was platted in 1859. It was named by its founder, William Lundy, for a mining town in California, which in turn was named for an Indian queen Atalissa.[4]

From 1974 to 2009 Atalissa was the home of a few dozen intellectually challenged men who worked in a nearby turkey processing plant.[5] They lived together in an old schoolhouse and were taken each workday to the plant, and after expenses were taken out, were paid no more than $65/month. They were removed and relocated by state agencies in 2009, after being found to be living in unacceptable conditions. A 2013 verdict awarded the men a total of $240 million in damages, since reduced to $50,000/man. The men's plight had a profound effect on social services in Iowa, and their experiences and subsequent court case was the subject of the documentary film The Men of Atalissa.[6]

Geography

Atalissa is located at 41°34′18″N 91°10′0″W (41.571568, -91.166707).[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.14 square miles (0.36 km²), all land.[8]

Demographics

Historical populations

Year	Pop.	±%
1910	220	—
1920	198	−10.0%
1930	187	−5.6%
1940	181	−3.2%
1950	204	+12.7%
1960	212	+3.9%
1970	244	+15.1%
1980	360	+47.5%
1990	357	−0.8%
2000	283	−20.7%
2010	311	+9.9%
2019	308	−1.0%
Source:"U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2020-03-28. and Iowa Data Center Source: U.S. Decennial Census[9]

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 311 people, 111 households, and 85 families living in the city. The population density was 2,221.4 inhabitants per square mile (857.7/km²). There were 122 housing units at an average density of 871.4 per square mile (336.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.2% White, 0.3% Asian, 2.3% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.4% of the population.

There were 111 households, of which 39.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.4% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.05.

The median age in the city was 34.4 years. 27.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.4% were from 25 to 44; 26% were from 45 to 64; and 10.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.3% male and 53.7% female.

2000 census

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 283 people, 113 households, and 80 families living in the city. The population density was 2,119.8 people per square mile (840.5/km²). There were 120 housing units at an average density of 898.8 per square mile (356.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.94% White, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.

There were 113 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,875, and the median income for a family was $43,929. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $24,583 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,269. About 6.0% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under the age of eighteen and 11.1% of those 65 or over.

Education

The West Liberty Community School District operates local public schools.[11]

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
3. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
4. Richman, Irving Berdine (1911). History of Muscatine County, Iowa: From the Earliest Settlements to the Present Time. S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 247.
5. Dessau, Emma (March 8, 2014). "The Men of Atalissa: Watch the Documentary & Go Behind the Story with Journalists from The New York Times". PBS.
6. Dan Barry (9 March 2014). "The 'Boys' in the Bunkhouse". The New York Times.
7. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
8. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
11. "West Liberty" (PDF). Iowa Department of Education. Retrieved 2020-07-28.