Help End Prison Gerrymandering Prison gerrymandering funnels political power away from urban communities to legislators who have prisons in their (often white, rural) districts. More than two decades ago, the Prison Policy Initiative put numbers on the problem and sparked the movement to end prison gerrymandering.

Can you help us continue the fight? Thank you.

—Peter Wagner, Executive DirectorDonate

Iowa correctional populations of Census 2020 vintage

We recommend using these addresses only for guidance in identifying prison populations in the Census data and warn against assuming that the prisons were in fact counted at that particular location.

Facility Name Prisoners Type Address City Zip County Survey Date
Adair County Jail 3 Local 12/31/2013
Adams Co. Jail 17 Local 12/31/2013
Allamakee Co. Jail 6 Local 12/31/2013
Anamosa State Penitentiary 1,090 State 406 N High Street Anamosa 52205 Jones 6/30/2012
Appanoose Co. Jail 23 Local 12/31/2013
Beje Clark Residential Center 62 State 818 15Th Street Sw Mason City 50402 Cerro Gordo 6/30/2012
Benton Co. Jail 10 Local 12/31/2013
Black Hawk Co. Jail 263 Local 12/31/2013
Bremer Co. Jail 29 Local 12/31/2013
Buchanan Co. Jail 21 Local 12/31/2013
Buena Vista Co. Jail 26 Local 12/31/2013
Burlington Residential Facility 71 State 835 Valley Road Burlington 52601 Des Moines 6/30/2012
Butler Co. Jail 12 Local 12/31/2013
C.H., Incorporated 85 Private 1310 South 17Th Street Council Bluffs 51501 Pottawattamie 6/30/2012
Carroll Co. Jail 7 Local 12/31/2013
Cass Co. Corr. Fac. 16 Local 12/31/2013
Cedar Co. Sheriffs office 19 Local 12/31/2013
Cerro Gordo County Law Enforcement Center 74 Local 12/31/2013
Cherokee Co. Jail 10 Local 12/31/2013
Chickasaw Co. Jail 4 Local 12/31/2013
Clarinda Correctional Facility 826 State 2000 N. 16Th Street Clarinda 51632 Page 6/30/2012
Clarinda Correctional Facility Lodge 132 State 2000 N. 16Th Clarinda 51632 Page 6/30/2012
Clarke Co. Jail 17 Local 12/31/2013
Clay Co. Jail 9 Local 12/31/2013
Clayton Co. Jail 14 Local 12/31/2013
Clinton Co. Jail 43 Local 12/31/2013
Correctional Release Center 341 State 307 South 60Th Avenue, W. Newton 50208 Jasper 6/30/2012
Council Bluffs Residential Facility 83 State 900 Ninth Avenue Council Bluffs 51501 Pottawattamie 6/30/2012
Council Bluffs Women's Residential Facility 26 State 1102 9Th Street Council Bluffs 51501 Pottawattamie 6/30/2012
Crawford Co. Jail 9 Local 12/31/2013
Curt Forbes Residential Center 56 State 111 N Sherman Avenue Ames 50010 Story 6/30/2012
Dallas Co. Corr. Fac. 20 Local 12/31/2013
Davenport Residential Facility 74 State 1330 W 3Rd Street Davenport 52802 Scott 6/30/2012
Davenport Work Release Center 97 State 605 Main Street Davenport 52802 Scott 6/30/2012
Davis Co. Jail 7 Local 12/31/2013
Decatur Co. Jail 3 Local 12/31/2013
Delaware Co. Jail 6 Local 12/31/2013
Des Moines Co. Jail 54 Local 12/31/2013
Des Moines Women's Residential Facility 62 State 1917 Hickman Road Des Moines 50314 Polk 6/30/2012
Dickinson Co. Jail 13 Local 12/31/2013
Dubuque Co. Jail 122 Local 12/31/2013
Dubuque Residential Facility 128 State 1494 Elm Street Dubuque 52001 Dubuque 6/30/2012
Emmet Co. Jail 2 Local 12/31/2013
Fayette Co. Jail 30 Local 12/31/2013
Floyd Co. Jail 6 Local 12/31/2013
Fort Des Moines Community Corrections Facility - Bldg 68 89 State 68 Thayer Street Des Moines 50315 Polk 6/30/2012
Fort Des Moines Community Corrections Facility - Bridges Unit 35 State 65 Gruber Street Des Moines 50314 Polk 6/30/2012
Fort Des Moines Community Corrections Facility - Honors Unit 52 State 65 Gruber Street Des Moines 50315 Polk 6/30/2012
Fort Des Moines Residential Facility - Bldg 70 160 State 70 Thayer Street Des Moines 50315 Polk 6/30/2012
Fort Dodge Correctional Facility 1,137 State 1550 L Street Ford Dodge 50501 Webster 6/30/2012
Fort Dodge Residential Center 61 State 311 1St Avenue S Fort Dodge 50501 Webster 6/30/2012
Fremont Co. Jail 4 Local 12/31/2013
Gerald R. Hinzman Residential Facility 87 State 1051 29Th Avenue Sw Cedar Rapids 52404 Linn 6/30/2012
Greene Co. Jail 7 Local 12/31/2013
Grundy County Jail 5 Local 12/31/2013
Guthrie Co. Jail 9 Local 12/31/2013
Hamilton County Jail 10 Local 12/31/2013
Hancock Co. Jail 6 Local 12/31/2013
Hardin Co. Jail 45 Local 12/31/2013
Harrison Co. Jail 8 Local 12/31/2013
Henry Co. Jail 16 Local 12/31/2013
Hope House Residential Facility 51 State 2501 Holiday Road Coralville 52241 Johnson 6/30/2012
Howard Co. Jail 3 Local 12/31/2013
Humboldt Co. Jail 4 Local 12/31/2013
Ida Co. Jail 7 Local 12/31/2013
Iowa Co. Jail 22 Local 12/31/2013
Iowa Correctional Institute For Women 548 State 300 Elm Avenue Sw Mitchellville 50169 6/30/2012
Iowa Medical & Classification Center 954 State 2700 Coral Ridge Ave. Coralville 52241 Johnson 6/30/2012
Iowa State Penitentiary 972 State 3 John Bennett Drive Fort Madison 52627 Lee 6/30/2012
Jackson Co. Det. Ctr. 8 Local 12/31/2013
Jasper Co. Jail 29 Local 12/31/2013
Jefferson Co. Jail 13 Local 12/31/2013
Jones Co. Jail 13 Local 12/31/2013
Keokuk Co. Jail 2 Local 12/31/2013
Kossuth Co. Jail 11 Local 12/31/2013
Larry A Nelson Center 88 State 1001 29Th Ave Sw Cedar Rapids 52404 Linn 6/30/2012
Lee Co. Jail 54 Local 12/31/2013
Linn Co. Corr. Ctr. 344 Local 12/31/2013
Louisa County Jail 13 Local 12/31/2013
Luster Heights 85 State 4841 Luster Heights Rd Harper's Ferry 52146 Allamakee 6/30/2012
Lyon Co. Jail 10 Local 12/31/2013
Madison Co. Jail 8 Local 12/31/2013
Mahaska Co. Jail 21 Local 12/31/2013
Marion Co. Jail 36 Local 12/31/2013
Marshalltown Residential Facility 54 State 1401 S 17Th Avenue Mashalltown 50158 Marshall 6/30/2012
Mills Co. Jail 10 Local 12/31/2013
Mitchell Co. Jail 3 Local 12/31/2013
Monona Co. Jail 14 Local 12/31/2013
Monroe Co. Jail 8 Local 12/31/2013
Montgomery Co. Jail 4 Local 12/31/2013
Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility 843 State 1200 E. Washington Street Mount Pleasant 52641 Henry 6/30/2012
Mount Pleasant Women's Unit 74 State 1200 E. Washington Street Mount Pleasant 52641 Henry 6/30/2012
Muscatine Co. Jail 187 Local 12/31/2013
Newton Correctional Facility 846 State 307 S. 60Th Avenue W. Newton 50208 Jasper 6/30/2012
North Central Correctional Facility 485 State 313 Lanedale Rockwell City 50579 Calhoun 6/30/2012
Obrien Co. Jail 34 Local 12/31/2013
Osceola Co. Jail 3 Local 12/31/2013
Ottumwa Residential Facility 48 State 245 Osage Drive Ottumwa 52501 Wapello 6/30/2012
Page Co. Jail 8 Local 12/31/2013
Palo Alto Co. Jail 5 Local 12/31/2013
Plymouth Co. Jail 30 Local 12/31/2013
Pocahontas Co. Jail 5 Local 12/31/2013
Polk Co. Jail 943 Local 12/31/2013
Pottawattamie County Jail 212 Local 12/31/2013
Poweshiek Co. Jail 23 Local 12/31/2013
Ringgold Co. Jail 13 Local 12/31/2013
Sac Co. Jail 4 Local 12/31/2013
Scott Co. Jail & Annex 320 Local 12/31/2013
Shelby Co. Jail 8 Local 12/31/2013
Sheldon Residential Facility 22 State 720 Western Avenue Sheldon 51201 6/30/2012
Sioux City Residential Facility 62 State 515 Water Street Sioux City 51103 Woodbury 6/30/2012
Sioux Co. Jail 34 Local 12/31/2013
Story Co. Jail 72 Local 12/31/2013
Tama Co. Jail 15 Local 12/31/2013
Taylor Co. Jail 4 Local 12/31/2013
Union Co. Jail 9 Local 12/31/2013
Van Buren Co. Jail 5 Local 12/31/2013
Wapello Co. Jail 77 Local 12/31/2013
Warren Co. Jail 22 Local 12/31/2013
Washington County Jail 28 Local 12/31/2013
Waterloo Residential Facility 230 State 314 E 6Th Street Waterloo 50703 Black Hawk 6/30/2012
Wayne Co. Jail 20 Local 12/31/2013
Webster Co. Jail 49 Local 12/31/2013
West Union Residential Facility 49 State 500 S Pine Street West Union 52175 Fayette 6/30/2012
Winnebago Co. Jail 5 Local 12/31/2013
Winneshiek Co. Jail 9 Local 12/31/2013
Woodbury Co. Jail 249 Local 12/31/2013
Worth Co. Jail 4 Local 12/31/2013
Wright Co. Jail 12 Local 12/31/2013

This table draws data from four sources:

  • Federal prisons on April 2, 2020: The Prison Policy Initiative downloaded the weekly population list from the Bureau of Prisons for that date.
  • State and federal correctional facilities on June 30, 2012 were extracted from: United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities, 2012. ICPSR37294-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2020-02-06. doi:10.3886/ICPSR37294.v1. County data retrieved from postal service database.
  • Local jails' average daily populations from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013 were extracted from: United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Census of Jail Facilities, 2013. ICPSR36128-V4. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2018-04-25. doi:10.3886/ICPSR36128.v4
  • Jails in Indian Country populations on June 30, 2016 were extracted from: United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Annual Survey of Jails in Indian Country, 2016. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2018-05-23. doi:10.3886/ICPSR37006.v1

Military prisons and state halfway houses are not included in the above table as we were not able to locate an appropriate national database of these types of facilities. Juvenile facilities are not included in the above because the Census Bureau counts these facilities separately from the adult correctional institutions that are the focus of our work. Where necessary, state-specific sources will be more useful for identifying juvenile facilities.

We do, however, have a list (without population information) of all federal halfway houses as of April 2, 2020 [XLSX].

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