North Liberty, Iowa

History

The North Liberty area was first settled in 1838 by John Gaylor and Alonzo C. Dennison. It was originally known as "Big Bottom" or "North Bend" (in reference to its location near the bend of the Iowa River) by its earliest settlers and was later known as "Squash Bend" before the city was platted as North Liberty in 1857.

North Liberty incorporated on November 10, 1913, when its population was approximately 190. Population growth accelerated in the 1960s, and the Iowa City Community School District opened Penn Elementary there in 1961. A 1967 special census placed the city's population at 782. The population grew to over 2,000 by 1980, and in response in 1984 the North Liberty Community Library [1] was founded and Penn Meadows Park, the city's largest, was opened. By 2000, the population of the city was over 5,000 and the city had established its own police and fire departments, and built a community center with library and aquatic park, as well as a city administration building. The city has since continued to grow, with a population of 7,224 in a 2004 special census. In 2007, the population was estimated to be 10,982, making North Liberty the second fastest-growing city in Iowa. According to the 2010 U.S. census the population of North Liberty had increased to 13,374.

Geography

North Liberty is located at 41°44′35″N 91°36′28″W (41.743029, -91.607807).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.83 square miles (20.28 km²), all of it land.

North Liberty is located on the Iowan erosion surface. Drivers on I-380 experience an abrupt transition from the muted topography of the Iowan surface to the rolling hills of the Southern Iowa drift plain 4 miles south of North Liberty.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 13,374 people, 5,492 households, and 3,262 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,708.0 inhabitants per square mile (659.5/km²). There were 5,761 housing units at an average density of 735.8 per square mile (284.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.2% White, 4.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population.

There were 5,492 households of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.6% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.08.

The median age in the city was 29.2 years. 28.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 44% were from 25 to 44; 15.3% were from 45 to 64; and 3.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,367 people, 2,259 households, and 1,400 families residing in the city. The population density was 791.9 people per square mile (305.6/km²). There were 2,377 housing units at an average density of 350.7/sq mi (135.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.38% White, 1.53% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.78% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.38% of the population.

There were 2,259 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.95.

26.8% are under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 43.9% from 25 to 44, 13.8% from 45 to 64, and 4.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.

Education

A majority of North Liberty residents live within the boundaries of the Iowa City Community School District, while the area west of Jones Boulevard (and the Deerfield Subdivision) belongs to the Clear Creek Amana Community School District.

Public schools in or serving students from North Liberty include the following:

Heritage Christian School is a nondenominational Christian school in North Liberty, Iowa, for students that are in pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. It was founded in 1992.

Infrastructure

The sewage from the city is treated at a modern and sophisticated treatment plant using Membrane Bio-Reactor(MBR) technology followed by UV sterilization. It is designed to be able to discharge more than 2 million gallons of high quality effluent to Muddy Creek each day.

VLBA Node

The radio telescope located northeast of North Liberty (41°46′17.13″N 91°34′26.88″W; designation "NL") on Mehaffey Bridge Road is one of ten dishes comprising the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA).

Notable person