County · code 19179
Wapello CountyIowa
Wapello County is in Iowa and was created in 1843 from territory attached to Henry and Jefferson Counties, with its seat at Ottumwa. The county was named after Wapello.
- Founded1843
- County seatOttumwa
- Named forWapello
- Land area432 sq mi + 4.2 sq mi water
- Population35,437 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped30,682 checked 14 October 2026
Where it is
Wapello on the map of Iowa
Iowa has 99 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1843 from Henry County and Jefferson County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
When Iowa Territory organized Wapello County on February 17, 1843, it was initially attached to Jefferson County for judicial, revenue, and election purposes. Wapello was fully organized by March 1, 1844, and other territories were detached from Jefferson and attached to it. When Iowa became a state on December 28, 1846, Wapello became an Iowa county.
- 1843Wapello County created Wapello created by Iowa Territory from Non-County Area 4 attached to Henry; Wapello not fully organized, attached to Jefferson "for judicial, revenue, and election purposes." · Iowa Terr. Rev. Stat. 1843, ch. 34, secs. 3-4/p. 132
- 1844Changed Wapello fully organized, detached from Jefferson; Kishkekosh (now Monroe) and Non-County Area 4 detached from Jefferson, attached to Wapello "for election, revenue, and judicial purposes." · Iowa Terr. Laws 1843-1844, ch. 100, secs. 1, 16/pp. 114-117
- 1845Changed Kishkekosh (now Monroe) fully organized, detached from Wapello; Non-County Area 4 detached from Wappello, attached to Kishkekosh "for election, revenue, and judicial purposes." · Iowa Terr. Laws 1845, ch. 67, secs. 1, 16/pp. 103-106
- 1846Became part of Iowa Wapello became became an Iowa county when the state of Iowa was created from Iowa Territory. · U.S. Stat., vol. 9, ch. 1[1847]/p. 117
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Wapello
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 30,682 parcels from Wapello County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 14 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Wapello County yet.
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Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Wapello by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Records
Permits
GIS and maps
County government
- County government
The official website of Wapello County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Wapello County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Wapello County
- When was Wapello County founded?
- Wapello County was founded in 1843, formed from Henry County and Jefferson County, and named after Wapello.
- What is the county seat of Wapello County?
- The county seat of Wapello County is Ottumwa.
- Is there an online parcel map for Wapello County?
- Yes. Wapello County publishes a parcel map of 30,682 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Wapello County's boundary or name changed?
- Wapello County was created in 1843 from Henry County and Jefferson County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 3 later changes, chiefly involving Kishkekosh County, Monroe County and Jefferson County.
- Who issues building permits in Wapello County?
- The county's page on building permits: Permits for the Assessor's Office - Wapello County, Iowa. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Who issues septic and well permits in Wapello County?
- The county's page on septic systems and wells: Health department: septic and well.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Wapello County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby