Muscatine County comprises the Muscatine, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL Combined Statistical Area.

[3] One history suggests that the county was named for Muscatine Island in the Mississippi River.

The island lies opposite Muscatine County and was believed to be named after the Mascouten tribe, Algonquian-speaking Native Americans who lived in the area before being driven west by settler encroachment and other tribes.

[4] Colonel George Davenport of Illinois sent three representatives into the territory in 1833 to establish a trade post.

One year later, officials began construction of the first courthouse and associated jail.

[16] As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 41,722 people, 15,847 households, and 11,283 families residing in the county.

24.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The population ranking of the table is based on the 2020 census of Muscatine County.