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Balltown, Iowa, among only cities in the country with every resident completing the census

Census data from Friday, September 25, shows Balltown is the only city in the state of Iowa that has 100 percent completion on the 2020 census.

Nestled along the Mississippi River valley north west of Dubuque, you'll find Balltown. And in Balltown, Breitbach is a household name.

"My ancestors bought it in 1856," said Michael Breitbach, the son of Breitbach's Country Dining's owner.

Just 13 years ago, Breitbach's restaurant burned down.

"So we had the first one Christmas eve 2007," Breitbach said. "Then we rebuilt and reopened in June of '08."

Then, only four months after reopening, a second fire destroyed the new construction.

"It'd be like if you drove into your yard and saw your house on fire," Breitbach said. "And you're like there goes everything."

They rebuilt again, with their Balltown family behind them.

"We're a very close-knit community," said Sherri Sigwarth, the mayor of Balltown. "We really look out for each other."

Which is why in 2020, Balltown residents counted on each other again.

"I have to give my residents credit because when I first looked at the census poll to see where we were at for rating wise, we were at 93 percent," Sigwarth said. "And that was without me saying, pushing it."

Census data from Friday, September 25, shows Balltown is the only city in the state of Iowa that has 100 percent completion on the 2020 census.

The data also shows Balltown residents responded about 90 percent online, which is about 35 percentage points higher than the state average for online census responses.

Sigwarth said this milestone is a big deal for the residents of Balltown.

"It's home," Breitbach added. "There's no other place in the world like it."

Because for the 73 residents in Balltown, home is where you can count on your neighbors.

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