Keokuk County, Iowa

Keokuk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 10,033.<ref name=cen2020>Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat is Sigourney.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Keokuk (Sauk chief) by George Catlin

Keokuk County was formed in 1837. It was named for Keokuk, the leader of the Sauk tribe, who advocated peace with the white settlers. In May 1843, the county opened for public settlement, with its judicial and regulatory duties assigned to the existing Washington County. Its governing structure was created in 1844, although the seat was not decided (for Sigourney) until 1856.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Keokuk County is unusual in that it has two county fairs. The Keokuk County Fair is held in What Cheer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and immediately followed by the Keokuk County Expo<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which is held 8.9 miles east-southeast in Sigourney.

The Keokuk County Courthouse was built in 1911, in Sigourney's Public Square Historic District. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1981.<ref>Template:NRISref</ref>

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.1%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The South Branch of the Skunk River drains the topography, flowing eastward through the lower portion of the county.<ref name=GM>Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

• Iowa Highway 1
• Iowa Highway 21
• Iowa Highway 22
• Iowa Highway 78
• Iowa Highway 92
• Iowa Highway 149

Adjacent counties

• Poweshiek County − northwest
• Iowa County − north
• Washington County − east
• Jefferson County − southeast
• Wapello County − southwest
• Mahaska County − west

Demographics

Population of Keokuk County from US census data

2020 census

2022 US Census population pyramid for Keokuk County from ACS 5-year estimates

The 2020 census recorded a population of 10,033 in the county, with a population density of Template:Pop density. 96.81% of the population reported being of one race. 93.01% were non-Hispanic White, 0.51% were Black, 2.14% were Hispanic, 0.15% were Native American, 0.16% were Asian, 0.00% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 4.03% were some other race or more than one race. There were 4,654 housing units, of which 4,174 were occupied.<ref name=cen2020/>

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,511 in the county, with a population density of Template:Pop density. There were 4,931 housing units, of which 4,408 were occupied.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> there were 11,400 people, 4,586 households, and 3,155 families in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,013 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 99.00% White, 0.07% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.36% from two or more races. 0.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,586 households, out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% were married couples living together, 6.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.99.

The county population contained 25.70% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 25.50% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 20.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,025, and the median income for a family was $41,818. Males had a median income of $28,306 versus $22,083 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,120. About 7.50% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.90% of those under age 18 and 10.50% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

For most of its history, Keokuk County has backed Republican Party candidates in presidential elections, with Democratic Party candidates only winning the county in eight presidential elections from 1896 on. Bill Clinton is the most recent Democratic presidential candidate to win the county (1996), while in 2016 his wife, Hillary Clinton, had the worst performance by a Democrat since 1924, only winning 26.9 percent of the vote. 2016 Republican candidate Donald Trump made a significant gain compared to his party's 2012 candidate Mitt Romney. Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

Communities

Cities

• Delta
• Gibson
• Harper
• Hayesville
• Hedrick
• Keota
• Keswick
• Kinross
• Martinsburg
• North English (partial)<ref name=GM/>
• Ollie
• Richland
• Sigourney
• South English
• Thornburg
• Webster
• What Cheer

Unincorporated communities

• Atwood<ref name=GM/>
• Coal Creek<ref name=GM/>
• Hinkletown
• Pekin (partial)<ref name=GM/>
• Talleyrand<ref name=GM/>
• Tilton

Townships

• Adams
• Benton
• Clear Creek
• East Lancaster
• English River
• Jackson
• Lafayette
• Liberty
• Plank
• Prairie
• Richland
• Sigourney
• Steady Run
• Van Buren
• Warren
• Washington
• West Lancaster

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Keokuk County.<ref name=cen2020/>

† county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2020 Census)
1	† Sigourney	City	2,004
2	North English (mostly in Iowa County)	City	1,065
3	Keota	City	897
4	Hedrick	City	728
5	What Cheer	City	607
6	Richland	City	542
7	Keswick	City	242
8	South English	City	202
9	Ollie	City	201
10	Harper	City	118
11	Martinsburg	City	110
12	Webster	City	94
13	Kinross	City	80
14	Thornburg	City	45
15	Hayesville	City	41

Education

School districts include:<ref>Template:Cite map - Text list</ref> Template:Div col

• Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District - Formed on July 1, 2012.<ref name=Mergerlist>Template:Cite web</ref>
• English Valleys Community School District
• Keota Community School District
• Pekin Community School District
• Sigourney Community School District
• Tri-County Community School District

Former school districts: Template:Div col

• Fremont Community School District<ref>Template:Cite map - Text list</ref> - Merged into Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont on July 1, 2012.<ref name=Mergerlist/>
• Hedrick Community School District - Involuntarily dissolved on July 1, 1991.<ref name=Mergerlist/>

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Keokuk County, Iowa

External links

• Keokuk County government's website