City · Iowa

Keokuk, Iowa

Keokuk, city, in Lee County, Iowa. Keokuk had 9,510 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 9,900 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 9,662 (±51). GEOID 1940845.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

9,510

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 9,900 · ACS 2020-2024: 9,662 ±51

Median household income

$52,711

±$5,477 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059

Median home value

$104,300

±$11,078 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000

Median gross rent

$871

±$60 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972

Where is Keokuk and what county is it in?

Keokuk is a city in Lee County, Iowa. It covers 9.1 square miles of land, 1,088 residents per square mile in 2020.

Keokuk is in the Fort Madison, IA micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Keokuk (marked with a dot) in Lee County, Iowa. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Keokuk, and is it growing?

The Census Bureau estimates that 9,510 people lived in Keokuk on July 1, 2025, down 4.0% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 9,900 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 9,662 (±51).

  • July 2020→2021 −105 (9,780)
  • 2021→2022 −201 (9,579)
  • 2022→2023 −66 (9,513)
  • 2023→2024 +3 (9,516)
  • 2024→2025 −6 (9,510)
ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure KeokukLee CountyIowa Change since 2015-2019
Total population 9,662 ±51 32,893 3,210,507 −662
Households 4,350 ±199 14,323 1,315,707 no clear change
Average household size 2.18 ±0.10 2.21 2.36 no clear change
Housing units 5,003 ±214 15,794 1,437,699 no clear change

Keokuk's population since 2000

From 11,427 in 2000 to 9,510 in 2025: down 16.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Keokuk as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.

  • 2000 Census 11,427
  • 2005 (estimate) 10,910
  • 2010 Census 10,780
  • 2015 (estimate) 10,515
  • 2020 Census 9,900
  • 2025 (estimate) 9,510

Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Keokuk?

The median resident of Keokuk is 43.1 years old; 21.6% are under 18 and 21.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.3%.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure KeokukLee CountyIowa Change since 2015-2019
Median age 43.1 ±2.8 43.6 38.6 +4.1
Under 18 years 21.6% ±2.4 pts 21.2% 22.9% –
65 years and over 21.4% ±2.6 pts 22.2% 18.1% –
Male 46.9% ±2.5 pts 50.2% 50.2% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.3% ±1.9 pts 3.5% 7.3% no clear change
White alone, not Hispanic 86.2% ±2.4 pts 90.3% 82.3% no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 3.2% ±1.0 pts 2.4% 3.8% no clear change
Asian alone, not Hispanic 0.4% ±0.4 pts 0.6% 2.5% –
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.1 pts 0.1% 0.2% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.3 pts 0.1% 0.2% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 4.8% ±1.6 pts 3.0% 3.5% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.2% ±0.2 pts 0.1% 0.3% –
Born outside the United States 2.5% ±1.7 pts 1.9% 5.9% –
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 3.1% ±1.7 pts 2.6% 9.1% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 8.4% ±1.6 pts 8.8% 6.5% –
With a disability 17.1% ±3.1 pts 16.9% 12.6% –
No health insurance coverage 7.5% ±2.8 pts 5.4% 5.0% +3.5 pts
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 89.1% ±2.7 pts 92.5% 93.3% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 17.4% ±3.4 pts 21.7% 31.4% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 4.6% ±1.7 pts 6.5% 10.5% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 85.1% ±4.2 pts 88.6% 87.1% –
Moved from another state in the past year 2.8% ±1.3 pts 1.8% 2.2% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov

What do households in Keokuk earn?

Half of Keokuk's 4,350 households earn less than $52,711 a year (±$5,477), against $62,382 in Lee County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $48,956 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 18.3% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure KeokukLee CountyIowa Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $52,711 ±$5,477 $62,382 $75,059 no clear change
Mean household income $64,809 ±$5,852 $79,169 $98,187 –
Per capita income $29,416 ±$2,730 $34,999 $40,877 no clear change
People below the poverty line 18.3% ±3.7 pts 13.1% 11.1% no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line 28.0% ±9.4 pts 17.2% 12.9% no clear change
Households receiving SNAP 20.3% ±4.1 pts 13.5% 8.8% –
Households with a computer 93.1% ±2.5 pts 92.9% 94.7% –
Households with a broadband subscription 88.7% ±2.6 pts 86.6% 88.9% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What does housing cost in Keokuk?

Owners occupy 63.6% of Keokuk's occupied homes and renters 36.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $104,300 by its owner (±$11,078). The median renter pays $871 a month including utilities, and 27.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure KeokukLee CountyIowa Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $104,300 ±$11,078 $141,400 $208,000 +$16,675
Median gross rent $871 ±$60 $835 $972 no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 27.6% ±7.6 pts 30.9% 35.2% −18.2 pts
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $1,316 ±$85 $1,303 $1,533 –
Owner-occupied homes 63.6% ±5.1 pts 76.3% 71.7% no clear change
Renter-occupied homes 36.4% ±5.1 pts 23.7% 28.3% –
Housing units 5,003 ±214 15,794 1,437,699 no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate 1.4% ±1.6 pts 1.0% 0.8% –
Rental vacancy rate 8.4% ±4.8 pts 7.4% 5.7% –
Single-family detached homes 73.1% ±3.6 pts 80.6% 72.2% –
Mobile homes 3.5% ±1.7 pts 3.8% 3.2% –
Built 2020 or later 0.2% ±0.3 pts 0.4% 1.7% –
Built 2010 to 2019 2.9% ±1.8 pts 3.4% 9.2% –
Built 1939 or earlier 42.3% ±4.6 pts 32.3% 23.5% –
Households with no vehicle 7.7% ±3.1 pts 5.0% 5.4% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov

How many new homes is Keokuk building?

Builders took permits for 22 new housing units in Keokuk in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 2.3 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.

  • 2019 0 units
  • 2020 2 units
  • 2021 3 units
  • 2022 1 units
  • 2023 2 units
  • 2024 44 units
  • 2025 22 units

Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Keokuk work and get to work?

85.2% of Keokuk's workers drive alone and 6.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 16.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.9%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure KeokukLee CountyIowa Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 57.0% ±3.4 pts 57.8% 66.4% –
Unemployment rate 4.9% ±2.0 pts 4.5% 3.6% −4.4 pts
Drove alone to work 85.2% ±5.1 pts 81.8% 76.0% –
Carpooled 5.1% ±2.2 pts 8.4% 7.8% –
Public transportation 0.0% ±0.6 pts 0.2% 0.7% –
Walked 1.1% ±0.9 pts 1.5% 2.9% –
Worked from home 6.2% ±3.8 pts 6.1% 11.3% no clear change
Mean travel time to work 16.0 min ±2.3 20.4 min 19.8 min no clear change

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What census tracts are in Keokuk?

4 census tracts lie mostly in Keokuk, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $30,357 (Tract 4908) to $65,698 (Tract 4907).

Census tracts in Keokuk, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Keokuk
Tract 4907Lee County4,359 $65,698 $160,90088%
Tract 4909Lee County2,242 $47,368 $101,100100%
Tract 4910Lee County2,000 $62,538 $40,300100%
Tract 4908Lee County1,749 $30,357 $84,20099%
Tract 4906Lee County2,894 $75,795 $184,4002%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Keokuk) · Census block assignment files

How does Keokuk compare with other places in Iowa?

By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Keokuk is the 3,312th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 44th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.

Keokuk ranks 259th of 279 places in Iowa with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Keokuk's rank in Iowa (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population, July 2025 estimate44th939
Growth 2020-2025 (PEP)258th275
Residents per square mile137th279
Median household income259th279
Per capita income256th279
Median home value258th279
Median gross rent116th266
Poverty rate25th232
Bachelor's degree or higher240th279
Median age66th279
Owner-occupied share245th279
Work from home165th221
Travel time to work225th279

Keokuk's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)

Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Keokuk with other places

Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed

How reliable are the figures for Keokuk?

9 of the 57 figures for Keokuk on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.

The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections

Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Keokuk are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Keokuk.