City · Iowa
What Cheer, Iowa
What Cheer, city, in Keokuk County, Iowa. What Cheer had 593 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 607 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 580 (±106). GEOID 1984900.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
593
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 607 · ACS 2020-2024: 580 ±106
Median household income
$48,182
±$16,661 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$49,200
±$14,625 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$744
±$145 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is What Cheer and what county is it in?
What Cheer is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa. It covers 1.2 square miles of land, 491 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in What Cheer, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 593 people lived in What Cheer on July 1, 2025, down 2.5% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 607 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 580 (±106).
| Measure | What Cheer | Keokuk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 580 ±106 | 9,924 | no clear change |
| Households | 262 ±43 | 4,068 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.21 ±0.27 | 2.41 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 346 ±54 | 4,647 | no clear change |
What Cheer's population since 2000
From 678 in 2000 to 593 in 2025: down 12.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for What Cheer 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.
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 What Cheer?
The median resident of What Cheer is 44.0 years old; 21.2% are under 18 and 19.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 3.6%.
| Measure | What Cheer | Keokuk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 ±12.1 | 43.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.2% ±7.4 pts | 22.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.8% ±6.2 pts | 22.5% | – |
| Male | 53.3% ±5.3 pts | 51.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.6% ±3.1 pts | 2.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.4% ±3.7 pts | 94.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.1% ±1.9 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.0% ±1.6 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.7% ±2.5 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.9% ±3.2 pts | 6.5% | – |
| With a disability | 21.4% ±6.1 pts | 16.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.5% ±3.1 pts | 4.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.3% ±3.9 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.5% ±6.0 pts | 17.0% | +7.2 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.5% ±2.4 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.8% ±7.6 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 1.8% | – |
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 What Cheer earn?
Half of What Cheer's 262 households earn less than $48,182 a year (±$16,661), against $62,329 in Keokuk County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $50,174 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 21.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | What Cheer | Keokuk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,182 ±$16,661 | $62,329 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $55,959 ±$7,606 | $83,451 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,993 ±$3,272 | $35,153 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 21.2% ±7.4 pts | 12.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 35.8% ±21.0 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 24.0% ±8.2 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 87.4% ±5.6 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 79.0% ±6.2 pts | 83.8% | – |
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 What Cheer?
Owners occupy 72.5% of What Cheer's occupied homes and renters 27.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $49,200 by its owner (±$14,625). The median renter pays $744 a month including utilities.
| Measure | What Cheer | Keokuk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $49,200 ±$14,625 | $118,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $744 ±$145 | $828 | −$179 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 14.9% ±11.0 pts | 27.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $929 ±$131 | $1,182 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.5% ±8.5 pts | 81.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 27.5% ±8.5 pts | 18.7% | – |
| Housing units | 346 ±54 | 4,647 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.1% ±4.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±26.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.7% ±7.0 pts | 87.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.5% ±5.8 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±7.0 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 56.1% ±8.7 pts | 46.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.5% ±3.8 pts | 4.3% | – |
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 What Cheer building?
What Cheer last reported building permits to the Census Bureau for 2022.
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 What Cheer work and get to work?
81.9% of What Cheer's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 29.8 minutes.
| Measure | What Cheer | Keokuk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.4% ±6.7 pts | 60.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.2% ±6.9 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.9% ±7.5 pts | 79.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.6% ±7.5 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±9.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.4% ±1.2 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.1% ±2.6 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.8 min ±5.1 | 26.5 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 What Cheer?
No census tract lies mostly in What Cheer; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 802Keokuk County | 2,527 | $58,374 |
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 What Cheer) · Census block assignment files
How does What Cheer compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, What Cheer is the 12,506th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 410th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
What Cheer is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 410th | 939 |
What Cheer's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare What Cheer 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 What Cheer?
19 of the 57 figures for What Cheer 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 What Cheer 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 What Cheer.