Keokuk County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 10,033. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Sigourney.

History

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. Keokuk County is unusual in that it has two county fairs. The Keokuk County Fair is held in What Cheer and immediately followed by the Keokuk County Expo 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 The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

since 1981.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.1%) is water. The South Branch of the Skunk River drains the topography, flowing eastward through the lower portion of the county.

Major highways

* Iowa Highway 1 *

Iowa Highway 21 Iowa Highway 21 (Iowa 21) is a state highway (Iowa), state highway that runs from north to south in central Iowa. It has a length of . Iowa 21 begins at Iowa 149 west of Hedrick, Iowa, Hedrick and ends at a freeway interchange wi ...

* Iowa Highway 22 * Iowa Highway 78 * Iowa Highway 92 *

Iowa Highway 149 Iowa Highway 149 is a highway which runs from south to north in Iowa. It has a length of . Iowa 149 begins at U.S. Route 34 (Iowa), U.S. Highway 34 in Ottumwa, Iowa, Ottumwa and ends at Williamsburg, Iowa, Williamsburg at Interstate 80 in Iowa ...

Adjacent counties

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

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 10,033 in the county, with a population density of . 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.

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,511 in the county, with a population density of . There were 4,931 housing units, of which 4,408 were occupied.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 11,400 people, 4,586 households, and 3,155 families in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 5,013 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 99.00%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.07%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.11% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.21% from other races, and 0.36% from two or more races. 0.54% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

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 Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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 Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $17,120. About 7.50% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, 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 William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...

is the most recent Democratic presidential candidate to win the county (1996), while in 2016 his wife,

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

, had the worst performance by a Democrat since 1924, only winning 26.9 percent of the vote. 2016 Republican candidate

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

made a significant gain compared to his party's 2012 candidate

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...

Communities

Cities

Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta"), the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * Delta Air Lines, a major US carrier ...

* Gibson * Harper * Hayesville * Hedrick * Keota * Keswick *

Kinross Kinross (, ) is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, around south of Perth, Scotland, Perth and around northwest of Edinburgh. It is the traditional county town of the Counties of Scotland, historic county of Kinross-shire. History Kinro ...

* Martinsburg * North English (partial) *

Ollie Ollie is a given name and a nickname, often as a shortened form of Oliver (given name), Oliver, Olive (given name), Olive, Olympia, Olga (name), Olga or Olivia (given name), Olivia. Variants include Olie, Oli, Oly (disambiguation), Oly and Olly (di ...

* Richland * Sigourney * South English * Thornburg * Webster * What Cheer

Unincorporated communities

* Atwood * Coal Creek * Pekin (partial) * Talleyrand

Townships

* Adams * Benton * Clear Creek * East Lancaster * English River *

Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...

* Lafayette *

Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

* Plank *

Prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

* Richland * Sigourney * Steady Run * Van Buren * Warren *

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

* West Lancaster

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Keokuk County. † ''county seat''

Education

School districts include: * Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District * 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: * Eddyville–Blakesburg Community School District * Fremont Community School District
Text list
/ref> * Hedrick Community School District

References

External links

Keokuk County government's website
{{Authority control Iowa placenames of Native American origin 1843 establishments in Iowa Territory Populated places established in 1843