Keokuk County is a county in Iowa, United States, on the South Branch of the English and Skunk river drainages in the southeastern part of the state. It had a population of 10,033 at the 2020 census and covers 579 square miles (1,500 km2) of land, centred near 41°20′N 92°10′W.
Sigourney is the county seat; its postal code is 52591. The county has 12 incorporated cities and towns plus several small unincorporated communities, is organized into 17 civil townships, sits in the Central time zone, and carries FIPS code 19107.
Towns & Villages in Keokuk County
Keokuk County’s largest towns cluster around Sigourney, Keota, Hedrick, and What Cheer, with a scatter of smaller incorporated communities and a few unincorporated crossroads. CDP = census-designated place (unincorporated); Unincorp. = no formal municipal government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sigourney | City · seat | Sigourney | 2,004 | 52591 |
| Keota | City | Lafayette | 897 | 52248 |
| Hedrick | City | Steady Run | 728 | 52563 |
| What Cheer | City | Prairie | 607 | 50268 |
| South English | City | English River | — | 52335 |
| Richland | City | Richland | — | 52585 |
| Ollie | City | Van Buren | — | 52576 |
| North English | City | East Lancaster | — | 52316 |
| Delta | City | Warren | — | 52550 |
| Harper | City | Jackson | — | 52231 |
| Webster | City | Adams | — | 52355 |
| Keswick | City | Clear Creek | — | 50136 |
| Gibson | Unincorp. | Warren | — | 50104 |
| Martinsburg | Unincorp. | Liberty | — | 52568 |
| Hayesville | Unincorp. | Benton | — | 52562 |
| Thornburg | Unincorp. | Plank | — | 50255 |
| Kinross | Unincorp. | Washington | — | — |
| Coal Creek | Unincorp. | West Lancaster | — | — |
| Aurora | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Jamestown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Nugent | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Talleyrand | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
North English straddles the Keokuk–Iowa county line, with most of its built-up area on the Keokuk County side; the “Lanscaster” entry on the old county list was a misspelling of the historic Lancaster settlement, folded into the East/West Lancaster township names.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Sigourney | — | Sigourney |
| Lafayette | — | Keota |
| Steady Run | — | Hedrick |
| Prairie | — | What Cheer |
| English River | — | South English |
| Richland | — | Richland |
| Van Buren | — | Ollie |
| East Lancaster | — | North English |
| Warren | — | Delta, Gibson |
| Jackson | — | Harper |
| Adams | — | Webster |
| Clear Creek | — | Keswick |
| Liberty | — | Martinsburg |
| Benton | — | Hayesville |
| Plank | — | Thornburg |
| Washington | — | Kinross |
| West Lancaster | — | Coal Creek |
ZIP Codes
- 52591 — Sigourney (also serves Kinross)
- 52248 — Keota
- 52563 — Hedrick
- 50268 — What Cheer
- 52585 — Richland
- 52335 — South English
- 52316 — North English
- 52550 — Delta
- 52231 — Harper
- 52355 — Webster
- 50136 — Keswick
- 52576 — Ollie
- 50104 — Gibson
- 52568 — Martinsburg (PO Box only)
- 52562 — Hayesville
- 50255 — Thornburg (PO Box only)
Coal Creek, Aurora, Jamestown, Nugent, and Talleyrand have no dedicated ZIP code and are served by the nearest incorporated town’s post office.
Geography
Keokuk County lies on the rolling till plains of southeastern Iowa. The South Branch of the English River crosses the county’s northeast corner, while the South Skunk River drainage touches its lower reaches, and the terrain is mostly cropland broken by wooded stream corridors. The county covers 579 square miles of land and roughly 0.7 square miles of water.
Keokuk County borders Poweshiek County to the northwest, Iowa County to the north, Washington County to the east, Jefferson County to the southeast, Wapello County to the southwest, and Mahaska County to the west.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 10,033 residents. Sigourney (2,004) and Keota (897) are the two largest communities, together holding roughly 29% of the county’s population. Median household income runs below the Iowa median of $71,433, typical of a farm-dependent southeastern Iowa county. Population density is about 17 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Row-crop and livestock agriculture drives the county economy, with corn, soybeans, and hog production dominant across its townships. Sigourney is home to the Keokuk County Courthouse, a 1911 Beaux-Arts building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the county fairgrounds. Keokuk County is unusual among Iowa counties in supporting two separate county fairs, held at Sigourney and at What Cheer.
History
Keokuk County was organized in 1837, one of Iowa’s original territorial counties, and named for Keokuk, a Sauk leader who counseled accommodation with incoming white settlers rather than armed resistance. What Cheer grew rapidly in the late 1800s as a coal-mining boomtown before the mines closed in the early 20th century, and the county’s small towns since have stayed anchored to agriculture.
Getting There
Iowa Highway 92 crosses the county east–west through Sigourney, and Highway 21 runs north–south through Keota.
- Iowa City — 40 miles northeast
- Ottumwa — 30 miles southwest
- Oskaloosa — 25 miles west
- Washington — 25 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids, about 55 miles north.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Keokuk County, Iowa?
It is in the southeastern part of Iowa, between Iowa City and Ottumwa, centred near 41°20′N 92°10′W.
What is the population of Keokuk County?
10,033 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Keokuk County?
579 square miles of land, roughly 1,500 square kilometres.
What is the county seat of Keokuk County?
Sigourney, population 2,004.
How many towns are in Keokuk County?
12 incorporated cities and towns, plus several unincorporated communities, spread across 17 townships.
What ZIP codes are in Keokuk County?
Sixteen, led by 52591 (Sigourney), 52248 (Keota), 52563 (Hedrick), and 50268 (What Cheer).
Why does Keokuk County have two county fairs?
A historical split dating to competing agricultural societies left the county with separate fairs at Sigourney and What Cheer, a rarity among Iowa’s 99 counties.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Iowa.