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What Cheer, IA
City in Keokuk County, Iowa.
Population
580
Land area
1.2sq mi
People per sq mi
469
ZIP codes
0
What Cheer and its ZIP codes
What Cheer at a glance
- What Cheer is about 8.2 times as dense as Iowa as a whole.
- Households here earn a median of $48,182 a year, 36% less than the Iowa figure of $75,059.
- A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $49,200 (76% below Iowa) and median rent is $744 a month.
Local data for What Cheer, IA
Counts from official public data
Housing and community stats
What Cheer, IA, American Community Survey 2020-2024
Median household income
$48,182
Poverty rate
21.2%
Median home value
$49,200
Median rent
$744/mo
Homeownership
72.5%
Bachelor's or higher
14.5%
Median age
44.0
Average commute
29.8 min
Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (126), Irish Americans (82), French Americans (44).
Economy and federal money
Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Keokuk County. PPP loans are for What Cheer.
Unemployment rate
2.8%
Sep 2026, -0.2 pts in a year
Average annual pay
$49,571
2,280 jobs, 2025
Income per person
$58,399
BEA, 2024
Federal spending
$63.1M
FY 2026, $6,287 per person
How people get to work
What Cheer, IA, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- Drove alone81.9%
- Carpooled14.6%
- Public transit0.0%
- Walked0.4%
- Bicycle0.0%
- Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.0%
- Worked from home3.1%
Average one-way commute: 29.8 minutes for people who do not work from home.
Environment and hazard risk
What Cheer, IA, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA
Natural hazard risk
Very Low
Top: drought
Storm events since 1996
421
Countywide, mostly thunderstorm wind
Flood insurance policies
4
0.0% of homes, county
July high / Jan low
85° / 12°F
37.4 inches of rain a year
Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone1 historic places
Health statistics
Share of adults in What Cheer, IA, CDC PLACES estimates
Obesity
42.6%
U.S. 33.3% +9.3 pts
Diabetes
14.0%
U.S. 12.1% +1.9 pts
Smoking
19.7%
U.S. 12.8% +6.9 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
7.6%
U.S. 11.1% -3.5 pts
Cities near What Cheer
| Name | Distance | Land area (sq mi) |
|---|---|---|
| ThornburgCity | 4.1 mi | 0.2 |
| DeltaCity | 5.4 mi | 1 |
| GibsonCity | 5.9 mi | 0.1 |
| KeswickCity | 7.2 mi | 0.4 |
| Rose HillCity | 7.9 mi | 0.1 |
| SigourneyCity | 9 mi | 2.2 |
| Barnes CityCity | 9.5 mi | 0.6 |
| WebsterCity | 10 mi | 0.3 |
| HayesvilleCity | 11 mi | 0.3 |
| Keomah VillageCity | 12 mi | 0.1 |
| Deep RiverCity | 13 mi | 0.4 |
| FremontCity | 14 mi | 1.1 |
| South EnglishCity | 14 mi | 0.3 |
| MontezumaCity | 15 mi | 2.5 |
| University ParkCity | 16 mi | 0.8 |
| MillersburgCity | 16 mi | 0.1 |
Frequently asked questions
- What county is What Cheer, IA in?
- What Cheer is in Keokuk County, Iowa.
- What is the population of What Cheer, IA?
- About 580 people live in What Cheer, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
- What cities are near What Cheer?
- Nearby places include Thornburg (4.1 mi), Delta (5.4 mi), Gibson (5.9 mi), Keswick (7.2 mi), Rose Hill (7.9 mi).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023