BeaconIowaPopPlot, 2021
Beacon’s story
159 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1867Beacon is settled
BeaconIA
A town of 428, settled in 1867.
Photo: PopePompus · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
428
2025 Census estimate · −0.7% since 2020
Typical home
$136K
+12.2% in a year
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
52.5
years
Jobs based here
7
A commuter town
Is Beacon a good place to live?
Beacon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
428 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Beacon: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Beacon, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMahaska Rural Water System, Inc.No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Beacon’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMahaska County AuditorMahaska County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes52534, 5257752534 82% · 52577 18%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Beacon.
Housing
In Beacon, the median rent runs lower than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 12%. The share of households in Beacon who live in a home they own is 87%, where Iowa’s towns sit at 70% and U.S. towns at 73%. The typical Beacon home is worth about $136,000, up 12.2% in a year, 43% below the Iowa typical home.
$136KZillow home value
| Beacon | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 87% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $650 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Beacon$136K
Iowa$237K
+12.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
The average trip to work in Beacon is longer than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
Beacon’s median household income stands at $56,000, below both Iowa’s towns ($69,000) and U.S. towns ($80,000). In Beacon, just over a fifth of residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Oskaloosa (31%), Eddyville (4%) and Pella (4%). Half of commuters travel less than 14 miles.
0%work in town
| Beacon | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 21% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Beacon0%
Oskaloosa31%
Eddyville4%
Pella4%
Ottumwa3%
14 mi
median commute distance
7
jobs based in Beacon
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Beacon has four seasons and pleasant summers
The range runs from 13° on a January night to 85° on a July afternoon, with about 30 inches of snow a winter.
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–34°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–84°
Fall41–63°
Oct 16
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Beacon has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Beacon after 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2010. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 64% of U.S. communities.
64risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Beacon is
Beacon: just over a third of adults sleep under 7 hours. Among adults in the town, 39% have high blood pressure and 29% get no exercise outside work.
| Beacon | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better24 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Beacon | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 86.2% | 84.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.5% | 6.9% |
Mahaska Health Partnership
3.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Beacon
17pages on Beacon
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Beacon
About 3 of every 100 Beacon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Beacon for work
Where Beacon’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
7jobs based in Beacon
0%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Beacon
City in Iowa, United States
Beacon is a city in Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. The population was 445 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 758 ft
- ZIP code
- 52534
Questions about Beacon
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Beacon, IA a good place to live?
Beacon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.