Des Moines River Locks No. 5 and No. 7 · National Register of Historic Places
Bonaparte’s story
184 years in pictures
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1842Bonaparte is settled
BonaparteIA
Photo: Jon Roanhaus · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
354
2025 Census estimate · −1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$198K
+5.8% in a year
Household income
$41K
median
Median age
38.0
years
Jobs based here
118
Balanced
Is Bonaparte a good place to live?
Its National Register listings include Aunty Green Hotel and Meek's Flour Mill. Bonaparte has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Bonaparte stand out
Where Bonaparte beats most towns.
Small town
354 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 Bonaparte: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bonaparte, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRathbun Regional Water Assn (Rathbun)No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bonaparte’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 hereVan Buren County AuditorVan Buren County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP code5262052620 100%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 Bonaparte.
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: high risk in Bonaparte, mostly inland flooding
The risk rating from FEMA for Bonaparte comes to 78 of 100, against 40 of 100 in Iowa’s towns and 44 of 100 across U.S. towns. The national flood insurance program has paid 22 claims here since 1985. 46% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 14%. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2010.
78risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves
22
paid flood claims since 1985
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Bonaparte has four seasons and pleasant summers
Expect July afternoons of 86° and January nights of 15°, with about 23 inches of snow a winter.
23″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–36°
Spring41–62°
Summer63–84°
Fall43–64°
Oct 13
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+0.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
A smaller share of working residents work locally in Bonaparte than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
The median household income for Bonaparte comes to $41,000. Employers in Bonaparte shed 101 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 118. In Bonaparte, 17% of residents live below the poverty line, above both Iowa’s towns (11%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). The top destinations are Keosauqua (20%), Fairfield (17%) and Ottumwa (10%).
2%work in town
| Bonaparte | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.6% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $41,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Bonaparte2%
Keosauqua20%
Fairfield17%
Ottumwa10%
Mount Pleasant5%
24 mi
median commute distance
118
jobs based in Bonaparte
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
The median rent in Bonaparte is lower than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
65% of Bonaparte households are owner-occupiers. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 5.8%.
$198KZillow home value
| Bonaparte | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $492 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 65% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Bonaparte$198K
Iowa$237K
+5.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
How healthy Bonaparte is
In Bonaparte, 38% of adults have high blood pressure. For adults here, the share who smoke cigarettes is 18%.
| Bonaparte | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better27 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Bonaparte | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9% | 6.9% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4% | 3.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 8.7% |
Van Buren County Hospital
8.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
0% of Bonaparte is conserved land
0.3 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Bonaparte’s concentration of trails comes in at 0.8 miles per square mile. One park or preserve covers 2 acres here.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 238 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bonaparte City Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bonaparte
17pages on Bonaparte
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bonaparte; the nearest are
Maharishi International UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Fairfield23.5 mi$16,530 tuitionSoutheastern Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · West Burlington33.8 mi$6,420 in-state tuitionTruman State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Kirksville, MO54.2 mi$9,838 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Bonaparte residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Landmarks
5 places in Bonaparte on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Bonaparte
City in Iowa, United States
Bonaparte is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 359 at the 2020 census. The town is located on the Des Moines River and contains a number of historical buildings, including a large pottery.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 548 ft
- ZIP code
- 52620
Questions about Bonaparte
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bonaparte, IA a good place to live?
Bonaparte has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.