DeltaIowaPopPlot, 2021
Delta’s story
150 years in pictures
Census counts: 416 in 1880, a peak of 728 in 1910, 264 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1965 on.
- 1876Delta is settled
DeltaIA
A town of 255, settled in 1876.
Photo: PopePompus · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
255
2025 Census estimate · −2.3% since 2020
Typical home
$120K
+4.2% in a year
Household income
$52K
median
Median age
37.2
years
Jobs based here
6
A commuter town
Is Delta a good place to live?
Delta has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
255 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 Delta: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Delta, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDelta Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Delta’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 hereKeokuk County AuditorKeokuk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5255052550 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 Delta.
Housing
Delta’s typical home value is about $120K
77% of households live in a home they own in Delta, above both Iowa’s towns (70%) and U.S. towns (73%). In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 4.2%.
$120KZillow home value
Typical home value
Delta$120K
Iowa$237K
+4.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
In Delta, the average trip to work runs longer than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
Only 10 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower median household income than Delta. 12% of residents live below the poverty line in the town, where Iowa’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. The top destinations are Sigourney (20%), Oskaloosa (6%) and Des Moines (4%). The median commute is under 30 miles.
0%work in town
| Delta | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $52,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Delta0%
Sigourney20%
Oskaloosa6%
Des Moines4%
Washington3%
30 mi
median commute distance
6
jobs based in Delta
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Delta has four seasons and pleasant summers
Summer afternoons peak near 85° in July, and January nights bottom out around 13°; snowfall runs to about 24 inches a winter. The seasons in Delta: cold winters, warm summers.
24″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–34°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Low risk in Delta, with inland flooding at the top
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Delta after 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2008. Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 66% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts nearly two fifths of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 18% to tornadoes.
34risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Delta is
Among adults in Delta, 40% have high blood pressure. For adults in the town, the share who smoke cigarettes is 18%.
| Delta | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 12% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better23 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Delta | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.1% | 11.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.8% | 6.9% |
| More smokers | 18.1% | 14.5% |
Keokuk County Health Center
7.2 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Delta
17pages on Delta
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Delta; the nearest are
William Penn UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Oskaloosa16.4 mi$29,750 tuitionIndian Hills Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ottumwa19.5 mi$5,040 in-state tuitionUniversity of IowaUniversity or college · Public · Iowa City47.3 mi$11,283 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Delta residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Delta for work
Where Delta’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6jobs based in Delta
0%of working residents work in town
30 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Delta
City in Iowa, United States
Delta is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 264 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 801 ft
- ZIP code
- 52550
Questions about Delta
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Delta, IA a good place to live?
Delta has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.