The Town FilesMaquoketa, Iowa
City in Jackson County · population 6,128 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $132,500
- Household income
- $60,240
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 42.6
Maquoketa is a city of 6,128 people in Jackson County, Iowa. The median home is worth $132,500, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more walkable than 94% of Iowa towns, more vibrant than 90% of Iowa towns, better for cycling than 82% of Iowa towns.
How Maquoketa ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Maquoketa is worth $132,500, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $60,240, which is more affordable than 56% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $795 a month. 70.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Maquoketa | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $132,500 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $795 | $820 |
| Median household income | $60,240 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 70.0% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Maquoketa
| People | Maquoketa | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.0% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.2% | 88.5% |
Weather in Maquoketa
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 11.4°F. About 36.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.3 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Maquoketa since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 22, 1991 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 25, 2024.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4732: Flooding |
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 5,869 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,236 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Maquoketa itself the ACS puts it at 8.6%.
Public schools in Maquoketa
4 public schools with 1,280 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maquoketa Community High School | 9-12 | 495 | 14.6 |
| Maquoketa Middle School | 6-8 | 329 | 13.2 |
| Cardinal Elementary School | PK-2 | 266 | 13.3 |
| Briggs Elementary School | 3-5 | 190 | 11.2 |
Towns near Maquoketa
- DeWitt, IA17.5 mi · 5,514 people · home $237,100
- Park View, IA26.0 mi · 2,709 people · home $276,000
- Clinton, IA26.4 mi · 24,469 people · home $118,200
- Savanna, IL27.0 mi · 2,783 people · home $72,400
- Camanche, IA27.2 mi · 4,570 people · home $172,400
- Galena, IL27.7 mi · 3,308 people · home $233,200
- Monticello, IA29.2 mi · 4,040 people · home $175,200
- Fulton, IL29.3 mi · 3,647 people · home $121,700
Maquoketa questions
Is Maquoketa, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Maquoketa scores better for retirees than 13% of Iowa towns and quieter than 23%. 22.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.6).
How much does a house cost in Maquoketa?
The median owner-occupied home in Maquoketa is valued at $132,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,240, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $795 a month.
What is the weather like in Maquoketa?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 11.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.7 inches of precipitation a year and 30.3 inches of snow.
Does Maquoketa get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Maquoketa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 22, 1991. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)