| Watkins, Iowa | |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Iowa |
| Pushpin Label: | Watkins |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of Iowa |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Iowa |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Benton |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 1.07 |
| Area Land Km2: | 1.07 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 116 |
| Population Density Km2: | 108.18 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Elevation Ft: | 830 |
| Coordinates: | 41.8911°N -91.9864°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP codes |
| Postal Code: | 52354 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 19-82515 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 462737 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 0.41 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 0.41 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 280.19 |
Watkins is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in southeastern Benton County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 116. Watkins lies along local roads south of the city of Vinton, the county seat of Benton County.[2] Its elevation is above sea level. Although Watkins is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 52354,[3] which opened on 15 December 1873.
Watkins was platted in 1874.[4] The community was named for John Burton Watkins, Supt. of the Iowa Div. of the Chicago & North Western Railway Co. who was killed near there Oct 1873.[5] Watkins was crushed between two cars during an inspection tour when a freight train collided with his train.[6] [7]
Watkins is within the Benton Community School District.[8]
As of the census of 2020,[9] there were 116 people, 49 households, and 30 families residing in the community. The population density was 280.2 inhabitants per square mile (108.2/km2). There were 54 housing units at an average density of 130.4 per square mile (50.4/km2). The racial makeup of the community was 96.6% White, 0.0% Black or African American, 0.0% Native American, 0.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.0% from other races and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 2.6% of the population.
Of the 49 households, 12.2% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 4.1% were cohabitating couples, 12.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 30.6% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 38.8% of all households were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, 22.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older.
The median age in the community was 44.4 years. 23.3% of the residents were under the age of 20; 6.9% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 and 44; 25.9% were from 45 and 64; and 21.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the community was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.