Chariton, Iowa
Chariton is a city of 4,242 people in Lucas County, Iowa, founded in 1850.
Why visit Chariton
Townapedia lists 14 museums and landmarks, 15 parks and trails, 8 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Burlington Railroad Overpass, A. J. Stephens House and Carl L. Caviness Post 102, American Legion.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 11°F, and about 24 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Chariton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Chariton
Chariton is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,193 at the 2020 census. Chariton is the primary distribution center for and the former corporate headquarters of the Hy-Vee supermarket chain.
From the Wikipedia article Chariton, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Burlington Railroad Overpass
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Museums and landmarks14
A. J. Stephens House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Carl L. Caviness Post 102, American Legion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Iowa, United States
Chariton Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Cemetery in Chariton, Iowa, United States
Chariton City Hall and Fire Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Fire station in Iowa, United States of America
Chariton Herald-Patriot Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Iowa, United States
Chariton Masonic Temple
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Masonic temple in Iowa, United States of America
Chariton Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Public library in Iowa
Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Freight House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Railway station in Chariton, the United States of America
Hotel Charitone
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Hotel in Iowa, United States of America
J. T. and Mollie Crozier House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Lucas County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in Iowa, United States
Lucas County Courthouse Square Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Iowa, United States
2 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds15
3 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes8
History
Chariton was platted in 1850. Chariton was the name of a French trader.
From the History section of Chariton, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship22
First United Methodist Church
Church · United Methodist · National Register of Historic Places
923 Roland Avenue, Chariton
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Healthcare2
Map of Chariton
81 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 11°F | 1.0 in | 7.9 in |
| Feb | 36°F | 14°F | 1.4 in | 6.5 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 25°F | 1.9 in | 3.5 in |
| Apr | 61°F | 35°F | 4.2 in | 0.8 in |
| May | 71°F | 47°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 57°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 59°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 50°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 38°F | 3.0 in | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 49°F | 26°F | 2.0 in | 2.0 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 16°F | 1.3 in | 3.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chariton 1 E (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lucas County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2015-07-31: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2013-05-31: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2010-07-29: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Knoxville Municipal Airport (OXV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 22 miles away.
- Corydon 18 mi south, about 29 min by car
- Albia 26 mi east, about 42 min by car
- Indianola 27 mi northwest, about 44 min by car
- Centerville 30 mi southeast, about 49 min by car
- Pella 34 mi northeast, about 54 min by car
- Carlisle 36 mi north, about 57 min by car
- Norwalk 38 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Oskaloosa 40 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Des Moines 41 mi north, about 1 h by car
- West Des Moines 44 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- NRHP 06000774 Hotel Charitone - Chariton Iowa - 10-2-2016-4890, Jason McLaren, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chariton, Iowa (11004127835), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Herzog track train at Chariton Iowa - panoramio, Loco Steve, CC BY 3.0
- 19950724 01 UP Chariton, IA (5368208083), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- The Chariton Cemetery Historic District, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- First United Methodist Church 2012-09-27 19-35-17, tiannajo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chariton Herald-Patriot Building 2012-09-27 16-59-11, tiannajo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- NRHP 03000836 Chicago Burlington and Quincy Freight House - Chariton Iowa - 10-2-2016-4851, Jason McLaren, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chariton City Hall and Fire Station 2012-09-27 19-36-13, tiannajo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Carl L- Caviness Post 102, American Legion 2012-09-27 19-50-21, tiannajo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chariton Free Public Library 2012-09-27 19-31-24, tiannajo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lucas County, Iowa Courthouse, en:User:Cburnett, CC BY-SA 3.0
- NRHP 06000777 Masonic Temple - Chariton Iowa - 10-2-2016-4902, Jason McLaren, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Brown Building 913 Braeden Ave, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The P.E. Payne House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The A.J. Stephens House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The J.T. And Mollie Crozier House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ISS063-E-74444 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS063-E-74443 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.
