Beacon is a city in Mahaska County, Iowa, United States.

[3] Coal miners in Beacon joined the United Mine Workers union in 1894, organizing local 178.

[5] By 1894, the mine face was 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the foot of the slope, and the mine was producing 1000 tons of coal a day from a coal seam 6 feet (1.8 m) thick.

[4] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.00 square mile (2.59 km2), all of it land.

There were 212 housing units at an average density of 210.2 per square mile (81.2/km2).

Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 1.3% of the population.

There were 237 housing units at an average density of 237.0 per square mile (91.5/km2).

27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 217 housing units at an average density of 215.5 per square mile (83.2/km2).

21.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.