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Emmetsburg, IA

Full City Profile · Iowa · Palo Alto County County

3.0 /5.0
B Good
3,651 Population 963/sq mi density
$57,353 Median Income $33,900 per capita
$114,600 Home Value $164,973 Zillow
$589 Median Rent 27.1% income on rent
47°F Avg Temperature 260 sunny days/yr
217 Violent Crime/100K 867 property/100K
B
Overall
3.0 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B+
Economy
3.6 / 5.0
$57,353 median income, 2.2% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$114,600 home value, $589/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
217 violent crimes/100K
C
Education
2.3 / 5.0
16.8% bachelor's degree or higher

Emmetsburg, IA

At a Glance

Median Income
$57,353
24% below
$33,900 per capita
Home Value
$114,600
59% below
Zillow: $164,973
Median Rent
$589/mo
49% below
27.1% of income on rent
Violent Crime
217/100K
43% below
867/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
16.8%
50% below
92.0% high school+
Unemployment
2.2%
39% below
16.6% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
42.2%
31% above
17.8% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
47°F
260 sunny days/yr

How Emmetsburg Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Emmetsburg's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
76%
Home Value
41%
Rent
51%
Poverty
134%
Bachelor's
50%
Unemployment
61%
Crime
57%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Emmetsburg a Good Place to Live?

B
3.0 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Emmetsburg residents earn a median household income of $57,353 , which is 24% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $33,900. The unemployment rate stands at 2.2% (39% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 16.6% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 336 business establishments, including 25 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Emmetsburg is $114,600 , 59% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $164,973. Median rent is $589/month, with 27.1% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 87.8 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1962.

Safety & Crime

Emmetsburg reports 217 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 43% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 867/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

16.8% of adults in Emmetsburg hold a bachelor's degree or higher (50% below the national average). 92.0% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.4/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Emmetsburg has an average annual temperature of 47°F (9°C). Winters average 17°F in January while summers reach 74°F in July. The area gets 260 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 33.6 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 43.

Data Overview

People

Population3,651
Median Age45.0 yrs
Density963/mi²
Male / Female52% / 48%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans9.5%

Economy

B+
Median Income$57,353
Per Capita$33,900
Unemployment2.2%
Poverty16.6%
County GDP$796M
Avg Weekly Wage$912

Housing

A+
Home Value$114,600
Rent$589
Ownership69.9%
Zillow$164,973
Housing Units1,866
Rent Burden27.1%

Crime

F
Violent217/100K
Property867/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault217/100K
Burglary433/100K

Health

Obesity42.2%
Diabetes10.2%
Smoking17.8%
Heart Disease6.0%
Premature Death7,822/100K

Climate

Avg Temp47°F
Sunny Days260/yr
Rain33.6 in/yr
AQI43 (Good)
Elevation1,225 ft

Education

C
Bachelor's+16.8%
High School+92.0%
Graduate+6.7%
School Score5.4/10

Community

2024 VoteR 72% / D 27%
Commute14 min
Broadband83.7%
Internet Speed45 Mbps
EV Stations1
Libraries5

Did You Know?

The median home in Emmetsburg was built in 1962.
The nearest airport is Fort Dodge Regional (46 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.421 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Very Low" by FEMA.
17.0% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
The county recorded 1 fatal vehicle crashes.