Emmetsburg, IA

Full City Profile · Iowa · Palo Alto County County

2.9 /5.0
C+ Fair
3,651 Population 963/sq mi density
$57,353 Median Income $33,900 per capita
$114,600 Home Value $173,138 Zillow
$589 Median Rent 27.1% income on rent
47°F Avg Temperature
222 Violent Crime/100K 556 property/100K
C+
Overall
2.9 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B
Economy
3.4 / 5.0
$57,353 median income, 3.3% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$114,600 home value, $589/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
222 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: $173,138
Median Rent
$589/mo
49% below
27.1% of income on rent
Violent Crime
222/100K
42% below
556/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
16.8%
50% below
92.0% high school+
Unemployment
3.3%
8% below
16.6% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
42.2%
31% above
17.8% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
47°F

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
92%
Crime
58%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Emmetsburg a Good Place to Live?

C+
2.9 / 5.0 - Fair
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 3.3% (8% 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 $173,138. 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 222 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 42% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 556/100K.

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. Annual precipitation totals 33.6 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 42.

Data Overview

People

Population3,651
Median Age45.0 yrs
Density963/mi²
Male / Female52% / 48%
Foreign Born1.1%
Veterans9.5%

Economy

B
Median Income$57,353
Per Capita$33,900
Unemployment3.3%
Poverty16.6%
County GDP$796M
Avg Weekly Wage$912

Housing

A+
Home Value$114,600
Rent$589
Ownership69.9%
Zillow$173,138
Housing Units1,866
Rent Burden27.1%

Crime

F
Violent222/100K
Property556/100K

Health

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

Climate

Avg Temp47°F
Rain33.6 in/yr
AQI42 (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.
16.9% of the population has a disability.
The county recorded 1 fatal vehicle crashes.