The Town FilesEstherville, Iowa
City in Emmet County · population 5,904 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $101,400
- Household income
- $54,124
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 40.6
Estherville is a city of 5,904 people in Emmet County, Iowa. The median home is worth $101,400, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for cycling than 92% of Iowa towns, more walkable than 90% of Iowa towns, more of a college town than 87% of Iowa towns.
How Estherville ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Estherville is worth $101,400, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $54,124, which is more affordable than 76% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $754 a month. 73.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Estherville | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $101,400 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $754 | $820 |
| Median household income | $54,124 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 73.7% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Estherville
| People | Estherville | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.7% | 88.5% |
Weather in Estherville
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 5.1°F. About 31.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.0 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Estherville since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 14, 1976 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 10, 2023.
Severe weather in Emmet County since 1996
Emmet County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4642: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4421: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Emmet County
Emmet County had 3,286 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,094 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Estherville itself the ACS puts it at 1.1%.
Public schools in Estherville
3 public schools with 1,167 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demoney Elementary | PK-4 | 486 | 11.9 |
| Estherville Lincoln Central High School | 9-12 | 367 | 13.6 |
| Estherville Lincoln Central Middle School | 5-8 | 314 | 10.8 |
Towns near Estherville
- Spirit Lake, IA14.0 mi · 5,439 people · home $215,100
- Milford, IA16.2 mi · 3,321 people · home $218,400
- Jackson, MN17.4 mi · 3,323 people · home $128,500
- Emmetsburg, IA21.2 mi · 3,706 people · home $114,300
- Spencer, IA23.7 mi · 11,325 people · home $184,800
- Fairmont, MN25.1 mi · 10,487 people · home $169,900
Estherville questions
Is Estherville, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Estherville scores better for retirees than 25% of Iowa towns and quieter than 16%. 22.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.6).
How much does a house cost in Estherville?
The median owner-occupied home in Estherville is valued at $101,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,124, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $754 a month.
What is the weather like in Estherville?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 5.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.7 inches of precipitation a year and 40.0 inches of snow.
Does Estherville get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Estherville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 14, 1976. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)