City · Iowa
Estherville, Iowa
Estherville, city, in Emmet County, Iowa. Estherville had 5,807 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,904 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,839 (±17). GEOID 1925860.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,807
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,904 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,839 ±17
Median household income
$54,124
±$3,250 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$101,400
±$11,700 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$754
±$59 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Estherville and what county is it in?
Estherville is a city in Emmet County, Iowa. It covers 5.4 square miles of land, 1,096 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Estherville, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,807 people lived in Estherville on July 1, 2025, down 1.7% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 5,904 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,839 (±17).
| Measure | Estherville | Emmet County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,839 ±17 | 9,262 | no clear change |
| Households | 2,547 ±144 | 4,063 | +243 |
| Average household size | 2.12 ±0.12 | 2.15 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,778 ±111 | 4,520 | no clear change |
Estherville's population since 2000
From 6,656 in 2000 to 5,807 in 2025: down 12.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Estherville as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Estherville?
The median resident of Estherville is 40.6 years old; 17.7% are under 18 and 22.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 82.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 13.4%. 4.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Estherville | Emmet County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 ±1.5 | 42.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.7% ±1.8 pts | 19.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.8% ±1.9 pts | 24.1% | – |
| Male | 50.3% ±2.2 pts | 51.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 13.4% ±1.7 pts | 10.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 82.0% ±2.4 pts | 85.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±0.9 pts | 1.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±1.8 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.5% ±1.5 pts | 3.4% | −2.8 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.2% ±3.6 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.5% ±1.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
| With a disability | 18.0% ±3.6 pts | 18.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.7% ±2.9 pts | 5.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.6% ±4.0 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.3% ±4.3 pts | 17.1% | −9.2 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.0% ±1.9 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.7% ±2.8 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.8% ±1.7 pts | 2.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Estherville earn?
Half of Estherville's 2,547 households earn less than $54,124 a year (±$3,250), against $63,730 in Emmet County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $57,219 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Estherville | Emmet County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,124 ±$3,250 | $63,730 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $65,154 ±$5,566 | $77,279 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,271 ±$2,627 | $36,351 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.6% ±4.7 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 16.5% ±10.9 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.7% ±3.2 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.8% ±2.6 pts | 95.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.7% ±5.2 pts | 86.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Estherville?
Owners occupy 73.7% of Estherville's occupied homes and renters 26.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $101,400 by its owner (±$11,700). The median renter pays $754 a month including utilities, and 39.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Estherville | Emmet County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $101,400 ±$11,700 | $114,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $754 ±$59 | $733 | −$143 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.7% ±14.2 pts | 36.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,025 ±$84 | $1,074 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 73.7% ±4.5 pts | 79.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 26.3% ±4.5 pts | 20.6% | – |
| Housing units | 2,778 ±111 | 4,520 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.2% ±1.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.6% ±10.6 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 78.0% ±4.7 pts | 83.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.6% ±2.3 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.5% ±2.0 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 30.6% ±6.0 pts | 33.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.9% ±4.0 pts | 6.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Estherville building?
Builders took permits for 9 new housing units in Estherville in 2025 (9 in single-family houses), 1.5 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Estherville work and get to work?
78.1% of Estherville's workers drive alone and 3.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.5 minutes.
| Measure | Estherville | Emmet County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.0% ±3.7 pts | 65.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.1% ±1.0 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 78.1% ±5.7 pts | 77.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.3% ±5.0 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 4.7% ±2.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.8% ±2.0 pts | 6.8% | −4.1 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.5 min ±5.4 | 20.9 min | +6.4 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Estherville?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Estherville, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $49,852 (Tract 703) to $65,422 (Tract 704).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Estherville) · Census block assignment files
How does Estherville compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Estherville is the 4,505th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 70th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Estherville ranks 256th of 279 places in Iowa with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 70th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 184th | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 133rd | 279 |
| Median household income | 256th | 279 |
| Per capita income | 243rd | 279 |
| Median home value | 262nd | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 201st | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 79th | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 269th | 279 |
| Median age | 120th | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 142nd | 279 |
| Work from home | 216th | 221 |
| Travel time to work | 113th | 279 |
Estherville's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Estherville with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Estherville?
11 of the 57 figures for Estherville on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Estherville are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Estherville.