Census tract · Palo Alto County
Census Tract 9603, Palo Alto County, Iowa
Census Tract 9603, GEOID 19147960300, in Palo Alto County, Iowa, mostly within Emmetsburg (92% of its census blocks). 3,808 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±134); the 2020 Census counted 3,845.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,808
±134 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,845
Median household income
$57,851
±$10,621 (90% margin)
Palo Alto County: $72,781
Median home value
$115,200
±$14,270 (90% margin)
Palo Alto County: $123,200
Median gross rent
$630
±$46 (90% margin)
Palo Alto County: $638
Where is Census Tract 9603?
Census Tract 9603 is one of 4 census tracts in Palo Alto County, Iowa. It covers 16.59 square miles of land, 232 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 19147960300, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Emmetsburg | 92% |
2 census tracts border Census Tract 9603: Tract 9601 ($93,000) and Tract 9602 ($79,167). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 9603?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9603's population at 3,808 (±134) in 1,700 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,845 residents and 1,885 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9603 | Emmetsburg |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,808 ±134 | 3,648 |
| Households | 1,700 ±111 | 1,646 |
| Average household size | 2.10 ±0.13 | 2.07 |
| Housing units | 1,902 ±115 | 1,848 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 9603?
The median resident of Census Tract 9603 is 44.2 years old; 19.3% are under 18 and 24.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 96.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 2.1%. 1.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 9603 | Emmetsburg |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 ±3.0 | 44.7 |
| Under 18 years | 19.3% ±1.9 pts | 18.4% |
| 65 years and over | 24.5% ±2.1 pts | 25.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.1% ±1.4 pts | 2.2% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 96.0% ±1.7 pts | 95.9% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±0.9 pts | 1.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.6 pts | 0.6% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% |
| Born outside the United States | 1.7% ±1.1 pts | 1.8% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.8% ±1.4 pts | 1.9% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.4% ±3.2 pts | 8.6% |
| With a disability | 14.7% ±3.8 pts | 15.3% |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.6% ±3.2 pts | 4.3% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.4% ±3.8 pts | 91.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 15.2% ±4.6 pts | 13.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.7% ±2.2 pts | 3.8% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.5% ±4.5 pts | 85.9% |
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 Census Tract 9603 earn?
Half of the 1,700 households in Census Tract 9603 earn less than $57,851 a year (±$10,621), against $72,781 across Palo Alto County: 4th highest of the county's 4 tracts with a reliable estimate. 15.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9603 | Emmetsburg |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,851 ±$10,621 | $55,833 |
| Mean household income | $75,551 ±$8,445 | $73,263 |
| Per capita income | $35,140 ±$4,099 | $34,557 |
| People below the poverty line | 15.9% ±5.6 pts | 15.2% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 31.3% ±17.3 pts | 29.4% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.7% ±4.4 pts | 10.7% |
| Households with a computer | 94.4% ±3.3 pts | 94.2% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.8% ±4.8 pts | 87.4% |
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 Census Tract 9603?
Owners occupy 69.1% of Census Tract 9603's occupied homes and renters 30.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $115,200 by its owner (±$14,270). The median renter pays $630 a month including utilities, and 35.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 9603 | Emmetsburg |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $115,200 ±$14,270 | $114,300 |
| Median gross rent | $630 ±$46 | $624 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.4% ±12.2 pts | 37.1% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,124 ±$71 | $1,117 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 69.1% ±6.1 pts | 69.4% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 30.9% ±6.1 pts | 30.6% |
| Housing units | 1,902 ±115 | 1,848 |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.5% ±4.9 pts | 75.8% |
| Mobile homes | 1.7% ±1.6 pts | 1.7% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.9% ±2.4 pts | 2.8% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 31.0% ±5.9 pts | 30.6% |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.8% ±3.2 pts | 4.9% |
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 do people in Census Tract 9603 get to work?
75.9% of Census Tract 9603's workers drive alone and 4.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 14.2 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 9603 | Emmetsburg |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.5% ±4.5 pts | 66.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% ±2.2 pts | 2.4% |
| Drove alone to work | 75.9% ±6.6 pts | 75.8% |
| Carpooled | 8.2% ±3.6 pts | 8.6% |
| Public transportation | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 0.8% |
| Walked | 7.5% ±3.3 pts | 7.8% |
| Worked from home | 4.8% ±3.1 pts | 5.0% |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.2 min ±3.4 | 14.2 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
How does Census Tract 9603 compare with the other tracts in Palo Alto County?
Among Palo Alto County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9603 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Palo Alto County |
|---|---|
| Population | 1st of 4 |
| Residents per square mile | 1st of 4 |
| Median household income | 4th of 4 |
| Per capita income | 4th of 4 |
| Median home value | 3rd of 4 |
| Median gross rent | 4th of 4 |
| Poverty rate | 1st of 4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 3rd of 4 |
| Median age | 2nd of 4 |
| Owner-occupied share | 4th of 4 |
The tracts next to it on Palo Alto County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9601 | 1st | $93,000±$8,994 |
| Tract 9602 | 2nd | $79,167±$11,036 |
| Tract 9604 | 3rd | $76,000±$10,149 |
| Tract 9603 | 4th | $57,851±$10,621 |
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 9603?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9603 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections