United States › Iowa › Estherville CITY
Estherville Iowa · 5,807 residents (2025 est.) · 5.39 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Estherville is a city of 5,839 people in Iowa. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 13% of adults. The typical home is worth $101,400, having more than doubled since 2000. That trails the Iowa median by roughly 28%. 5% of locals were born outside the United States. Renters pay $754 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 6,656 in 2000
5,807 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,084 / sq mi
−7%since 2009
from 1,159 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
6K 6K 6K 7K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Estherville Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $54,124
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,279 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,488 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.441 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5%
Transportation & warehousing 3.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.6%
Public administration 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$101,400
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $54,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$754
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $323 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 72.1% in 2000
26.3% rent
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.20 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 92.6%(6,162)
Hispanic / Latino 6.2%(412)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 82%(4,786)
Hispanic / Latino 13.4%(782)
from 25 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data from 13.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 82.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 77.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 70.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 72.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 87.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 11.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 18.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 71.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 34.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 0%(0)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.6%(38)
Share of the 168 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Estherville, Iowa? Estherville, Iowa has about 5,839 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Estherville, Iowa? The typical household in Estherville, Iowa earns about $54,124 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Estherville, Iowa expensive? In Estherville, Iowa, the median home is worth about $101,400, and the typical rent is about $754 a month.
How educated are people in Estherville, Iowa? About 13.3% of adults age 25 and over in Estherville, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Estherville, Iowa? About 12.6% of people in Estherville, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Estherville, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Estherville, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 881 residents, a change of about -13 percent over that period.
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