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
median household income $54,124, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Estherville
What changed most since 1990
Population6,720 → 5,839(−13%)US over the same years: +35%
Its weight in Emmet County
Estherville's population equals 63% of Emmet County's. Its number of people who work from home equals 34% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 91% of the county's.
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)22.6%(38)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era61.9%(104)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.2%(2)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Estherville, decade by decade
Estherville population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
6,720
$49,909
$67,682
11.7%
1.7
2000
6,656
$56,980
$99,280
13.3%
17.4
2010
6,360
$57,854
$111,921
18.0%
29.9
2020
5,904
$64,895
$105,447
21.2%
40.7
2024
5,839
$54,124
$101,400
13.3%
38.7
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
