Emmetsburg is a city in Palo Alto County, Iowa, home to about 3,648 people across 3.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50536.
Homes sold for a median of $112 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Emmetsburg. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Emmetsburg’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Des Moines International Airport (DSM)121 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD)46 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Omaha, NE145 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL367 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Emmetsburg; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Emmetsburg had 3,706 residents in the 2020 census, down 6% since 2000.
It’s the 109th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Palo Alto County grew from 14,354 residents in 1900 to 8,996 in 2020.
Palo Alto County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 85°F in summer, and winter lows average 7°F. About 33.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 37 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Emmetsburg, IA weather station (about a mile away).
2,881 jobs at 272 businesses in Palo Alto County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2022 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
45 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Emmetsburg.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 6 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 1 |
| Dentists | 3 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 13 |
| Mental health providers | 9 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 6 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 6 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (5 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Emmetsburg Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Elementary SchoolEmmetsburg | Pre-K–4 | 293 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Emmetsburg Middle SchoolEmmetsburg | 5–8 | 199 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Emmetsburg High SchoolEmmetsburg | 9–12 | 235 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emmetsburg Catholic SchoolEmmetsburg | Pre-K–8 | 78 | Roman Catholic | 0.4 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.