IA area data
Emerson, IA
Emerson, IA.
Population: 844 (Census ACS)
The median home value in Emerson, IA is $193,629 — up 3.2% over the past year. FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural-hazard risk Very Low, with drought the top-rated hazards. Cost of living is 10.5% below the US average (BEA, metro/state-level).
$193,629
Median home value
+3.2%
1-year change
Very Low
Hazard risk (county)
Home values & appreciation
- Median home value
- $193,629
- 1-year appreciation
- +3.2%
- 3-year appreciation
- +6.2%
- 5-year appreciation
- +16.1%
- 10-year appreciation
- +53.4%
- All-time peak (2026-01)
- $197,252
- House Price Index (state)
- 379.0 (+3.7% YoY)
Sources: home value index (ZIP-level) · FHFA House Price Index (state-level)
Market activity
- 1-year forecast
- +1.5%
Source: recent area sales and market data (ZIP-level)
Rents
- Studio fair-market rent
- $960/mo
- 1BR fair-market rent
- $1,040/mo
- 2BR fair-market rent
- $1,220/mo
- 3BR fair-market rent
- $1,630/mo
- 4BR fair-market rent
- $1,810/mo
Sources: market rent index (ZIP-level) · HUD Fair Market Rents (metro/county-level, 40th-percentile regulatory reference)
Affordability
- Cost of living index (Low)
- 89.5 (100 = US avg)
- Electricity rate (state-level)
- 13.7¢/kWh
- Natural gas rate (state-level)
- $10.60/MCF
- 30-year mortgage rate (national)
- 6.66%
- 15-year mortgage rate (national)
- 6.00%
Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro/state-level) · EIA energy rates (state-level) · Freddie Mac PMMS (national)
Natural hazards & flood risk
- Overall hazard risk (county)
- Very Low
- Top hazards (county)
- drought
- Notable hazard ratings (county)
- coldWave: Relatively Low · drought: Relatively Moderate · hail: Relatively Low · heatWave: Relatively Low · iceStorm: Relatively Low · landslide: Relatively Low
- Wildfire risk to homes (county)
- Higher than 40% of US counties
- Buildings in wildfire direct-exposure zone
- 45.9%
- Radon potential (county)
- High radon potential — EPA Zone 1 of 3
- EPA Superfund (NPL) sites within 5 mi
- None
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (county-level) · FEMA flood data (ZIP-level) · USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (county-level) · EPA radon zones + Superfund NPL
Climate (30-year normals)
- Average annual temperature
- 51.0°F
- Average high
- 62.0°F
- Average low
- 40.0°F
- Annual precipitation
- 33.4 in
- USDA plant hardiness zone
- 5b (extreme annual low -15 to -10°F)
Sources: NOAA Climate Normals (30-year, nearest-station) · USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
Amenities
- National parks within ~60 mi
- 1
- Nearest national park
- Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail (31 mi)
- Airports within 30 mi
- 14
- Nearest airport
- Red Oak Municipal Airport (9 mi)
- Nearest major airport
- Offutt Air Force Base (OFF) (26 mi)
- Hospitals nearby (~15 mi)
- 1,090
- Hospitals include
- MIZELL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, CRENSHAW COMMUNITY HOSPITAL, CRENSHAW COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
- Avg hospital rating (CMS)
- 3.1 / 5
- Best hospital rating nearby (CMS)
- 5.0 / 5
- Solar radiation rating
- Fair (4.1 kWh/m²/day)
Sources: National Park Service · FAA airport data · CMS hospital data · DOE/NREL (proximity-based)
Migration
- Net migration (county)
- +13 tax filers
Source: IRS county-to-county migration data (county-level, ~12-month lag)
Housing stock
- Median year housing built
- 1,938
- Housing built before 1970
- 73.2%
- Housing built 2000 or later
- 3.3%
- Median annual property tax
- $1,754
- Mean commute to work
- 23 min
- Households with broadband internet
- 65.5%
Source: Census ACS 5-year estimates (ZIP-level)
Employment & development
- Total county employment
- 2,277
- Average weekly wage
- $1,043
- Top industries (by employment)
- Administrative Services, Wholesale Trade, Construction
- Annual residential building permits (county)
- 33
Sources: BLS QCEW (county-level) · Census Building Permits (county-level)
How it compares
| Emerson | State median | US median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $193,629 | $211,348 | $289,727 |
| Median annual property tax | $1,754 | $1,927 | $2,006 |
State and US medians are computed across all US ZIP codes with sufficient public-data coverage, from the same sources as the figures above.
Area data compiled from public government, academic, and industry research feeds. Data sources →
Common questions
- What is the median home value in Emerson, IA?
- $193,629.
- What is typical rent in Emerson, IA?
- 2-bedroom fair-market rent: $1,220/month (HUD FMR — a 40th-percentile regulatory reference, not market-observed).
- What is the natural-hazard risk in Emerson, IA?
- Overall risk: Very Low (FEMA NRI, county-level). Top hazards: drought.
- What is the wildfire risk in Emerson, IA?
- Risk to homes is higher than 40% of US counties (USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities, county-level).
- What is the radon potential in Emerson, IA?
- High radon potential — EPA Zone 1 of 3, county-level. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.
- Are there Superfund sites near Emerson, IA?
- No current or proposed National Priorities List sites within 5 miles (EPA).
- What is the cost of living in Emerson, IA?
- Regional Price Parity: 89.5 (100 = US average) (Low) (BEA RPP, metro/state-level).
ZIP code for Emerson
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Data last updated
Most recent source refresh: Sep 2026. See all data sources →