Emerson, IA, 2017
Emerson’s story
156 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1870Emerson is settled
EmersonIA
A town of 400, settled in 1870.
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
400
2025 Census estimate · +0% since 2020
Typical home
$192K
+2.2% in a year
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
45.4
years
Jobs based here
44
A commuter town
Is Emerson a good place to live?
Only 1 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Emerson. Emerson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
400 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Emerson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Emerson, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEmerson Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Emerson’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMills County AuditorMills County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5153351533 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Emerson.
Work & commute
A smaller share of working residents work locally in Emerson than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
1.3% of Emerson working residents work locally, below both the Iowa town median (31%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Jobs based in Emerson fell to 44 in 2023, 20 fewer than in 2013. Emerson’s average trip to work is 27 minutes.
1%work in town
| Emerson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.3% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Emerson1%
Omaha18%
Council Bluffs13%
Glenwood11%
Red Oak6%
29 mi
median commute distance
44
jobs based in Emerson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Emerson, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Emerson has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 14° and about 20 inches of snow falls in a winter.
20″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–35°
Spring40–62°
Summer63–84°
Fall42–64°
Oct 13
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
A typical Emerson home is worth about $192K
The typical Emerson home is worth about $192,000, up 2.2% in a year, 19% below the Iowa typical home. 83% of Emerson households own their home, where Iowa’s towns sit at 70% and U.S. towns at 73%.
$192KZillow home value
| Emerson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,034 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Emerson$192K
Iowa$237K
+2.2%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Emerson faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities. Since 1987, 9 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Emerson.
66risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHail
9
paid flood claims since 1987
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Emerson is
Emerson beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 41% of adults have obesity in Emerson.
| Emerson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Emerson | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.9% | 8.7% |
Montgomery County Memorial Hospital
9.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 163 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Evans Memorial Park | — | 3 |
| 2. Indian Creek Greenbelt Area | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Emerson
17pages on Emerson
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Emerson; the nearest are
Iowa Western Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Council Bluffs27 mi$6,930 in-state tuitionUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterUniversity or college · Public · Omaha, NE34 mi
About 1 of every 100 Emerson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Emerson for work
Where Emerson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
44jobs based in Emerson
1%of working residents work in town
29 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Emerson
City in Iowa, USA
Emerson is a city in Mills County, Iowa, United States. The population was 403 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,056 ft
- ZIP code
- 51533
Questions about Emerson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Emerson, IA a good place to live?
Emerson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.