Photo: David Morris · CC BY 2.061 homes sold in Emmetsburg in the last year, at a typical $150K
Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Emmetsburg homes are listed.
Every place Emmetsburg homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Emmetsburg.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 0% of Emmetsburg’s sales, at a typical — (year to May 2026)
61 homes sold in the year to September 2026.
More homes sell than most years, at 1.7 times the 2017 price
61 sales in the last year, against 53 in 2025 and a low of 3 in 2017. The typical sale went from $86K in 2017 to $150K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
Bidding wars in Emmetsburg are back to pre-pandemic levels, and more homes are for sale
We read every month of Emmetsburg’s home sales since 2017 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 61 sales.
If you’re buying in Emmetsburg
- Shop in May. It brings about 5 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (6% over asking).
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 95% of the list price on average; 13% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 29% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 52 days.
Spring brings the homes; winter brings the bidding wars
May has the most new listings (about 5 a month), but December is the most competitive: 25% of December sales close over asking. May has the least competition (6%).
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and calmer than Iowa
| Emmetsburg now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 13% | 14% | 8% | 20% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 29% | 13% | 2% | 35% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 95% | 93.8% | 96.1% | 97.5% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 52 | 76 | 87 | 46 |
23 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 7.6 times the 2017 low (3) and 207% more than in 2017–19.
Emmetsburg ranks 71st of 91 busy Iowa markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Emmetsburg is one of the state’s calmer markets.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2017 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Emmetsburg home costs about $948 a month
Price: Emmetsburg’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Emmetsburg’s 1.3% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Emmetsburg is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in May
The month with the most choice. January has the fewest, about 2.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $150K home, about $1,980 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Emmetsburg, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in EmmetsburgTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Emmetsburg.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Estherville sells for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Emmetsburg, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer | 167 | $170K | $120 | 14% | 70 |
| Algona | 79 | $161K | $116 | 23% | 77 |
| Estherville | 78 | $137K | $93 | 22% | 46 |
| Emmetsburg | 61 | $150K | $98 | 13% | 52 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Emmetsburg, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Emmetsburg. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Emmetsburg with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Emmetsburg
What do homes sell for in Emmetsburg, IA?
61 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $150K, $98 a square foot.
Is Emmetsburg a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 18 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 5 sold, about 3.2 months of supply. Buyers paid 95% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Emmetsburg?
May brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Emmetsburg?
About 1.3% of a home’s value a year. On a $150K home that’s near $1,980.
Where can I see homes for sale in Emmetsburg?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Emmetsburg’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Emmetsburg.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).