HospersIowaPopPlot, 2021
Hospers’s story
146 years in pictures
Census counts: 51 in 1880, 718 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1964 on.
- 1880Hospers is settled
HospersIA
A town of 691, settled in 1880.
Population
691
2025 Census estimate · −4.2% since 2020
Typical home
$256K
+3.9% in a year
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
29.7
years
Jobs based here
272
Balanced
Is Hospers a good place to live?
Hospers has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
691 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 Hospers: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hospers, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHospers Municipal Water DeptNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Hospers’ 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 hereSioux County AuditorSioux County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5123851238 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 Hospers.
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Hospers
The range runs from 7° on a January night to 84° on a July afternoon, with about 27 inches of snow a winter.
27″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–29°
Spring35–58°
Summer59–82°
Fall37–60°
Sep 28
typical first frost
May 5
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Hospers has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Households in Hospers have drawn federal disaster aid in 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage locally than in 65% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 35% come from inland flooding and 24% from hail.
35risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHailTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Hospers has 0.8 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Commuting out is the norm in Hospers: 6% of working residents work locally. This Iowa town had 272 jobs in 2023, down 165 from 2013. Also worth knowing: the average commute for Hospers comes to 13 minutes, below both Iowa’s towns (19 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). The share of residents in Hospers who live below the poverty line: 17%.
6%work in town
| Hospers | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.9% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 11% | 8.5% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Hospers6%
Sioux Center16%
Orange City12%
Sheldon10%
Hull5%
14 mi
median commute distance
272
jobs based in Hospers
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
Hospers stands out in Iowa and nationally, with fewer of its adults who sleep under 7 hours
Among adults in Hospers, 11% have diabetes, where Iowa’s towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 12%. Hospers: a fifth of adults binge drink.
| Hospers | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 32% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 38% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
2 better30 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Hospers | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults sleeping under 7 hours | 26.8% | 32.5% |
| More adults seeing a dentist | 70.3% | 66.8% |
Sanford Sheldon Medical Center
8.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
The median rent in Hospers is lower than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
80% of households live in a home they own in Hospers. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 3.9%.
$256KZillow home value
| Hospers | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $684 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 80% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Hospers$256K
Iowa$237K
+3.9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 336 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. South Side Park | — | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hospers
16pages on Hospers
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Hospers
Northwest Iowa Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Sheldon7.9 mi$7,350 in-state tuitionNorthwestern CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Orange City9.3 mi$36,710 tuitionDordt UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Sioux Center13.3 mi$37,050 tuition
About 1 of every 100 Hospers residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Hospers
City in Iowa, United States
Hospers is a city in Sioux County, Iowa, United States, along the Floyd River. The population was 718 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1890
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,348 ft
- ZIP code
- 51238
Questions about Hospers
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hospers, IA a good place to live?
Hospers has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.