Lester Iowa Main Street, 2014
Lester’s story
138 years in pictures
Census counts: 31 in 1880, 296 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1971 on.
- 1888Lester is settled
LesterIA
A town of 306, settled in 1888.
Photo: Chad Knoblock · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
306
2025 Census estimate · +3% since 2020
Median home value
$191K
Census ACS
Household income
$99K
median
Median age
38.8
years
Jobs based here
92
Balanced
Is Lester a good place to live?
Lester has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
306 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 Lester: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lester, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLester Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Lester’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 hereLyon County AuditorLyon County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2024
ZIP code5124251242 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 Lester.
Climate
In Lester, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
The range runs from 8° on a January night to 84° on a July afternoon, with about 35 inches of snow a winter.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–28°
Spring35–57°
Summer59–82°
Fall37–59°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, fewer of Lester’s working residents work locally
Jobs based in Lester grew to 92 in 2023, 46 more than in 2013. Only one of the 141 Iowa towns we compare has a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Lester, though the town’s typical household income is $99,000, above both Iowa’s towns ($69,000) and U.S. towns ($80,000). Also worth knowing: its average commute stands at 19 minutes.
1%work in town
| Lester | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.8% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.5% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $99,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Lester1%
Rock Valley12%
Larchwood7%
Sioux Falls7%
Inwood5%
16 mi
median commute distance
92
jobs based in Lester
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Lester is
17% of Lester adults say their health is fair or poor. Only 9 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Lester.
| Lester | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
3 better29 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Lester | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.2% | 11.6% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 72.1% | 66.6% |
Avera Merrill Pioneer Hospital
8.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Lester is inland flooding, at a moderate overall level
Flood insurance has paid one claim in Lester since 1993. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage here than in 55% of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Lester households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024. 29% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by hail at 27%.
45risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHailTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 1993
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lester
16pages on Lester
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Lester; the nearest are
Kairos UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Sioux Falls, SD21.1 mi$3,600 tuitionSoutheast Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Sioux Falls, SD24.2 mi$7,650 in-state tuitionUniversity of South DakotaUniversity or college · Public · Vermillion, SD54.2 mi$9,432 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Lester residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Lester
City in Iowa, United States
Lester is a city in Lyon County, Iowa, United States. The population was 296 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,411 ft
- ZIP code
- 51242
Questions about Lester
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lester, IA a good place to live?
Lester has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.