Your life in Emmet County, Iowa

What stands out

What stands out about Emmet County: the overdose death rate is in the bottom 4% of American counties (0 per 100,000) and the home price against local income is in the bottom 6% of American counties (1.4 years of income). Within Iowa it ranks 34th of 99 counties for the overdose death rate, counting from the bottom.

Where you are

You live in Emmet County, Iowa. 9,349 people live here with you, so most faces are familiar. The population held steady at 0.2% last year, and more Americans moved in than out (net +49).

Iowa cut its income tax to a flat 3.8% in 2025 and stopped taxing retirement income for residents 55 and over in 2023, including pensions, 401(k) and IRA withdrawals. It still has an inheritance tax, but that is being phased out and ends for deaths after 2024. Winters are long and the state's economy still moves with corn, soybean and hog prices.

Money

The typical household here brings in $64,461 a year, higher than 61% of American counties. Employers pay an average wage of $48,094. Unemployment runs 2.9%, lower than 70% of American counties. 7% of workers work from home; for the rest the average commute is 19 minutes each way.

Iowa takes 3.8% of that median income in state income tax, about $2,450 a year.

Home

The median home costs $155K, cheaper than 82% of American counties, about 1.4 years of the median household's income. A two-bedroom rents for around $675 a month. Property tax is 1.46% of home value, roughly $1,497 a year on that median home, higher than 84% of American counties. 78% of households own rather than rent.

Safety and health

Violent crime here is 3.3 per 1,000 residents, lower than 80% of American counties.

A child born here can expect to live 77.0 years, longer than 64% of American counties. There are 5 active physicians in the county, about 5.3 per 10,000 people. Medicare rates the local hospitals 2.0 of 5 stars. 8.4% of people under 65 have no health insurance.

School

Local students test at grade level 2.58 where 3.0 is national grade level, lower than 84% of American counties. 87% of adults finished high school.

Neighbors and politics

In 2024 your neighbors voted Republican by 36 points. 68% of eligible voters turned out. Under Iowa law you can carry a concealed handgun without a permit, abortion is banned with narrow exceptions, and marijuana is medical only.

Weather and risk

The year averages 48°F, highs near 58 and lows near 37, colder than 83% of American counties. About 29 inches of rain and snow fall a year. FEMA puts natural-hazard risk at 29 out of 100, safer than 71% of American counties; the county has had 19 federal disaster declarations since 1953.

Getting around, going out

Home internet averages 198 Mbps down, slower than 51% of American counties. There are 3 airports in the county, counting general aviation. For a night or a weekend out: 0.8 full-service restaurants per 1,000 people.

Where these numbers come from

• BLS QCEW 2024
• CDC 2024
• CMS 2024
• Census 2023
• Census ACS
• Census ACS 2022
• Census Population Estimates 2023
• Census SAHIE 2024
• County Health Rankings 2024
• Derived from ACS 2022 home value / household income
• FAA Airport Database
• FEMA Disaster Declarations 1953–2026
• FEMA National Risk Index 2023 (0–100, all hazards)
• HRSA Area Health Resources File 2023
• IMLS
• NOAA Climate Normals
• National Park Service
• Ookla Speedtest Intelligence
• Open Brewery DB
• OpenElections 2024
• SEDA via County Health Rankings 2024 (3.0 = at grade level; not a Z-score)
• Tax Foundation 2023
• USDA Food Environment Atlas
• Zillow ZHVI 2024
• Iowa tax and law data: state revenue department, Tax Foundation, Giffords, Guttmacher (2026)

Percentiles compare this county with every other county that reports the same figure. Missing figures are left out rather than guessed. Share this page: the address is permanent.