1st Advantage MortgageThe median Palo Alto County household earns $72,781, and 12% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Palo Alto County by the numbers
- Palo Alto County housing compared with Iowa
- Income in Palo Alto County compared with Iowa
- How Palo Alto County residents earn a living
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Palo Alto County
- Regional comparison for Palo Alto County
- A Palo Alto County household budget, worked through
- Palo Alto County households compared
- Local borrowing considerations for Palo Alto County
- Checklist for Palo Alto County applicants
- Licensing and complaints for Palo Alto County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Palo Alto County by the numbers
Roughly 8,863 residents live in Palo Alto County, Iowa, 82nd by population among the state's 99 counties and county equivalents. It covers 564 square miles of land, or about 16 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 9 places in the county (9 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Emmetsburg, with about 3,648 residents, or 41% of the county. Because Palo Alto County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
Palo Alto County housing compared with Iowa
A typical Palo Alto County rental runs $638 a month including utilities, which is 34% below Iowa. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 42% of renter households here. With a median value of $123,200, a typical Palo Alto County house costs 1.7 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 77%. The median home was built in 1958, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Palo Alto County | Iowa | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $638/mo | $972/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $123,200 | $208,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 77% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 42% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 14% | 20% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 17% | 8% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Income in Palo Alto County compared with Iowa
The median household income in Palo Alto County is $72,781; statewide it is $75,059, so Palo Alto County runs 3% below Iowa as a whole. That places it 39th among Iowa's 99 county-level areas.
| Yearly household income | Palo Alto County | Gap to Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.7% | +0.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.8% | -0.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.7% | +2.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.8% | -2.7 pts |
Some 22% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 36% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 11.6% of Palo Alto County residents in poverty, against 11.1% across Iowa. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.416 (0 is perfect equality). If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Palo Alto County median.
How Palo Alto County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 22% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 13%. Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 12% of workers here, versus 4% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Palo Alto County averages 2.2% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 3.6%). 9% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 5% work from home.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Palo Alto County | Gap to Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.4% | -1.8 pts |
| Manufacturing | 13.1% | -1.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.0% | +1.5 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 12.4% | +8.7 pts |
| Construction | 11.5% | +4.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.1% | -0.9 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Palo Alto County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Cities, towns and CDPs in Palo Alto County
Here are the 9 most populous of the county's 9 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 77% of Palo Alto County residents live in one of the 9. West Bend has the highest median household income on the list ($86,154) and Emmetsburg the lowest ($55,833), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $518 in Graettinger to $624 in Emmetsburg. This guide covers each of the 9 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emmetsburg | city | 3,648 | $55,833 | $624 | 3 mi |
| Graettinger | city | 1,096 | $82,417 | $518 | 12 mi |
| West Bend | city | 855 | $86,154 | $538 | 14 mi |
| Ruthven | city | 732 | $58,625 | $608 | 12 mi |
| Mallard | city | 263 | $45,909 | $1,078 | 9 mi |
| Ayrshire | city | 146 | $58,906 | $1,313 | 9 mi |
| Curlew | city | 54 | $64,688 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Cylinder | city | 46 | $62,500 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Rodman | city | 26 | $58,750 | n/a | 8 mi |
Regional comparison for Palo Alto County
Six nearby counties, 21 to 33 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. None of the six report a higher median household income than Palo Alto County; Humboldt County is highest at $71,946 and Pocahontas County lowest at $61,875.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto County | - | $72,781 | $638/mo | 77% |
| Emmet County, IA | 21 mi | $63,730 | $733/mo | 79% |
| Pocahontas County, IA | 24 mi | $61,875 | $832/mo | 77% |
| Clay County, IA | 24 mi | $65,428 | $811/mo | 73% |
| Kossuth County, IA | 25 mi | $67,697 | $859/mo | 79% |
| Humboldt County, IA | 31 mi | $71,946 | $744/mo | 77% |
| Buena Vista County, IA | 33 mi | $71,719 | $894/mo | 73% |
A Palo Alto County household budget, worked through
How much room does a median Palo Alto County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $6,065 a month: gross income for a household at the Palo Alto County median
- Less median rent of $638, which is 11% of it
- At 36%, room after rent is $1,545 a month
- Under a 43% cap, $2,608 total minus rent leaves $1,970
If your rent is above $638, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Palo Alto County households compared
Degree holders: 19% of adults over 25. 4.8% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Palo Alto County | All of Iowa | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 38.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.0% | 31.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.7% | 6.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.8% | 5.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.9% | 11.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 11.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.2% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 54.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 25.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 11.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.9% |
| 60+ min | 5.1% |
Local borrowing considerations for Palo Alto County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Palo Alto County borrowers.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Palo Alto County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
Checklist for Palo Alto County applicants
A short checklist for Palo Alto County borrowers:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- A Iowa license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Ask a Palo Alto County credit union about member loans.
Licensing and complaints for Palo Alto County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Palo Alto County resident can confirm its license with the Iowa Division of Banking. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. Statewide data and rules: Iowa guide.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Iowa guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Palo Alto County a high-income county?
Its $72,781 median ranks 39th of 99 Iowa counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Palo Alto County?
$638 a month at the median, about 11% of median household income.
Does this page cover Emmetsburg?
Yes, along with the other 8 Census places in Palo Alto County, such as Graettinger, West Bend, Ruthven.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Palo Alto County or elsewhere in Iowa, the same rules apply.
Who regulates personal lenders for Palo Alto County residents?
The Iowa Division of Banking licenses consumer lenders in Iowa; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.