Lester, Iowa
Among the top 22% of US places for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 78% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 58% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 47% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 11% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 36% of US places
- top 11% for unemployment
- top 20% for violent crime
- bottom 6% for amenities nearby
Limited data for Lester — the figures below are what we have. See Lyon County for a fuller picture.
Lester is a small community in Iowa with about 303 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and D for getting around. Standout strengths include unemployment, violent crime, and broadband access. It rates lower on school quality and amenities nearby.
- The median home value in Lester is $170k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Lester is $86k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Lester has a violent crime rate of 224/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- July temperatures in Lester average around 73°F, per the NOAA nClimGrid.
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freezing
v.cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
v.cold
freez.
78%55%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.9 in0.7 in
humid 98%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$86k77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 59% of US places
Home Value$170k53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Owner Costs$110better than 69% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.88%better than 58% of US places
Income Tax6.00%better than 29% of US places
Sales Tax6.94%better than 68% of US places
Estimated total tax burden10.03%better than 47% of US places
Unemployment0.0%better than 89% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)17°F8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation29.3 in23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall34.9 inbetter than 27% of US places
Sunny Days235 daysbetter than 53% of US places
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 58% of US places
Comfortable Days87 daysbetter than 63% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk79.3better than 28% of US places
Air Quality46 AQIbetter than 51% of US places
School Quality40.7better than 16% of US places
Violent Crime224/100kbetter than 80% of US places
Property Crime454/100kbetter than 72% of US places
Community
Population30327th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.739th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2659th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0667th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6895th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)85.1%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.0%22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)13.2%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.7%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)1.0%28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Walkability5.6/20better than 27% of US places
Airport Distance149 mibetter than 18% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.1%better than 72% of US places
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 6% of US places
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 54% of US places
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lester an affordable place to live?
- Lester is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 59% of comparable areas. Median rent is not available.
- Is Lester safe?
- Lester is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 224/100k (better than 80%). Property crime is 454/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lester?
- Lester averages 73°F in July and 17°F in January, with 29.3 in of annual precipitation and about 235 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lester?
- Public-school quality in Lester is below average, scoring better than 16% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.