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Lester, IA
City in Lyon County, Iowa. ZIP codes: 51242.
Population
340
Land area
1.8sq mi
People per sq mi
186
ZIP codes
1
Lester and its ZIP codes
Lester at a glance
- Lester is about 3.2 times as dense as Iowa as a whole.
Local data for Lester, IA
Counts from official public data
Economy and federal money
Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Lyon County. PPP loans are for Lester.
Unemployment rate
2.2%
Aug 2026, -0.2 pts in a year
Average annual pay
$52,179
4,951 jobs, 2025
Income per person
$75,203
BEA, 2024
Federal spending
$78.4M
FY 2026, $6,567 per person
PPP loans
$2.1M
29 loans, 264 jobs reported
Environment and hazard risk
Lester, IA, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA
Natural hazard risk
Very Low
Top: hail
Storm events since 1996
724
Countywide, mostly hail
Flood insurance policies
39
0.7% of homes, county
July high / Jan low
85° / 6°F
29.3 inches of rain a year
Health statistics
Share of adults in Lester, IA, CDC PLACES estimates
Obesity
38.1%
U.S. 33.3% +4.8 pts
Diabetes
10.9%
U.S. 12.1% -1.2 pts
Smoking
14.3%
U.S. 12.8% +1.5 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
7.7%
U.S. 11.1% -3.4 pts
ZIP codes in Lester
1 in or overlapping Lester. Population shown
Cities near Lester
| Name | Distance | Land area (sq mi) |
|---|---|---|
| LarchwoodCity | 5.3 mi | 1 |
| Steen, MNCity | 6.2 mi | 0.4 |
| Hills, MNCity | 6.2 mi | 0.6 |
| AlvordCity | 6.9 mi | 0.6 |
| Rock RapidsCity | 8.4 mi | 4.2 |
| InwoodCity | 10 mi | 1.4 |
| Valley Springs, SDCity | 12 mi | 1 |
| Beaver Creek, MNCity | 12 mi | 0.5 |
| DoonCity | 12 mi | 0.8 |
| Rowena, SDCensus-designated place | 12 mi | 0.3 |
| Anderson, SDCensus-designated place | 15 mi | 0.8 |
| Shindler, SDCensus-designated place | 16 mi | 1.5 |
| Canton, SDCity | 16 mi | 3.3 |
| Brandon, SDCity | 16 mi | 6.1 |
| Luverne, MNCity | 16 mi | 3.7 |
| Rock ValleyCity | 16 mi | 4.5 |
Frequently asked questions
- What county is Lester, IA in?
- Lester is in Lyon County, Iowa.
- What ZIP codes are in Lester, IA?
- ZIP codes in or overlapping Lester include 51242.
- What is the population of Lester, IA?
- About 340 people live in Lester, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
- What cities are near Lester?
- Nearby places include Larchwood (5.3 mi), Steen, MN (6.2 mi), Hills, MN (6.2 mi), Alvord (6.9 mi), Rock Rapids (8.4 mi).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023