Fort Dodge, IA vs Storm Lake, IA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricFort Dodge, IAStorm Lake, IA
Population24,82711,428
Median Household Income$60,649$62,765
Median Rent$785/mo$898/mo
Median Home Value$144,100$172,200
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income42.2%27.9%
Poverty Rate15.9%7%
Unemployment Rate3.8%3% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k940247
Property Crime Rate /100k2,8481,331
Median AQI45—
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs81°F80°F
Winter Lows11°F12°F
Snowfall39 in/yr36 in/yr
Avg Commute19 min10.1 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating2.0 / 52.0 / 5
Students per Teacher16.515
College Degree Rate21.7%18.9%
Foreign-Born %4.1%30.3%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.2%+2.8%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.