Spencer, IA vs Storm Lake, IA

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

MetricSpencer, IAStorm Lake, IA
Population11,40011,428
Median Household Income$59,667$62,765
Median Rent$805/mo$898/mo
Median Home Value$184,800$172,200
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income36.9%27.9%
Poverty Rate14%7%
Unemployment Rate3.2% (county)3% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k96247
Property Crime Rate /100k8741,331
Median AQI——
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs82°F80°F
Winter Lows10°F12°F
Snowfall43 in/yr36 in/yr
Avg Commute15.8 min10.1 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 52.0 / 5
Students per Teacher15.215
College Degree Rate29.8%18.9%
Foreign-Born %3.3%30.3%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.9%+2.8%

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